Churchbridge

Town, pop 796, located approximately 54 km SE of Yorkton and 31 km NW of the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border at the junction of Hwys 16 (the Yellowhead) and 80. The district began to be settled in the mid-1880s. Settlers of German and Icelandic origin took up land in the area, and Churchbridge was founded by English settlers who were sponsored by the Anglican Church. Incorporated as a village in 1903, the community grew as a small agricultural service centre; however, the development of the K1 potash mine south of Churchbridge in the late 1950s/early 1960s had a profound effect on both the area economy and the community. The population jumped from 257 in 1956 to 914 in 1966. Churchbridge attained town status in 1964, and today the majority of the community’s workforce is employed at the K1 and K2 sites. Churchbridge serves the area with a variety of businesses and services, recreational facilities, a volunteer fire department, a number of churches, and a K–12 school. Community attractions include an enormous replica of the 1992 $1 coin which commemorated the country’s 125th anniversary of Confederation; the Royal Canadian Mint held a design competition for the special edition coin, and the entry submitted by local artist Rita Swanson was selected among hundreds from across the country.

David McLennan