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Wolseley, SK

by Dave Yanko

If the Qu'Appelle Valley, Cypress Hills, Big Muddy Badlands, Grasslands National Park, Moose Jaw and Regina—to name a few—aren't enough to convince you there's plenty to see and do north, south and along Saskatchewan's portion of the Trans-Canada Highway, consider the delightful little community of Wolseley: "A Town Around a Lake."


Incorporated in 1898, Wolseley takes its name from a British army colonel dispatched by Sir John A. Macdonald to quell the Red River Rebellion in 1870, according to Bill Barry, author of People Places – Saskatchewan and Its Names. And so he did, although his skill or good fortune ran dry when he led a contingent of Canadian militia up the Nile to try to rescue a group of African bureaucrats and British soldiers trapped at Khartoum during an uprising. The famous Nile Expedition arrived two days too late. Barry says Wolseley nonetheless went on to serve as commander in chief of the British Army from 1895 to 1900, when he retired.

town hall
Wolseley's Town Hall/Opera House, now a heritage property, once served as headquarters for the town fire brigade, as well.

I stopped in town on a whim while returning home from a business trip to southeast Saskatchewan last summer and was immediately taken with the place. I love and respect history. And clearly, so do the people of Wolseley (pop. 782). One place this passion is apparent is in the old and beautifully well-preserved or restored buildings in town, including a number of residences, churches and the old Town Hall/Opera House. An impressive provincial and municipal heritage property, it's located on the corner of Richmond and Varennes.

Wolseley has a total of six municipal heritage properties and two provincial ones, the second being the Wolseley Court House. Constructed between 1893 and 1895, it's the oldest surviving court house in Saskatchewan and the only one still standing that was built in the period before Saskatchewan entered Confederation in 1905.

The Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Property notes the structure's architecture contributes to its significance. "The building was designed under the direction of Thomas Fuller, Chief Dominion Architect and constructed by local notables R. A. Magee and E.A. Banbury. Built of brick and fieldstone, the building exhibits a Georgian influence in its simple symmetrical layout, hip roof and the arrangement of its windows. In the early 1980's, the porch, cupola and sheet metal roof were restored to reflect its original function as a court house," according to the register.

And then there's the old Beaver Lumber Store. No architectural gem this one, just a neat and tidy little store with a story. It was the first Beaver Lumber store in Canada. Restored in 1980 to reflect its original character, it now forms part of the Wolseley and District Museum.

It was Edwin Banbury of Banbury Bros. Lumber Company – the same E.A Banbury above – who suggested the name Beaver Lumber to some new Winnipeg lumberyard partners back in 1906. Over the next 90 years or so, Beaver Lumber came to be – at least in many parts of Canada – what Rona, The Home Depot or Home Hardware is to do-it-yourselfers and small contractors today: the go-to spot for building supplies. In fact, Home Hardware traces its roots back to this first Beaver Lumber store in Wolseley.

nursing home
Lakeside Nursing Home offers Wolseley seniors an idyllic waterfront setting right in the middle of town.

Residents have reason to be proud of the care and attention they've given to their old buildings. But it appears their human heritage is at least equally well served.

The major feature of Wolseley is Fairly Lake, a strikingly handsome little body of water made all the more noteworthy by its location, right in the middle of town. I approached the lake from the southerly side and gazed over the swinging bridge spanning it – the lake was created in 1902 when the Canadian Pacific Railway dammed Adair Creek. On the shoreline opposite, near the other end of the bridge, sits the large, beautiful, modern and well-maintained Lakeside Nursing Home, whose residents have a prime view of the lake, the fountain in the middle of it and, at least on this day, a gaggle of white geese luxuriating nearby.

walking bridge
This third version of Wolseley's swinging bridge – the view is from the north side looking south – was constructed in 2004 at a cost of $250,000. The first was built in 1905 for $300.

Part of the seniors' facility sits on property that came available in the 1980s when the impressive former home of the late Edwin Banbury was moved to a new location, where it now serves as a European-style bed and breakfast. Banbury House Inn features six guest rooms, plus four deluxe suites with Jacuzzis.

In 2000, Harrowsmith Country Life Magazine named Wolseley one of Canada's 10 prettiest communities. Next time you're travelling that stretch of the road, grab the exit and take a look for yourself. I think you'll be impressed.



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