Butlers' Blue Bird Cafe, Regina Beach
Town, pop 1,039, located 58 km NW of Regina near the SW end of Last Mountain Lake. Homesteaders were making incursions into the region in the 1880s and, by the early 1900s, the area that came to be known as Regina Beach was gaining popularity as a summer resort destination. With the CPR running through Regina Beach in 1912, the area was easily accessible to residents of Regina and, for many years, the railroad ran excursion trains to the developing lakeshore resort. The Regina Beach Yacht Club was established in 1913. In 1920, Regina Beach was incorporated as a village and recreational facilities and services including hotels, boathouses, dance pavilions, summer cottages, and boat excursions. Following World War II, the importance of the railway declined and the car became the primary mode of transportation to the lake. The last excursion train made its trip to Regina Beach in 1949 and regular passenger service ended in the 1960s. For a number of decades, Regina Beach’s population hovered around 300, but in the 1970s it began to increase and, in 1980, Regina Beach attained town status. Substantial construction occurred during the following decade and many new homes were built as commuting to work in Regina became increasingly popular. The year-round population grew from 488 in 1966 to 921 in 1991 and, today, the population of the community more than doubles when seasonal residents arrive at their summer cottages. The annual Canada Day fireworks display over the lake is one of the town’s premier events.
David McLennan