History and Folklore Summary
2000 - Present
2000
- On Feb. 7th City Council presented Meritorious Service Awards to Ruth Shaw
and Stan Stephenson
- Yorkton was the site of the "2000 Saskatchewan Summer Games."
- On August 6th, the First Baptist Church held their 100th anniversary
celebration.
- This year, St. Joseph's College held a reunion for approximately 500 former
students and teachers.
- Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival was held May 11th -14th. It's ads
state: "Longest Running Short Film Festival in North America & Home of the
Coveted Golden Sheaf."
- The City of Yorkton Municipal Heritage Advisory Commission launched the
book "City of Yorkton Cemetery Walking Tour."
- On Wednesday, June 14th the Trans Canada Trail officially opened up through
Yorkton. Mayor Ben Weber was presented with the official Trans Canada Trail 2000
flag.
- On Nov. 15, a Plan of Survey was registered confirming the official name
"Yorkton Creek" for the waterway previously known as "Little White Sand" River,
and/or as locals often called it "Bull's River." The creek crosses the East
boundary of the North East Quarter of Section l, Township 26, Range 4, West of
the Second Meridian. (Letter signed by W. Larson, Deputy Chief Surveyor,
Property Registration Branch, Chief Surveyor's Office Regina, Sask. Mar. 8,
2001.)
2001
- On January 24th, YORKTON THIS WEEK & ENTERPRISE published a special booklet
entitled: "A Salute to Minor Hockey 2001."
- Yorkton hosted the Western Canadian Midget Softball Championships, the
S.H.S.A.A. Provincial Track and Field Championships, the S.G.A. Mid Amateur Gold
Championships, and R.C.G.A. Future Links Junior Golf Championship.
- THE COMMUNITY REVIEW and THE NEWSPAPER amalgamate to form THE NEWS REVIEW.
- YORKTON THIS WEEK & ENTERPRISE is purchased by Peter Ng, owner of THE
ESTEVAN MERCURY, who shortens the name to YORKTON THIS WEEK.
- Mayor Phil De Vos and Director of Leisure Services, Jody Hauta presented
Norman Roebuck and Lucien Cugnet with certificates of Appreciation for their
years of work in heritage preservation on Thursday, October 25th.
2002
- YORKTON IS 120 YEARS OLD. The York Farmers Colonization Company was
incorporated on May 12, 1882, and settlement of the area began.
- City Leisure Services Department installed banners on several streets as
part of a downtown beautification plan.
- City Councillor, Brian Fromm died suddenly Thursday, August 22. Fromm was
Mayor of Yorkton from 1985 to 1988, and was Councillor since 1989.
- Leon's Manufacturing Company founded by Leon Malinowsky celebrated 50 years in business on Friday, August 16th.
2003
- The Grand Opening of the new Sacred Heart High School located on Gladstone
Avenue North took place on March 4, 5 and 6th.
- The Saskatchewan Tourism Awards of Excellence was accepted by Tourism
Yorkton President Terry Wright and Executive Director, Randy Goulden on March
14th.
- A small publication entitled "THE WHISKEY MAN" was launched
Tuesday, June 17th by
the City of Yorkton Municipal Heritage Advisory Sub-Commission during Yorkton's
75th celebration as a city. It tells the
story of the Balmoral Hotel and the Bronfman family's saga in Yorkton and
Saskatchewan.
- In April, two brick buildings originally constructed by Harry Bronfman on
the corner of Broadway and Second Avenue South were demolished. On this site the
Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority is erecting a liquor store. The parking
lot will be located on the land where the Balmoral Hotel once stood.
- A Kids Convention for ages 6 to 12 was held at the Gloria Hayden Community
Centre, April 21 to 25th.
- City Council announced a "Crow Eradication Program" allowing the removal of
nests within the city.
- City Elections were held on Wednesday, October 22. Phil De Vos was returned
for a second term as Mayor. Also re-elected Councillors were: Les Arnelien,
Janet Hill, Randy Goulden, and Chris Wyatt. New councillors were Bob Maloney and
Deb Schmidt.
- This year Morris Industries celebrated their 75th Anniversary.
2004
- The Dulmage Farmstead was designated as a Municipal Heritage Property in
accordance with the Heritage Property Act at the Yorkton City Council meeting of
March 8.
- YORKTON THIS WEEK, THE NEWS REVIEW AND THE COMMUNITY POST are purchased by
Glacier Ventures International Corp.
- Robert Thom, co-founder of YORKTON THIS WEEK died on Monday, April 12th.
- On Thursday September 23rd, the Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 Launch took
place at Century Field. Dr. Lynda Haverstock, Lieutenant Governor of
Saskatchewan; Lorne Clavert, Premier of Saskatchewan; Clay Serby, Deputy Premier
and Minister of Rural Revitalization; Legislative Secretary Glen Hagel; Yorkton
Mayor Phil De Vos and other special guests were in attendance to kickoff the
countdown to Saskatchewan's centennial year and preview the first of the
centennial plans.
- Throughout December, 2004 until Ukrainian Christmas on January 7, 2005,
school children and the public were invited to tour the Yorkton Court House at
#19 Darlington Street East to view the historic building and the elaborate
interior Christmas decor.
2005
- An ice sculpture of the War ship "HMCS Orkney" was created in the CPR Park
on Broadway by cadets, officers and parents of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet
Corps. It was unveiled Friday February 4th.
- On February 19th, the 28th Annual Snowrama for Easter Seals took place. 295
snowmobilers raised $81,310.00 to help children with disabilities.
- Seven Yorkton Centenarians were honoured at a ceremony at the Yorkton and
District Nursing Home on March 2nd. The seven persons were: Bessie Lamson, John
Oystryk, Mary Pankoski, Mearl Zacher, Edith Romaniuk, John Zorian and Caroline
Mundt.
- On April 7 the Brother Stanislaus Knights of Columbus Assembly held their
Second Annual Patriotic Dinner at St. Mary's Cultural Centre. In celebration of
Saskatchewan's Centennial, the special guest speaker was William A. Waiser,
Historian and University of Saskatchewan professor who spoke on the hardships of
the early pioneers.
- One unique production -- a "Ghost Walking Tour" of areas and buildings of
the downtown called THE HaUnTs of YORKTON written by Kathy Morrell took place on
July 6 and 7, and Sept.1 and 2.
- Saturday, June 17th a British Garden Fete was held at Holy Trinity Anglican
Church as a celebration of the British culture of Yorkton, the first settlers of
York Colony and their encounter with Native people.
- It has been 12 years since Sonya Pawliw of Wellington Avenue opened her
Healing and Meditation Garden to the public. This year, she welcomed nearly 400
visitors from as far away as the Netherlands, Israel, Germany and the United
States.
- On September 4th, the Special Centennial Celebration of Yorkton kicked
off on the Exhibition grounds. attended by a crowd estimated to be at 10,000.
All sorts of events took place culminating with a spectacular show of fireworks.
Another 5 to 8,000 people were estimated to be on surrounding streets, school
play grounds, and other places around the city.
- On September 5th, Mayor Phil De Vos presided over a 1905 Mock Council
meeting in City Hall.
- St. Andrew's Centennial Fall Tea and Bake Sale was held on October 29th.
- The history book YORKTON -- WINDOWS ON OUR HISTORY was launched December 22
at City Hall.
2006
- On September 7th, two major agricultural companies each announced plans to
build state-of-the-art canola crushing plants to be operational within the next
two years. The Companies are: James Richard International, and Louis Dreyfus
Canada.
- The Gallagher Centre--a multi-purpose facility held its official opening on
Saturday, September 16th.Officials were: Randy Goulden, Chairperson, Dave
Farrell, Mayor Phil DeVos, George Gallagher whose donation had his name attached
to the Centre, Yorkton-Melville MP Garry Breitkreuz, and Yorkton MLA Clay Serby.
- Local Barrister, Arliss Dellow won the Ken Filippelli Award at the Annual General Meeting of the SWIMMING NATATION CANADA held in Vancouver October 14. The award is given to an outstanding Canadian official who has made a difference to swimming in Canada.
- On October 19, the plasma cut metal mural, entitled "Grassroots" by artist Linda Keilback, honouring the peoples who were here first and those who came after, was officially dedicated. A project of Renaissance Yorkton Foundation Inc., the mural is the first in the RYF series, "The Storytellers Circle". It was installed on the wall of Liquidation World facing Livingstone Street.
- October 25th Municipal Election Results: Mayor: Chris Wyatt; Councillors: Bob Maloney, Larry Pearen, James Wilson, Dick DeRyk, Les Arnelien, Randy Goulden.
2007
- On April 28th, five persons were inducted as athletes to the Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame; Adeline Wuschenny, Sandra (Flaman) England, Jason Parker, Gary Gawryliuk and John (Inglis) McCusker.Gary Gawryliuk and Adeline Wuschenny were inducted in as builders. The 1967 Yorkton Cardinals senior baseball team was also inducted. (Source: Yorkton This Week, Wednesday May 2, 2007.)
- The third yearly production of the HAUNTS OF YORKTON took place May 31, June 1, and June 3. It portrayed this year's theme of 125 years of settlement.
-The Princess Royal, Princess Anne visited Yorkton on June 2nd to help celebrate our 125th anniversary of the settlement of York Colony and York City/Yorkton.
-Yorkton's big 125th celebration "FAMILY FUN DAY" was held on Sunday, September 2nd at the GALLAGHER CENTRE FLEXIHALL.
- The book Lest We Forget compiled by the Royal Canadian Legion, Yorkton Branch volunteers was launched in November.
- Gordon, Brian and Derek Berrns, third, fourth and fifth generations of the family to farm north of Springside received the Farmer of the Year Award at the Grain Millers Harvest Showdown on November 1st.
- Yorkton candidate Greg Ottenbreit of the Saskatchewan Party was elected to the legislature on November 7th.
2008
- Cornerstone Credit Union officially amalgamated with Tisdale and Gateway Credit Unions on January 1st.
- The Yorkton and District Scottish Society hosted their 30th Annual Robert Burns Banquet and Dance on Saturday, January 19th.
- E lmer McInnes, Yorkton author of Old West history launched his second book Bud Ballew: Legendary Oklahoma Lawman on March 27.
- The Yorkton Nursery Cooperative held their annual Grandparents Tea in May.
- Agrium Inc., undertook potash exploration work south of Yorkton in the spring, with a view of a possible mine project in the near future.
- Clay Serby, who served as City Councilor, New Democrat MLA, Cabinet Minister and Deputy Premier was roasted and toasted on April 19 at the Gallagher Centre.
- The Yorkton Exhibition Association is celebrating 125 years this year. In the early 1880s, Agricultural Societies sprang up across the Canadian West, organizing fairs dedicated to entertain the new settlers, and to bring first hand information on agricultural methods, marketing etc.
- A Ukrainian Dance Festival hosted by the Yorkton Kalyna School of Ukrainian dance was held in Yorkton May 1-4th.
- S.S.F.A. 55 Plus Provincial Games were held July 8 – 10.Over 600 participants from across the province competed in a variety of events such as cribbage, bowling, golf, kaiser, track & field and slo-pitch.
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