Swift Current, Saskatchewan

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Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Location of Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Established 1907
Population (2006) 14,946
Population (2001) 14,821
Population (1996) 14,890
No. of Dwellings 6,891
Mean Household Income $40,711
Median Age 40.4
males: 38.7
females: 42.0
Industries Agriculture
Oil
Tourism
Time Zone (winter)
(summer)		 -0600 (CST)
-0600 (CST)
with information from the Canada 2001 Census

Swift Current is a small city in Southwest Saskatchewan. It is situated along the Trans Canada Highway 170Km west from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and 218Km from Medicine Hat, Alberta. Swift Current grew 0.8% betwen 2001 and 2006 ending up at 14,946 residents. [1]


Contents

[edit] History

Swift Current has a long history which begins with a creek. The creek winds its way across a hundred miles of prairie until it empties into the South Saskatchewan River. First Nations people knew it well and camped alongside the creek banks for centuries. The name of the creek has its own history, and over time has evolved into what we know today as Swift Current. The first known name is believed to have come from the Cree, who referred to it as "kisiskâciwan." The word means "it flows swiftly," and is the same word used to describe the Saskatchewan River. When early fur traders found the creek on their westward treks in the 1800s, they named it "Riviere Au Courant," which means "Swift Current". Henri Julien, who was an artist with the North West Mounted Police expedition that arrived in 1874, referred to it as "Du Courant," while Commissioner French noted "Strong Current Creek" in his diary during the same period. Given the creek's snail like pace in most years, the sobriety and even sanity of the early explorers must be questioned. It would be another decade before it was officially recorded, but it appears the area was and always has been known as Swift Current. [2]

The settlement of Swift Current was begun in 1881 when the CPR surveyed a railway line as far as Swift Current Creek. In 1882, initial grading and track preparation commenced, with the first settlers arriving in the spring of 1883. During the early part of its settlement, the economy was based almost exclusively on serving the new railway buildings and employees. There was also a significant ranching operation known as the "76" ranches. It included 10 ranches raising sheep and cattle and stretched from Swift Current to Calgary. Other early industries included gathering Buffalo bones for use in fertilizer manufacturing and "freighting" by Metis residents. During the Riel Rebellion of 1885, Swift Current became a major military base and troop mustering area due to its proximity to Battleford but this was only for a short time. On September 21, 1903, the hamlet became a village and then a town on March 15, 1907 when a census indicated a population of 550. There is some dispute as to whether this is because they counted dogs in the population. Swift Current became incorporated as a city on January 15, 1914 with Travis Blaine Frederick being the mayor at the time.

In 1946, a pilot project for province-wide health care began in Swift Current. The project received international attention and history was made when it became the first government funded medical plan in North America. Medicare was implemented across the province in 1962, and in time it would be introduced across the country.

The city is also home to Brad Wall, the leader of the Saskatchewan Party, which is currently the official opposition in the Saskatchewan Legislature.

The Swift Current Airport was taken over by the City of Swift Current from Transport Canada in 1996. Airport services were then contracted out. There have been recent (2005 - 2006) plans to expand and revitalize the airport.

Swift Current is sometimes known as "Speedy Creek". Considered to be slightly pejorative, this term is very seldom used by current or former residents. In more common usage by these groups are the terms "Swift", "Swifty" and unfortunately, more often than not given the diaspora of more ambitious Saskatchewan youth, "a good place to be from".

Swift Current's expression is, "Where Life Makes Sense," which has received a fair amount of humour as it is a somewhat odd tagline written by an Albertan.

[edit] Landmarks

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Swift Current's tallest commercial building is the EI Wood Building in downtown. You can see it here on a foggy summer morning. Swift Current has many older brick buildings in the core area. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Swiftcurrentdowntown.JPG

The longest running business in Swift Current is the Imperial Hotel, also known as The Big "I". It has been open since Swift Current became a town and as a hotel, it could also serve alcohol.

[edit] Arts and Culture

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[edit] Education

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[edit] Schools

[edit] School Divisions


[edit] Sports and Recreation

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Swift Current is home to the Swift Current Broncos, a hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. They play in the 2,235 seat Centennial Civic Centre in the east end of town. The team has raised some of the world's greatest hockey players to the professional level, such as Joe Sakic and Bryan Trottier. The Centennial Civic Centre is also the home of the Swift Current Rampage a junior box lacrosse team.


[edit] Media

[edit] Print

[edit] Television

[edit] Radio

[edit] Other

  • Southwest TV News is a news program focused on news in and around the Swift Current area. It is seen locally on community television and on SCN. It was formed to fill the gap left with the closure of CJFB televison.

[edit] Famous Persons

Notable persons who were born or have lived in Swift Current include:


[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ in Saskatoon Star Phoenix: Saskatoon sees 2.8% hike; Regina rises by 0.6%. Saskatoon Star Phoenix newspaper Wednesday March 14, 2007, p.B1. 
  2. ^ Tourism Swift Current


Rosetown
Gull Lake

North
West  Swift Current  East
South

 Moose Jaw
Grasslands National Park


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