Town, pop 1,775, located 53 km S of Gull Lake and 76 km N of the Canada-US border. On September 17, 1913, the CPR offered lots for sale on the Shaunavon town site. The railroad had decided that the barren piece of land would be a divisional point on its Weyburn-Lethbridge line. The very next day, the first issue of the Shaunavon Standard proclaimed that 370 business and residential lots had been purchased within eight hours; a flurry of construction (both buildings and rail line) followed. By late 1914, Shaunavon had a population of over 700, comprised of people of British, Scandinavian, French Canadian, and German origins. That same year, the first rodeo was held. Early settlers dug lignite coal out of the hills around Shaunavon to heat their homes. Later, coal was mined for profit. Over the decades, grain farming became as important as ranching, and locally produced wheat won top awards at international agricultural shows. With the discovery of oil in the region in 1952, Shaunavon again experienced a substantial rise in its population, coupled with a housing boom. The oil industry remains important to this day. Shaunavon has now over 200 businesses and a wide range of services, as well as facilities for recreation and social and cultural events. Three buildings have been declared heritage properties: the Shaunavon Courthouse, completed in 1927, which since 1958 has also served as the town hall; the Grand Hotel, built in 1929; and the Shaunavon Hotel, built in 1915. The Shaunavon Pro Rodeo, held each July, continues the tradition begun in 1914. In February 2004, the town was the centre of national attention when visiting NHL personalities and the CBC produced a fifteen-hour live television broadcast “Hockey Day in Canada.” Hayley Wickenheiser, Olympic gold medallist and member of Canada’s national women's hockey team since 1995, was born here.
David McLennan