Alsask,_Saskatchewan
Alsask
Special service area in Saskatchewan, Canada
Alsask is a special service area[9] in the Rural Municipality of Milton No. 292, in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Alsask is located 60 km (37 mi) west of the town of Kindersley. Highway 44 runs to the east of Alsask, and Highway 7 lies a few kilometres to the north. The community had a population of 113 in the 2021 Canadian census (a 1.8% increase from 111 in the 2016 Canadian census).[4]
Alsask | |
|---|---|
| Special Service Area of Alsask | |
The Alsask radome is visible for miles in every direction and owned by the Canadian Civil Defence Museum | |
| Coordinates: 51°22′47″N 109°59′49″W[2] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| Region | West-Central |
| Rural Municipality | Milton No. 292 |
| Post office established | January 1, 1911 |
| Incorporated (village) | November 22, 1910 |
| Incorporated (town) | November 1, 1912 |
| Restructured (special service area) | January 1, 1947 (village) July 30, 2009 (SSA) |
| Government | |
| • Governing body | Milton No. 292 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.87 km2 (0.72 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[4] | |
| • Total | 113 |
| • Density | 60.4/km2 (156/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-06:00 (CST) |
| Postal code | S0L 0A0 |
| Area code | 306 |
| Highways |  Hwy 44 |
| [5][6][7][8] | |
The community's name combines the names of Alberta and Saskatchewan, although it is a misconception that it straddles the border between the two provinces. It lies approximately 300 m (980 ft) east of the Alberta border and while the community lies completely within Saskatchewan, the local cemetery is actually in Alberta. Alsask's most notable landmark is one of three remaining radar domes that for many years operated as Canadian Forces Detachment Alsask as part of the Pinetree Line, operated by the Canadian Armed Forces. Southeast of the town is Alsask Lake.[10]
Alsask incorporated as a village November 22, 1910;[11] two years later on November 1, 1912, it was decided the village was large enough to incorporate into a town. By 1916 the population of Alsask had reached 300.
The Great Depression in Canada hit Alsask hard, and the village struggled with maintaining its population. The town was reverted to a village on January 1, 1947.[11]
Things began to change; in 1959 with the establishment of Royal Canadian Air Force Station Alsask, a 169 ha (418 acres) base was established next to the town site, and by the early 1970s the population had reached over 800, though the village never reverted to town status. The base was disbanded in 1987.[12]
Since the closure of the RCAF Station Alsask, the village population continued to decline; by 2009, the Village of Alsask was dissolved as a political entity, and a motion was accepted to join the Rural Municipality of Milton as a special service area on July 30, 2009.[1][13]
Heritage sites
CFD Alsask became a designated heritage site in 2002.[14] The site is the former Royal Canadian Air Force Alsask Station, a Cold War era, military base and Pinetree Line radar dome,[15] open to public Monday to Friday.[16] Few of the original buildings remain. Most notably, the "Gopher Dip" indoor swimming pool as it was known during the lifespan as a military site, is still in use.[when?] During the summer months the swimming pool is well used, attracting many children and families from surrounding communities. The site also includes a bowling alley built to entertain families of the RCAF and Alsask and area residents.
The Old Alsask School operated from its opening in 1913 until 1976 when the property was taken over by the Village of Alsask. In 2002 the building was restored as a community centre and is now listed as a Municipal Heritage Property.[17]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Alsask had a population of 113 living in 50 of its 67 total private dwellings, a change of 1.8% from its 2016 population of 111. With a land area of 1.87 km2 (0.72 sq mi), it had a population density of 60.4/km2 (156.5/sq mi) in 2021.[18]
| 2021 | 2016 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 113 (1.8% from 2016) | 111 (-15.3% from 2011) | 131 (1.6% from 2006) |
| Land area | 1.87 km2 (0.72 sq mi) | 1.82 km2 (0.70 sq mi) | 1.68 km2 (0.65 sq mi) |
| Population density | 60.4/km2 (156/sq mi) | 61.0/km2 (158/sq mi) | 77.9/km2 (202/sq mi) |
| Median age | 41.5 (M: 49.5, F: 35.8) | 41.5 (M: 44.2, F: 37.8) | |
| Private dwellings | 67 (total) | 86 (total) | 72 (total) |
| Median household income |
Alsask was part of the Heartland Regional Health Authority which was amalgamated with the Saskatchewan Health Authority[24]
Alsask experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk). Winters are long, cold and dry, while summers are short and warm. Precipitation is low, with an annual average of 299.8 mm (11.80 in), and is heavily concentrated in the warmer months. There is a weather station located about 11 km (6.8 mi) southeast of the community, adjacent to Alsask Lake.
| Climate data for Alsask Hardene Climate ID: 4020130; coordinates 51°20′N 109°51′W; elevation: 658.4 m (2,160 ft); 1981–2010 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.2 (54.0) |
15.5 (59.9) |
21.7 (71.1) |
31.5 (88.7) |
35.0 (95.0) |
38.0 (100.4) |
38.5 (101.3) |
41.7 (107.1) |
36.7 (98.1) |
29.0 (84.2) |
21.1 (70.0) |
12.8 (55.0) |
41.7 (107.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −7.1 (19.2) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
2.9 (37.2) |
12.6 (54.7) |
18.9 (66.0) |
23.3 (73.9) |
25.7 (78.3) |
25.6 (78.1) |
18.8 (65.8) |
11.8 (53.2) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
10.1 (50.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −12.7 (9.1) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
−2.6 (27.3) |
5.4 (41.7) |
11.5 (52.7) |
16.2 (61.2) |
18.3 (64.9) |
17.8 (64.0) |
11.5 (52.7) |
4.9 (40.8) |
−5.8 (21.6) |
−11.9 (10.6) |
3.6 (38.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −18.2 (−0.8) |
−15.4 (4.3) |
−8.1 (17.4) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
4.1 (39.4) |
9.0 (48.2) |
10.8 (51.4) |
9.9 (49.8) |
4.1 (39.4) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−10.9 (12.4) |
−17.1 (1.2) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −46.7 (−52.1) |
−43.5 (−46.3) |
−36.7 (−34.1) |
−31.1 (−24.0) |
−9.4 (15.1) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
1.7 (35.1) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−11.7 (10.9) |
−27.5 (−17.5) |
−36.5 (−33.7) |
−44.4 (−47.9) |
−46.7 (−52.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 8.8 (0.35) |
6.2 (0.24) |
14.1 (0.56) |
17.6 (0.69) |
42.9 (1.69) |
54.0 (2.13) |
59.6 (2.35) |
35.0 (1.38) |
23.9 (0.94) |
12.4 (0.49) |
14.0 (0.55) |
11.5 (0.45) |
299.8 (11.80) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.7 (0.03) |
0.2 (0.01) |
3.4 (0.13) |
13.4 (0.53) |
42.1 (1.66) |
54.0 (2.13) |
59.6 (2.35) |
35.0 (1.38) |
21.0 (0.83) |
7.5 (0.30) |
1.5 (0.06) |
0.5 (0.02) |
238.8 (9.40) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 8.1 (3.2) |
6.0 (2.4) |
10.7 (4.2) |
4.2 (1.7) |
0.7 (0.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.9 (1.1) |
4.9 (1.9) |
12.5 (4.9) |
11.0 (4.3) |
61.0 (24.0) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 5.9 | 4.7 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 10.5 | 12.0 | 11.3 | 9.2 | 7.9 | 6.0 | 6.9 | 5.9 | 93.9 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 0.18 | 0.12 | 1.70 | 5.20 | 10.40 | 12.00 | 11.30 | 9.20 | 7.90 | 4.60 | 1.10 | 0.38 | 64.10 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 5.90 | 4.50 | 5.10 | 2.40 | 0.35 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.53 | 1.80 | 5.90 | 5.70 | 32.10 |
| Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada[25] | |||||||||||||
Notable persons who were born, grew up or lived in Alsask:
- Bob Adams – Track and field athlete
- Karin Plato – Canadian jazz vocalist and composer[26]
- Lorne Shantz – Politician, and former MLA in the British Columbia Legislature
- "Search for Municipal Information". Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- National Archives, Archivia Net, Post Offices and Postmasters, archived from the original on October 6, 2006
- Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home, Municipal Directory System, archived from the original on November 21, 2008
- Canadian Textiles Institute. (2005), CTI Determine your provincial constituency, archived from the original on September 11, 2007
- Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005), Elections Canada On-line, archived from the original on April 21, 2007
- "Municipal Directory System" (PDF). Government of Saskatchewan. p. 225. Retrieved November 19, 2016.[permanent dead link]
- Alsask Radar Dome Archived August 19, 2009, at the Wayback Machine - The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan
- "Restructured Villages". Saskatchewan Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Archived from the original on March 25, 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
- Military Heritage Site - Tourism Saskatchewan
- CFS Alsask Dome - Off The Beaten Path – with Chris & Connie
- Military Heritage Site - Google Maps
- Alsask School - Community Centre Archived July 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine - Government of Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Property Database
- "Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 12, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
- "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 21, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
- "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. August 20, 2019.
- "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 18, 2021.
- "Alsask Hardene". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment and Climate Change Canada. November 25, 2021. Climate ID: 4020130. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- "State of Bliss (A profile of Karin Plato)". Retrieved March 9, 2022.