Moose Jaw

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Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Nickname(s): The Jaw, The Friendly City, Little Chicago
Moose Jaw is located in Saskatchewan
Moose Jaw
Location of Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan
Coordinates: 50°23′36″N 105°33′07″W / 50.39333°N 105.55194°W / 50.39333; -105.55194
Country Canada
Province Saskatchewan
Government
 • City Mayor Deb Higgins
 • Governing Body Moose Jaw City Council
 • MP Ray Boughen (CON) - Palliser
 • MLA Greg Lawrence (SKP) - Moose Jaw Wakamow
Warren Michelson (SKP) - Moose Jaw North
Area
 • Total 46.82 km2 (18.08 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • Total 33,274
 • Density 710.7/km2 (1,841/sq mi)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
Postal code span S6H to S6K
Area code(s) 306
Website www.moosejaw.ca

Moose Jaw (Assiniboine: tácehubana [1]) is a city in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada on the Moose Jaw River. It is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway, 77 km (48 mi) west of Regina. Residents of Moose Jaw are known as Moose Javians. Best known as a retirement and tourist city, it serves as a hub to the hundreds of small towns and farms in the surrounding region of Saskatchewan.[citation needed] The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Moose Jaw No. 161.

Marked on a map as Moose Jaw Bone Creek in an 1857 survey by surveyor John Palliser,[2] two theories exist as to how the city got its name. The first is it comes from the Plains Cree name moscâstani-sîpiy meaning "a warm place by the river", indicative of the protection from the weather the Coteau range provides to the river valley containing the city[3] and also the Plains Cree word moose gaw, meaning warm breezes. The other is on the map of the city, the Moose Jaw River is shaped like a moose's jaw.

Moose Jaw is an industrial centre and an important railway junction for the area's agricultural produce. It is known for its giant historical murals on the exterior walls of buildings in its business district, and its tunnels were used for rum-running during Prohibition. CFB Moose Jaw is a NATO flight training school, and is home to the Snowbirds, Canada's military aerobatic air show flight demonstration team. Moose Jaw also has a casino and geothermal spa.

Contents

History [edit]

The intersection of the Moose Jaw River and Thunder Creek was chosen and registered in 1881 as a site for a division point for the Canadian Pacific Railway, whose construction was significant in Confederation of Canada. The water supply there was significant for steam locomotives. Settlement began there in 1882 and the city was incorporated in 1903.[4] The railways played an important role in the early development of Moose Jaw, with the city having both a Canadian Pacific Railway Station and a Canadian National Railway Station. A dam was built on the river in 1883 to create a year-round water supply.

Economy [edit]

A building in Moose Jaw
Mac the Moose, a fiberglass moose statue in Moose Jaw

Moose Jaw is a city of around 35,000 at the intersection of the Trans Canada Highway and Highway 2.[5] A Snowbird aerobatic jet and Mac the Moose are large roadside attractions of Moose Jaw on the #1 highway at the tourist info center.[6] Moose Jaw Trolley Company (1912) is still offering trolley tours of Moose Jaw. Temple Garden's Mineral Spa,[7] Tunnels of Moose Jaw,[8] and History of Transportation Western Development Museum.[9] are major sites of interest of this city.[10] The juncture of Moose Jaw and Thunder Creek produced the best source of water for steam engines, and Moose Jaw became the CPR divisional point.[11] Large capacity concrete grain terminals are replacing the smaller grain elevators which were numerous along the highway, sentinels of most communities along the route. Improved technology for harvest, transport and road construction have made the large inland terminals more viable economically.[12] The rural governing body around Moose Jaw is Moose Jaw No. 161 which serves 1,228 residents (2006 census) which includes the Moose Jaw, Canadian Forces Base. Meat-processing plants, salt, potash, urea fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia and ethanol producers abound in this area with easy transport access to the Trans–Canada Highway.[5][13]

The Town 'N' Country Mall is the only indoor shopping centre located in Moose Jaw.

Many retailers and grocery stores operate in Moose Jaw. These include Federated Co-operatives, Safeway Inc., Giant Tiger, Canadian Tire, Real Canadian Superstore, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Staples (Canada), The Brick, MKarr's Furniture, Peavey Mart, Shoppers Drug Mart, PartSource, Mark's Work Warehouse, Liquidation World, Your Dollar Store With More, Dollar Giant, Home Hardware, Castle Building Centres Group and Westrum Lumber. The fourth Army & Navy Stores store in Canada operated on Main Street from 1933 to 2000. Beaver Lumber had a location on High Street until the company was bought by Home Hardware and the store was converted to Castle Building Centre.

In 1917, a group of local residents banded together and purchased enough automobile parts to build 25 cars. These were to be manufactured under the name Moose Jaw Standard. Each member of the group was able to receive a car, but no further buyers were found, and production did not continue.[14]

CFB Moose Jaw [edit]

Main article: CFB Moose Jaw

The area surrounding Moose Jaw has a high number of cloudless days, making it a good site for training pilots. The Royal Canadian Air Force under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan established RCAF Station Moose Jaw in 1940. Following the war, the RCAF remained in the community and used the facility for training pilots through the Cold War. The facility changed its name to CFB Moose Jaw in 1968 and it is currently Canada's primary military flight training centre and the home of 431 (Air Demonstration) Squadron (aka the "Snowbirds").

CFB Moose Jaw's primary lodger unit is "15 Wing". In the Canadian Forces Air Command, the lodger unit is frequently referred to as 15 Wing Moose Jaw. The base usually holds an Armed Forces Day each year.

Climate [edit]

Moose Jaw's climate is transitional between semiarid and humid continental (Köppen BSk and Dfb, respectively) Moose Jaw's winters are long, cold and dry, while its summers are short, but very warm and relatively wet. The coldest month is January, with a mean temperature of -13.7°C, while the warmest is July, with a mean temperature of 19.4°C. The driest month is February, in which an average of 13 mm of precipitation falls, while the wettest month is June, which brings an average of 60 mm. Annual average precipitation is 365 mm.

Climate data for Moose Jaw
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 25.4
(77.7)		 16.9
(62.4)		 23.3
(73.9)		 32.9
(91.2)		 38.6
(101.5)		 41.2
(106.2)		 38.9
(102)		 41.7
(107.1)		 37.2
(99)		 32.8
(91)		 22.2
(72)		 12.0
(53.6)		 41.7
(107.1)
Average high °C (°F) −8.3
(17.1)		 −4.8
(23.4)		 2.0
(35.6)		 11.6
(52.9)		 19.1
(66.4)		 24.0
(75.2)		 26.3
(79.3)		 25.9
(78.6)		 19.2
(66.6)		 12.2
(54)		 1.0
(33.8)		 −6.2
(20.8)		 10.17
(50.31)
Daily mean °C (°F) −13.7
(7.3)		 −10.0
(14)		 −3.4
(25.9)		 5.0
(41)		 12.1
(53.8)		 17.1
(62.8)		 19.4
(66.9)		 18.6
(65.5)		 12.4
(54.3)		 5.8
(42.4)		 −4.2
(24.4)		 −11.4
(11.5)		 3.97
(39.15)
Average low °C (°F) −19.1
(−2.4)		 −15.1
(4.8)		 −8.8
(16.2)		 −1.7
(28.9)		 5.0
(41)		 10.2
(50.4)		 12.3
(54.1)		 11.2
(52.2)		 5.5
(41.9)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 −9.3
(15.3)		 −16.6
(2.1)		 −2.25
(27.95)
Record low °C (°F) −45.6
(−50.1)		 −40.5
(−40.9)		 −38.9
(−38)		 −26.1
(−15)		 −11.1
(12)		 −2.8
(27)		 1.1
(34)		 0.0
(32)		 −12.8
(9)		 −21.1
(−6)		 −32.3
(−26.1)		 −40.7
(−41.3)		 −45.6
(−50.1)
Precipitation mm (inches) 16.6
(0.654)		 12.9
(0.508)		 19.3
(0.76)		 23.2
(0.913)		 48.9
(1.925)		 60.2
(2.37)		 57.3
(2.256)		 39.8
(1.567)		 35.7
(1.406)		 17.6
(0.693)		 15.6
(0.614)		 18.2
(0.717)		 365.3
(14.383)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 107.6 135.9 163.3 222.7 271.7 287.5 332.1 297.3 192.2 170.5 108.0 87.4 2,376.2
Source: Environment Canada[15]

Royal presence [edit]

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Moose Jaw has had many members of the Canadian Royal Family visit the city. Edward, Prince of Wales, who owned a ranch in Alberta, visited in 1919, 1924, and 1927. Prince Albert, future king and father of Queen Elizabeth II, paid a visit in 1926. King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth (later known as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) visited during the Royal tour in 1939. Queen Elizabeth II first visited in 1959, and has come to the city a few times since.

The Earl of Wessex (Prince Edward) became Colonel-in-Chief of the Saskatchewan Dragoons of Moose Jaw on visiting Saskatchewan in 2003, when he congratulated the regiment on its "contribution to Canada's proud tradition of citizen-soldiers in the community." Involved in peacekeeping operations in Cyprus, the Golan Heights, Bosnia and Croatia, the regiment has also provided aid during floods and forest fires in the prairies. The Prince returned to visit his regiment in 2006.

The Earl of Wessex also inaugurated the Queen's Jubilee Rose Garden in Moose Jaw on his visit in 2003. Other royal connections to the city include King George School and Prince Arthur Community School, both named for members of the royal family. Before it shut down and became the separate Cornerstone Christian School, the South Hill school was formerly named King Edward Elementary School.

Sports teams [edit]

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Like most Canadian cities, hockey has played a large part of Moose Jaw's sporting culture, yet baseball has also been an important part of Moose Jaw since its first days as the city won territorial championships in 1895. Most recently, the 2004 Junior All-Star team (age 13/14) won the Canadian Championship and became the first team from Saskatchewan to win a game at the Little League World Series.

Notable sports teams of Moose Jaw include:

Defunct sports teams

Media [edit]

Print
Radio
Television

The only television station local to Moose Jaw is CKMJ-TV channel 7, an analogue repeater of CTV station CKCK-DT Regina. Moose Jaw was previously served by CHAB-TV, a television station that existed from 1959 to 1969.

Notable residents [edit]

See also: List of mayors of Moose Jaw

Arts and culture [edit]

The mineral spa in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Museums [edit]

Moose Jaw is home to one of four Western Development Museums which specializes in history of transportation and has a Snowbirds gallery.[49] The Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village and Museum is located south of Moose Jaw on Sk Hwy 2. The car club at Moose Jaw agreed to the restoration of Tom Sukanen's ship at their museum site. Tom Sukanen was a Finnish homesteader who settled near Birsay and hoped to travel home again on his ship he assembled near the South Saskatchewan River. The Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village and Museum features a typical village replete with pioneer artifacts and tractors, cars and trucks restored by the Moose Jaw car club, and is run by volunteers.[50]

Attractions [edit]

Tourist attractions include the Tunnels of Moose Jaw, The Moose Jaw Trolley, the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa Resort, Captain Jacks River Boat Tour, The Western Development Museum, Casino Moose Jaw and the Murals of Moose Jaw. Every July the Saskatchewan Festival of Words takes place over a four-day period showcasing top Canadian writers in a wide variety of genres. The Snowbirds flight demonstration team is based at CFB Moose Jaw, south of Moose Jaw in Bushell Park, where the now defunct airshow was performed from every summer.

There are many parks in Moose Jaw. Crescent Park is located downtown and features a creek, picnic tables, library, art museum, playground, outdoor swimming pool, water park, gymnasium, tennis court, lawn bowling field and an amphitheatre. Casino Moose Jaw and Temple Gardens Mineral Spa are located across Fairford St. E. and 1st Ave. NE. from Crescent Park. "Wakamow Park" follows the Moose Jaw River and features both natural and maintained areas. There are many trails throughout the park for hiking and cycling as well as picnic tables, barbecues, a burger restaurant and two playgrounds. There is also an RV park, known as River Park Campground, which was founded in 1927 and is the longest running campground in North America. Canoe and kayak rentals are available across the road from the campground.

Old Wives Lake, a saline lake is located 30 km southwest of the city on Highway 363. Buffalo Pound Lake a eutrophic prairie lake is located 28 km north on Highway 2 and is the city's water supply. Buffalo Pound Provincial Park is on the south shore and can be accessed by Highway 202 and Highway 301.

Demographics [edit]

Historical populations
Year Pop.   ±%  
1901 1,558 —    
1911 13,823 +787.2%
1921 19,285 +39.5%
1931 21,299 +10.4%
1941 20,496 −3.8%
1951 24,355 +18.8%
1961 33,206 +36.3%
1971 31,854 −4.1%
1981 33,941 +6.6%
1991 33,593 −1.0%
1996 32,973 −1.8%
2001 32,131 −2.6%
2006 32,132 +0.0%
2011 33,274 +3.6%

Moose Jaw's population grew to 32,132 according to the 2006 census, which showed virtually no increase from 2001.[51]

Canada census – Moose Jaw Community Profile
  2011 2006 2001

Population:
Land area:
Population density:
Median age:
Total private dwellings:
Mean household income:

33,274 (3.6% from 2006)
50.68 km2 (19.57 sq mi)
656.5 /km2 (1,700 /sq mi)

15,370

32,132 (0.0% from 2001)
46.82 km2 (18.08 sq mi)
686.3 /km2 (1,778 /sq mi)
41.6 (M: 39.9, F: 43.1)
14,691
$45,299

32,131 (-2.6% from 1996)
46.81 km2 (18.07 sq mi)
686.4 /km2 (1,778 /sq mi)
39.5 (M: 37.9, F: 41.1)
14,403
$50,411
References: 2011[52] 2006[53] 2001[54]

Racial groups [edit]

Education [edit]

Local institutions include 5 high schools (includes Central Collegiate, etc.), 15 elementary schools, and the 57-member Moose Jaw Fire Department. The Moose Jaw Police Service provide policing for the city and hold both municipal and provincial jurisdiction, and is in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Moose Jaw is also home to the Palliser Campus of the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST).

In popular culture [edit]

In the fictional Harry Potter universe, Moose Jaw is the hometown of the professional Quidditch team the Moose Jaw Meteorites, which are considered one of the most accomplished Quidditch teams in the world. However, in the 1970s they were threatened with disbandment due to trailing fiery sparks from the end of their brooms during victory flights. Today, their games are considered a popular wizard tourist attraction.

See also [edit]

Portal icon Canada portal

References [edit]

  1. ^ "AISRI Dictionary Database Search--prototype version. Assiniboine.". Retrieved 2012-07-07. 
  2. ^ Larsen, John; Maurice Richard Libby (2001). Moose Jaw: people, places, history. Coteau Books. p. 10. ISBN 1-55050-163-1, 9781550501636 Check |isbn= value (help). Retrieved 6 June 2010. 
  3. ^ "Our Early History". Retrieved 18 January 2010.  Moose Jaw City Gov't website
  4. ^ http://www.moosejaw.ca/about/history.shtml
  5. ^ a b "2006 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. 2006. Retrieved 26 December 2007. 
  6. ^ Solonyka, Ed (1998 – 2006). "Large Roadside Attractions". Retrieved 29 December 2007 
  7. ^ "Temple Gardens Mineral Spa". Retrieved 15 April 2008. 
  8. ^ "Tunnels of Moose Jaw Home Page". Retrieved 15 April 2008. 
  9. ^ "Moose Jaw WDM". Retrieved 15 April 2008. 
  10. ^ Government of Saskatchewan. "Sask Biz Moose Jaw". Retrieved 12 August 2007 
  11. ^ Government of Saskatchewan. "Sask Biz Moose Jaw (No.161)". Retrieved 12 August 2007 
  12. ^ "Inland Container Terminal Analysis, Final Report - December 12, 2006" (PDF). Retrieved 15 April 2008. 
  13. ^ Government of Saskatchewan. "Sask Biz Pense No. 16". Retrieved 12 August 2007 
  14. ^ David Burgess Wise, The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles
  15. ^ Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 26 June 2012
  16. ^ University of Toronto: Benjamin de Forest (Pat) Bayly Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  17. ^ Rock Eyez: Randy Black Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  18. ^ Legends of Hockey: Mike Blaisdell Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  19. ^ Canadian Parliament: Ray Boughen Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  20. ^ NDP Caucus: Lorne Calvert Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  21. ^ IMDB: Cory Churko Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  22. ^ BaseballReference.com: Reggie Cleveland Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  23. ^ Moose Jaw Museum and Gallery: Sylvio Paul Cloutier Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  24. ^ Poet Laureate Map of Canada: Robert Currie Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  25. ^ Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan: Bill Davies Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  26. ^ SportsReference.com: Phyllis Dewar Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  27. ^ Legends of Hockey: Ken Doraty Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  28. ^ Legends of Hockey: Emile Francis Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  29. ^ Paralympic.ca: Lisa Franks Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  30. ^ Legends of Hockey: Clark Gillies Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  31. ^ Moose Jaw Museum and Gallery: Vaughan Grayson Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  32. ^ University of Toronto: Gary Hyland Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  33. ^ Act Up In Saskatchewan: John Kern Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  34. ^ Canadian Encyclopedia: Joy Kogawa Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  35. ^ World Curling Tour: Joel Jordison Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  36. ^ IMDB: Art Linkletter Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  37. ^ Legends of Hockey: Reed Low Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  38. ^ University of Calgary: Bud McCaig Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  39. ^ Swimming Canada: Mike Mintenko Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  40. ^ Philadelphia Wings: David Mitchell Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  41. ^ Ken Mitchell
  42. ^ Canadian Encyclopedia: Ken Mitchell Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  43. ^ Internet Hockey Database: Scott Munroe Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  44. ^ IMDB Fergie Olver Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  45. ^ Mopupduty: Toronto Blue Jays Broadcasters Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  46. ^ Boxrec: Jack Reddick Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  47. ^ Harper Collins: Arthur Slade Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  48. ^ Legends of Hockey: Doug Smail Retrieved on 6 March 2009
  49. ^ "Moose Jaw Western Development Museum". Retrieved 9 September 2009 
  50. ^ "Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village and Museum". Retrieved 9 September 2009 
  51. ^ Saskatoon Star Phoenix (ed.). Saskatoon sees 2.8% hike; Regina rises by 0.6%. Saskatoon Star Phoenix newspaper Wednesday 14 March 2007. pp. B1. 
  52. ^ "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 20 May 2012. 
  53. ^ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2011-05-10. 
  54. ^ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. 2007-02-01. Retrieved 2011-05-10. 

Further reading [edit]

External links [edit]

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Coordinates: 50°23′36″N 105°33′07″W / 50.39333°N 105.55194°W / 50.39333; -105.55194

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