Alsask, Saskatchewan

Alsask is a special service area[6] in the Rural Municipality of Milton No. 292, in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Alsask is located 60 km west of the city 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 111 in the 2016 Canada Census (a 15.3% decrease from 131 in the 2011 Canada Census).

Alsask
Special service area[1]
Special Service Area of Alsask
The Alsask radome is visible for miles in every direction and owned by the Canadian Civil Defence Museum
Alsask
Alsask
Coordinates: 51°22′36″N 109°59′48″W
CountryCanada
ProvinceSaskatchewan
RegionWest-Central
Rural MunicipalityMilton No. 292
Post office establishedJanuary 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 bodyMilton No. 292
Area
 • Total1.66 km2 (0.64 sq mi)
Population
 (2016)
 • Total111
 • Density77.9/km2 (202/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
Postal code
S0L 0A0
Area code(s)306
Highways Hwy 44
[2][3][4][5]

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 is actually adjacent to the border), approximately 300 meters east of the Alberta border. While the community lies completely within Saskatchewan, the local graveyard is actually in Alberta. Alsask most notable landmark is one of three remaining radar domes that for many years operated as CFS Alsask as part of the Canadian Forces Pine Tree Line. Alsask Lake is located south east of the town site.[7]

History

Alsask incorporated as a village November 22, 1910,[8] 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 years hit Alsask hard, the village struggled with maintaining its population, the town was reverted to a village on January 1, 1947.[8]

Things began to change; in 1959 with the establishment of RCAF Station Alsask a 418-acre (1.69 km2) 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.[9]

Since the closing 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][10]

Heritage sites
Former military base north of Alsask

The Military Heritage Site is a newly designated Heritage site, designated in 2002.[11] The site is the former Royal Canadian Air Force Alsask Station, a Cold War era, military base and Pinetree Line radar dome,[12] open to public Monday to Friday.[13] 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. 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.[14]

Demographics
Canada census – Alsask, Saskatchewan community profile
2016 2011 2006
Population: 111 (-15.3% from 2011) 131 (1.6% from 2006) 129 (-27.5% from 2001)
Land area: 1.82 km2 (0.70 sq mi) 1.68 km2 (0.65 sq mi) 1.66 km2 (0.64 sq mi)
Population density: 61.0/km2 (158/sq mi) 77.9/km2 (202/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) 44.8 (M: 47.5, F: 43.5)
Total private dwellings: 86 72 75
Median household income: $Not Available $Not Available
References: 2016[15] 2011[16] 2006[17] earlier[18]

Health

Alsask is part of the Heartland Regional Health Authority with SaskHealth reporting Alsask as having a population of 148.[19]

Climate

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 millimetres (11.8 in), and is heavily concentrated in the warmer months.

The Alsask weather station is now inactive, the daily average values are based on reading between 1973 and 1997 while the record readings are based on date from 1959 to 1997.

Climate data for Alsask
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
(95)		 38
(100)		 38.5
(101.3)		 41.7
(107.1)		 36.7
(98.1)		 29
(84)		 21.1
(70.0)		 18.8
(65.8)		 41.7
(107.1)
Average high °C (°F) −8.3
(17.1)		 −5
(23)		 2.3
(36.1)		 12.2
(54.0)		 18.9
(66.0)		 23.3
(73.9)		 25.8
(78.4)		 25.1
(77.2)		 19.1
(66.4)		 12.2
(54.0)		 0.3
(32.5)		 −6.5
(20.3)		 10
(50)
Daily mean °C (°F) −13.9
(7.0)		 −10.6
(12.9)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 5.2
(41.4)		 11.5
(52.7)		 16.1
(61.0)		 18.4
(65.1)		 17.3
(63.1)		 11.7
(53.1)		 5.2
(41.4)		 −5.2
(22.6)		 −12
(10)		 3.4
(38.1)
Average low °C (°F) −19.4
(−2.9)		 −16
(3)		 −9
(16)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 4
(39)		 8.8
(47.8)		 10.8
(51.4)		 9.5
(49.1)		 4.1
(39.4)		 −1.9
(28.6)		 −10.8
(12.6)		 −17.3
(0.9)		 −3.3
(26.1)
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
(23)		 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) 10.7
(0.42)		 7.6
(0.30)		 14.7
(0.58)		 21.2
(0.83)		 43.5
(1.71)		 50.6
(1.99)		 56.1
(2.21)		 35.3
(1.39)		 21.6
(0.85)		 12
(0.5)		 12.5
(0.49)		 12.7
(0.50)		 298.5
(11.75)
Source: Environment Canada[20]

Notable people

Notable persons who were born, grew up or lived in Alsask:

See also

References
  1. "Search for Municipal Information". Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  2. National Archives, Archivia Net, Post Offices and Postmasters, archived from the original on 2006-10-06
  3. Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home, Municipal Directory System, archived from the original (– Scholar search) on 2008-11-21
  4. Canadian Textiles Institute. (2005), CTI Determine your provincial constituency, archived from the original on 2007-09-11
  5. Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005), Elections Canada On-line, archived from the original on 2007-04-21
  6. "Municipal Directory System" (PDF). Government of Saskatchewan. p. 225. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  7. "Canadian Geographical Names Data Base Search - Alsask Lake". Natural Resources Canada. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  8. Municipal History - Urban Incorporated Dates
  9. Alsask Radar Dome Archived 2009-08-19 at the Wayback Machine - The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan
  10. "Restructured Villages". Saskatchewan Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Archived from the original on March 25, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  11. Military Heritage Site - Tourism Saskatchewan
  12. CFS Alsask Dome - Off The Beaten Path – with Chris & Connie
  13. Military Heritage Site - Google Maps
  14. Alsask School - Community Centre Archived 2012-07-22 at the Wayback Machine - Government of Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Property Database
  15. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 21, 2017. Retrieved 2017-03-15.
  16. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-08-12.
  17. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  18. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012.
  19. Sask Health Population Coverage Archived February 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  20. Environment Canada—, accessed 03 January 2010
  21. "Karin Plato".
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