Jack Teskey in his “Blue Cash”
store, Wynyard. Teskey was known for his kindness; the Town of
Wynyard named Teskey Crescent in his honour.
Town, pop 1,919, located on Hwy 16, immediately S of the QUILL LAKES. The first pioneers in the area were Icelanders who began arriving around 1904-05. These were soon followed by settlers of British, Ukrainian, and Polish origins. The community grew rapidly, reaching a population of 1,000 around 1930 and developing into the largest service centre in the surrounding agricultural district, which today produces wheat, barley, oats, canola, flax, lentils, and durum. The town has a diverse economy. It calls itself the “Chicken Capital of the World” because the Wynyard Division of Lilydale Poultry Products supplies chicken to all the Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets across western Canada. Metal fabrication, potassium sulphate, and fertilizer production are additional local industries. The Quill Lakes Interpretive Centre provides information on the significant migratory bird populations which frequent the area’s marshes. The district attracts large numbers of bird watchers, as well as hunters. Wynyard Regional Park offers golfing and fishing for trout. Annual community events include Rodeo Week, the “Famous Chicken Chariot Races,” and Thorrablot, an Icelandic Heritage Celebration. Wynyard has been twinned with the French town of Martres-de-Veyre since 1972, in recognition of a Wynyard soldier, Peter Dmytruk, who served overseas in World War II. Dmytruk was shot down over France and then served with the French Resistance until he was killed in December 1943, halting a raid against Martres-de-Veyre and likely saving many lives. A monument was built on the spot where he died. Over the years, residents of the two towns have exchanged a number of visits and have formed lasting friendships. Peter Dmytruk’s story is recounted in the award-winning Saskatchewan book, Their Names Live On .
David McLennan