Buffalo Narrows
Buffalo Narrows | |
---|---|
Country | Canada |
Province | Saskatchewan |
Government | |
• Mayor | Estelle Laliberte |
• MLA Athabasca | Buckley Belanger |
• MP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River | Georgina Jolibois |
Area | |
• Total | 68.63 km2 (26.50 sq mi) |
Population (2011)[2] | |
• Total | 1,153 |
• Density | 16.8/km2 (44/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central Standard Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 |
Postal code | S0M 0J0 |
Highways | Highway 155 |
Post office established | 1936 |
[3][4][5] |
Buffalo Narrows is a northern village in Northern Saskatchewan. It is a community of 1,153 people.[6] Located at the "Narrows" between Peter Pond Lake and Churchill Lake, tourism and resource extraction (logging, fishing) are its main economic activities.
History
Buffalo Narrows or Détroit du Boeuf as it was called in French was founded in the early 20th century as a trapping, mink ranching and fishing settlement by Scandinavian traders.[7]
The community developed around an earlier Dene settlement. John Macoun, who was travelling the fur trade route from Methye Portage to Lac Île-à-la-Crosse visited the "Narrows" in September 1875. He described his visit to this old community in the following lines: "After sunrise, a head wind sprang up with which we battled all day and reached the "Narrows," that connect Buffalo and Clearwater lakes, before dark. Chipewyan House is situated at the eastern end of the "Narrows," and at the head of Clearwater Lake. Here the Chipewyans have built themselves a number of houses."[8]
Chipewyan House where Macoun stayed for about four days was probably a small outpost of the Hudson's Bay Company much like Buffalo House at Dillon and Bull's House on the La Loche River.
Clearwater Lake (or Clear Lake) was renamed Churchill Lake in 1944[9] and Buffalo Lake was renamed Peter Pond Lake in 1932.[9]
Demographics
2011 | |
---|---|
Population | 1,153 (+6.7% from 2006) |
Land area | 68.63 km2 (26.50 sq mi) |
Population density | 16.8/km2 (44/sq mi) |
Median age | 27.6 (M: 26.1, F: 30.2) |
Private dwellings | 449 (total) |
Median household income |
Climate
Climate data for Buffalo Narrows | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 13 (55) |
15 (59) |
15 (59) |
29.6 (85.3) |
31.5 (88.7) |
34.5 (94.1) |
33.5 (92.3) |
35 (95) |
30.9 (87.6) |
27.2 (81.0) |
13.5 (56.3) |
10 (50) |
35 (95) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −13.3 (8.1) |
−8.4 (16.9) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
7.9 (46.2) |
15.2 (59.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.5 (72.5) |
21.3 (70.3) |
14.6 (58.3) |
6.4 (43.5) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−11.7 (10.9) |
5.8 (42.4) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −18.3 (−0.9) |
−13.7 (7.3) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
2.3 (36.1) |
9.4 (48.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
17.5 (63.5) |
16.3 (61.3) |
10.1 (50.2) |
2.8 (37.0) |
−7.7 (18.1) |
−15.9 (3.4) |
0.9 (33.6) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −23.2 (−9.8) |
−19 (−2) |
−12.7 (9.1) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
3.7 (38.7) |
9.6 (49.3) |
12.4 (54.3) |
11.3 (52.3) |
5.6 (42.1) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−10.9 (12.4) |
−20.1 (−4.2) |
−4 (25) |
Record low °C (°F) | −47 (−53) |
−44 (−47) |
−43.5 (−46.3) |
−31.8 (−25.2) |
−9.5 (14.9) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
3.5 (38.3) |
0.1 (32.2) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−20 (−4) |
−39.2 (−38.6) |
−42.4 (−44.3) |
−47 (−53) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 19.7 (0.78) |
17 (0.7) |
15.1 (0.59) |
26 (1.0) |
38 (1.5) |
54.7 (2.15) |
75.5 (2.97) |
65.5 (2.58) |
46.4 (1.83) |
34.4 (1.35) |
25.7 (1.01) |
22.3 (0.88) |
440.2 (17.33) |
Source: Environment Canada[13] |
Attractions
Buffalo Narrows is notable for its scenery and its bridge that crosses the Kisis Channel.[9] This channel links Peter Pond Lake and Churchill Lake.
Buffalo Narrows Sand Dunes Park
The dunes of Buffalo Narrows Sand Dunes Park located 5 km north of downtown create a 10 km fine sandy beach along the southwest shore of Big Peter Pond Lake (55°53′35.90″N 108°36′39.64″W / 55.8933056°N 108.6110111°W). The park, which is 3,650 hectares (14.1 square miles) in size, includes the peninsula that nearly cuts Peter Pond Lake in two creating Little Peter Pond, the southern section and Big Peter Pond, the northern section. Formerly Crown land, the recreation area was transferred to the Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows in 2003. The community has assumed the responsibility for its maintenance and development.[14][15] The beach is a nesting site of the vulnerable sparrow-sized piping plover.[16]
Transportation
Buffalo Narrows is connected to the rest of Saskatchewan by Highway 155. Highway 155 is paved along its whole length. The community is served by the Buffalo Narrows Airport and the Buffalo Narrows Water Aerodrome. The Saskatchewan Transportation Company offers bus service for passengers and freight. The route goes from La Loche to Prince Albert and back.
Education
The school in Buffalo Narrows is called Twin Lakes Community School or "TLCS". The K-12 school has approximately 310 students and about 30 teachers and is part of the Northern Lights School Division # 113.[16] Northlands College maintains a satellite campus in Buffalo Narrows.
References
- ^ "Search for Municipal Information". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
- ^ "2011 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ^ National Archives, Archivia Net. "Post Offices and Postmasters". Retrieved 6 September 2009.
- ^ Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home. "Municipal Directory System". Retrieved 6 September 2009.
- ^ Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005). "Elections Canada On-line". Retrieved 6 September 2009.
- ^ "Statistics Canada (Community profiles)". Retrieved 12 October 2012.
- ^ "History of Buffalo Narrows". Retrieved 31 March 2013.
- ^ John Macoun (1922), Autobiography of John Macoun, M.A (page 121), Ottawa: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, Library of Congress QH31.M15
- ^ a b c "Geographical Names Query". Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- ^ "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ^ "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. 20 August 2019.
- ^ "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian census. Statistics Canada. 18 July 2021.
- ^ Environment Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 23 July 2010
- ^ "Government of Saskatchewan (COMMUNITY OF BUFFALO NARROWS WILL BE GETTING NEW RECREATION SITE)". 7 October 2003. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
- ^ "Buffalo Narrows Assumes Control of Beach Site". 1 August 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
- ^ a b "Northern Lights School Division # 113". Retrieved 2 July 2014.