Leader, Saskatchewan
Encyclopedia
Leader is a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in southwestern Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, located approximately 350 km directly east of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and is near the border between Saskatchewan and Alberta. It has a population of 881 as of 2006.
History
Folsom point
Folsom points are a distinct form of chipped stone projectile points associated with the Folsom Tradition of North America. The style of toolmaking was named after Folsom, New Mexico where the first sample was found within the bone structure of a bison in 1927....
was discovered that the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
dated back 8,000 to 9,000 years before present.
Homesteaders began arriving in large numbers in 1907; most were German immigrants from southern Russia. An RCMP
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
detachment opened in 1909, and ensured all the settlers had adequate supplies to last the winter. By 1911, the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
purchased a quarter section of land as the prospective site for a settlement. The railway arrived in 1913 and the village of Prussia was incorporated in September of that year. By 1917, anti-German sentiment surrounding the events of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
prompted the community to change its name, as well as its German street names to numbers. The new name was chosen after a contest won by two local girls, Bertha Keller and Muriel Legault. They were inspired by the arrival of the Regina Morning Leader
Regina Leader-Post
The Regina Leader-Post is the daily newspaper of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and now a member of the Postmedia Network.The newspaper was first published as The Leader in 1883, by Nicholas Flood Davin...
newspaper on the passenger train. The village name was officially changed to Leader on September 27, 1917; soon after, it incorporated as a town on November 1.
W.T. Smith, a local rancher, had the distinction of building North America's largest barn. The Smith Barn was completed in 1914, having taken 100 men five months to complete its construction; the building measured 400 x 128 x 60 feet. Smith died in 1918, and his massive barn was dismantled down to the concrete foundation in 1921.
Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the town's population grew, reaching a peak of 1236 in 1966. Since then the town's population has decreased, following Saskatchewan's overall trend of rural flight
Rural flight
Rural flight is a term used to describe the migratory patterns of peoples from rural areas into urban areas.In modern times, it often occurs in a region following the industrialization of agriculture when fewer people are needed to bring the same amount of agricultural output to market and related...
.
In 1995, American aviator Steve Fossett
Steve Fossett
James Stephen Fossett was an American commodities trader, businessman, and adventurer. Fossett is the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon...
landed near Leader after taking off from South Korea, becoming the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon.
In November 2006, the inhabitants of Leader posed nude for a calendar in act of protest against the deteriorating condition of Highway 32
Saskatchewan Highway 32
Highway 32 is a highway in southwestern Saskatchewan, connecting Leader and Swift Current. It is about long, connecting several rural communities along the route including Abbey, Cabri, Cantaur and Success.-History:...
, the main link to the city of Swift Current
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Swift Current is a small city in southwest Saskatchewan. It is situated along the Trans Canada Highway west from Moose Jaw, and east from Medicine Hat, Alberta. Swift Current grew 0.8% between 2001 and 2006 ending up at 14,946 residents. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Swift...
; it attracted the attention of media outlets in Canada and the United States. In the 2008-2009 provincial budget, the Ministry of Highways committed to rebuild Highway 32 between the villages of Shackleton
Shackleton, Saskatchewan
Shackleton is a community in Saskatchewan....
and Prelate
Prelate, Saskatchewan
-Notable people:*Ross Patterson Alger was an Alberta politician.*Mark Pederson is a former professional ice hockey left winger who played five seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, and Detroit Red Wings from 1989-1990 until...
. The project was completed in November 2010 at a cost of $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
44.4 million.
Geography and climate
Leader is located in Saskatchewan's mixed grassland ecoregion. The southern landscape is dominated by flat plains, with rolling hills by the South Saskatchewan RiverSouth Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
located 10 km north of Leader. The Great Sand Hills, a 1900 square kilometre region of arid plains and sand dunes, lies just southeast of Leader. The town is located at the junction of highways 21
Saskatchewan Highway 21
Highway 21 is a highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It runs from Montana Secondary Highway 233 at the United States border near Willow Creek to Highway 950/Highway 919 within the Meadow Lake Provincial Park. Highway 21 is about 722 km long.Highway 21 passes through the major...
and 32
Saskatchewan Highway 32
Highway 32 is a highway in southwestern Saskatchewan, connecting Leader and Swift Current. It is about long, connecting several rural communities along the route including Abbey, Cabri, Cantaur and Success.-History:...
, and is approximately 30 km east of the border with Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
.
Leader's climate is on the borderline between the semi-arid climate zone (Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk) and the humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
zone (Köppen Dfb). Winters are long, cold and dry, while summers are short but very warm. Average precipitation is 10 inches (254 mm) of rain per year and 31 inches (787.4 mm) of snow per annum. Mean temperatures in the area range from a January low of -19°C to a summer high in July of +26°C.
Demographics
Economy
Including three rural municipalities, Leader, is the center of a retail trading area. The economic base of the community centers around the grain and cattle industries. The major industries in Leader and surrounding area are agricultural services and manufacturing. Leader also has tourism trade from attractions such as the Leader Bird Watching Trail, Smith Barn site, and the Great Sand Hills.Attractions
Sharp-tailed Grouse
The Sharp-tailed Grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus , is a medium-sized prairie grouse. It is also known as the sharptail, and is known as "fire grouse" or "fire bird" by Native American Indians due to their reliance on brush fires to keep their habitat open.-Taxonomy:The Greater Prairie-chicken,...
, pronghorn
Pronghorn
The pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl mammal endemic to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or simply antelope, as it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World and...
, white pelican
White Pelican
The Great White Pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalus also known as the Eastern White Pelican or White Pelican is a bird in the pelican family...
, merlin
Merlin (bird)
The Merlin is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere. A bird of prey once known colloquially as a pigeon hawk in North America, the Merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter.-European and North American...
, peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
, white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
, weasel
Weasel
Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
, burrowing owl
Burrowing Owl
The Burrowing Owl is a tiny but long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing Owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated...
, mourning dove
Mourning Dove
The Mourning Dove is a member of the dove family . The bird is also called the Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds...
, porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
, sandhill crane
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
and fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
. It is the only known Saskatchewan habitat of the rare Ord's Kangaroo Rat
Ord's Kangaroo Rat
Ord's Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys ordii, is a kangaroo rat that is native to Western North America, specifically the Great Plains and the Great Basin with its range extending from extreme southern Canada to central Mexico....
. Several large sculptures of local wildlife are found at various locations around the town of Leader.
The Great Sand Hills Museum is in the nearby village of Sceptre
Sceptre, Saskatchewan
Sceptre is a village in southwestern Saskatchewan, with a population of 99 as of the 2006 census.The former school was reopened in 1988 as the Great Sandhills Museum, with exhibits showcasing the area's natural and human history....
. The museum features historical displays depicting pioneer life such as a boarding house, hospital, livery stable, school, church, and barn as well as vintage farm machinery.
The South Saskatchewan River valley, just north of Leader, is the largest tract of riparian woodlands between the Cypress Hills
Cypress Hills
The Cypress Hills are a region of hills in southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta, Canada.The highest point in Saskatchewan at is located at Lookout Point in the Cypress Hills.-Name:...
and the northern forests. The Leader Bird Watching Trail is suited for viewing many native bird species, including pileated woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker is a very large North American woodpecker, almost crow-sized, inhabiting deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific coast. It is also the largest woodpecker in America.Adults are long, and weigh...
, golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, lark sparrow
Lark Sparrow
The Lark Sparrow is a fairly large American sparrow. It is the only member of the genus Chondestes.This passerine bird breeds in southern Canada, much of the United States, and northern Mexico. It is much less common in the east, where its range is contracting...
, yellow-breasted chat
Yellow-breasted Chat
The Yellow-breasted Chat is a large songbird, formerly considered the most atypical member of the New World warbler family, though the long-standing suspicion is that it does not actually belong there. Its placement is not definitely resolved. It is the only member of the genus Icteria...
, red-headed woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker
The Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus, is a small or medium-sized woodpecker from temperate North America. Their breeding habitat is open country across southern Canada and the eastern-central United States.-Taxonomy:...
, yellow-green swallow, great blue heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
, prairie falcon
Prairie Falcon
The Prairie Falcon is a medium-sized falcon of western North America.It is about the size of a Peregrine Falcon or a crow, with an average length of 40 cm , wingspan of 1 metre , and weight of 720 g...
, ferruginous hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
The Ferruginous Hawk , Buteo regalis , is a large bird of prey. It is not a true hawk like sparrowhawks or goshawks, but rather belongs to the broad-winged buteo hawks, known as "buzzards" in Europe...
, long-billed curlew
Long-billed Curlew
The Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus, is a large North American shorebird of the family Scolopacidae. This species was also called "sicklebird" and the "candlestick bird". The species is native to central and western North America...
, short-eared owl
Short-eared Owl
The Short-eared Owl is a species of typical owl . In Scotland this species of owl is often referred to as a cataface, grass owl or short-horned hootlet. Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may...
, loggerhead shrike
Loggerhead Shrike
The Loggerhead Shrike is a passerine bird. It is the only member of the shrike family endemic to North America; the related Northern Shrike occurs north of its range but also in the Palearctic....
, and burrowing owl
Burrowing Owl
The Burrowing Owl is a tiny but long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing Owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated...
. It is also home to the prairie rattlesnake
Crotalus viridis
Crotalus viridis is a venomous pitviper species native to the western United States, southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico. Currently, nine subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Description:...
and one of few known localities of rattlesnakes in Saskatchewan. Checkboard Hill, 6.4 km west of Leader on highway 741, has a wide view of the river and surrounding landscape.
The Smith Barn Site is a provincial heritage site, located approximately ten kilometres northwest of Leader on private property. Its concrete foundation is the only part of the building that remains. A scale model of the barn is located at the Leader tourist information booth.
The Estuary Hutterite
Hutterite
Hutterites are a communal branch of Anabaptists who, like the Amish and Mennonites, trace their roots to the Radical Reformation of the 16th century. Since the death of their founder Jakob Hutter in 1536, the beliefs of the Hutterites, especially living in a community of goods and absolute...
Colony was established in 1958. The colony members have preserved the traditional Hutterite production methods, culture, language, and religion. Guided tours of the colony are available to visitors.
Parks and recreation
- River Ridge Golf Course - 18 hole golf course with club house and pro shop
- Leader Swimming Pool - seasonal outdoor heated pool, built in the 1960s and upgraded in the 1990s
- Leader Millennium Gardens - designed by a student of the University of Guelph School of Landscape Architecture, and built in 2000 in recognition of Leader's history and cultural heritage
- Leader Lions Park - green space with playground structure
- Leader Ball Park - baseball facility with four ball diamonds, grandstands, a concession, beer gardens, and serviced camp sites for visiting teams
- Leader Arena - indoor artificial ice surface for hockey and ice skating
- Leader Curling Rink - curling facility with three artificial ice surfaces
- Leader Community Hall - community hall built in 1983; hosts social events such as weddings and dances
- Leader Friendship Centre - social gathering place for senior citizens
Sports
Local sports teams include the Leader Expos (baseball) and the Leader Flyers (hockey). Other sports organizations include the Leader Minor Ball Club, Leader Minor Hockey Club and the Leader Skating Club.Government
Leader's local government consists of a town council, composed of an elected mayor and six councillors. The current mayor is Craig Tondevold.In provincial politics, Leader is in the constituency of Cypress Hills
Cypress Hills (electoral district)
Cypress Hills is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada. Located in the extreme southwest corner of the province, this constituency was formed by the Representation Act, 1994 through combining the districts of Shaunavon, Maple Creek, and portions of...
. It is currently represented by Wayne Elhard
Wayne Elhard
Wayne Elhard is a Canadian provincial politician. He is the Saskatchewan Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for the constituency of Cypress Hills.-References:...
of the Saskatchewan Party
Saskatchewan Party
The Saskatchewan Party is a conservative liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The party was established in 1997 by a coalition of former provincial Progressive Conservative and Liberal party members and supporters who sought to remove the Saskatchewan New Democratic...
, first elected to the Legislature in a by-election in June 1999. He was re-elected in the 1999 provincial election, and again in 2003 and 2007. He is also the current Minister of Highways and Infrastructure.
Leader exists within the federal riding of Cypress Hills—Grasslands
Cypress Hills—Grasslands
Cypress Hills—Grasslands is a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.-History:...
. It is currently represented by David L. Anderson
David L. Anderson
David L. Anderson is a Conservative member of the Canadian House of Commons representing Cypress Hills—Grasslands, a position he has held since 2000. He was a member of the Canadian Alliance from 2000 to 2003. He is a businessman, and a farmer...
of the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
, first elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2003 and 2006.
Transportation
Leader is located at the junction of highways 21Saskatchewan Highway 21
Highway 21 is a highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It runs from Montana Secondary Highway 233 at the United States border near Willow Creek to Highway 950/Highway 919 within the Meadow Lake Provincial Park. Highway 21 is about 722 km long.Highway 21 passes through the major...
and 32
Saskatchewan Highway 32
Highway 32 is a highway in southwestern Saskatchewan, connecting Leader and Swift Current. It is about long, connecting several rural communities along the route including Abbey, Cabri, Cantaur and Success.-History:...
. The former Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
line also runs through the town; it is currently operated by the Great Sandhills Railway
Great Sandhills Railway
The Great Sandhills Railway is a Canadian short line railway company operating on trackage in west of Swift Current Saskatchewan, established in 2009. Great Sandhills Railway operates a short-line railways in Saskatchewan on a former Canadian Pacific Railway subdivision...
Leader has an airport
Leader Airport
Leader Airport, , is located southeast of Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada.-External links:* on COPA's Places to Fly airport directory...
with an asphalt runway.
Utilities
Electricity is provided by SaskPowerSaskPower
Since 1929, SaskPower has been the principal supplier of electricity in Saskatchewan, Canada. Today, it serves more than 473,000 customers and manages $5.3 billion in assets...
and natural gas is provided by SaskEnergy
SaskEnergy
SaskEnergy is a Crown corporation of the Saskatchewan government which delivers natural gas to 92% of the province through a 67,000 kilometre distribution system to over 347,000 customers...
. The town maintains its own water supply system, including a pump house and filtration plant. Telephone and internet service is provided by SaskTel
SaskTel
Saskatchewan Telecommunications is a provincial Crown Corporation operating under the authority of the Saskatchewan Telecommunications Act. It is the only remaining Crown Corporation in the Canadian telecommunications industry....
.
Health care
- Leader Medical Clinic
- Leader Hospital
- Western Seniors' Home
- Leader Home Care Office
Public safety
- Cypress Health Region emergency medical services
- Leader & District Fire Department
- RCMPRoyal Canadian Mounted PoliceThe Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
Leader Detachment
Education
- Leader Composite School - teaches students from kindergarten through grade 12
- Great Plains College - offers courses by satellite
- St. Angela's Academy (closed) - independent Catholic residential school for girls in the neighbouring community of PrelatePrelate, Saskatchewan-Notable people:*Ross Patterson Alger was an Alberta politician.*Mark Pederson is a former professional ice hockey left winger who played five seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks, and Detroit Red Wings from 1989-1990 until...
. Closed on June 30, 2007 after 88 years of operation.