Redvers

Town, pop 917, located in the SE corner of the province at the junction of Hwys 8 and 13. It is situated 19 km from the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border, and 67 km north of the international boundary. French and British homesteaders began settling in the district in the 1890s, and during the first decade of the twentieth century a significant number of Danish people came to the area (see Danish Settlements). The community was named for Sir Redvers Buller, a general and the commander of the British forces during the Boer War. The Redvers post office was established in 1902. By 1911, the population was 200 and it remained around that number until after World War II. Subsequently, Redvers experienced a period of exceptional growth: during the 1950s and the 1960s it was one of the fastest growing communities in the province. The population has been fairly stable since the mid-1980s, and Redvers continues to be an important commercial centre serving a large surrounding area, with a full range of businesses, services, professional and trades people, and an array of modern facilities. The town also has its own newspaper, the Redvers New Optimist , which is published weekly. The area’s economy, predominantly based upon agriculture, is supplemented by oilfield operations and associated services.

David McLennan