Rouleau

Town, pop 434, located 50 km SE of Moose Jaw on Hwy 39 and the CPR Soo Line. After the Soo Line was completed in 1893, the Rouleau post office opened in 1895, the name honouring Charles-Borromée Rouleau, a judge of the Supreme Court of the North-West Territories. Agriculture, particularly grain farming, has traditionally been the community’s economic base, and Rouleau is reputed to be the province’s first “million bushel town.” During the first decade of the 20th century, Rouleau was booming as a trading centre for a large area; however, the construction in 1911–12 of rail lines to the east and west of the community drew some of the life blood out of the town’s commerce, and the loss of business cut inroads into the town’s population. From a peak of just under 700 in 1911, Rouleau’s numbers fell to below 500 by 1916. Subsequently, however, the community has enjoyed a comparatively stable population; today, in addition to the traditional agricultural output of the area, crops such as lentils, canary seed, peas, chickpeas, and sunflowers are grown. In 2003, Rouleau became the location for the filming of CTV’s hit comedy series, Corner Gas , which stars Tisdale-born comedian Brent Butt. As the fictitious town of “Dog River,” Rouleau now bustles each summer with film crews. Another star in Rouleau in recent years has been Christina Beck, a student at Rouleau School: from 2002 to 2004, Beck was the winner of five provincial championships in the track and field events of shot put and discus.

David McLennan