Vanguard, Saskatchewan

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Village of Vanguard
Motto: A Proud Past & A Promising Future
Vanguard, Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan )
Vanguard, Saskatchewan
Vanguard, Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan )
Country Flag of Canada Canada
Province Flag of Saskatchewan Saskatchewan
Region Saskatchewan
Census division No. 3
Rural Municipality No. 106
Post office Founded N/A
Village Incorporated 1912
Town Incorporated N/A
Government
 - Mayor Dorothy Saunderson
 - Village Administrator Marie Burton
 - Governing body Vanguard Village Council
Area
 - Total 1.86 km² (0.7 sq mi)
Population (2001)
 - Total 187
 - Density 100.4/km² (260/sq mi)
Time zone CST (UTC)
Postal code S0N 2V0
Area code(s) 306
Highways Highway 43
Highway 4
Website: Vanguard, Saskatchewan

Founded in 1912, the village of Vanguard, Saskatchewan is located in the southwest corner of Saskatchewan on Highway 43 close to Notekeu Creek. It is located in the rural municipality of Whiska Creek. Its prime economic driver is agriculture: chick peas; lentils; red, spring, hard and durum wheats are grown here.

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[edit] Education

Vanguard is the home of Vanguard Community School with specialist teachers, low student-teacher ratio, and an enrollment of approximately 80.

[edit] Attractions

Nearby communities are Pambrun (home of Millar College of the Bible), Gravelbourg (renowned for its French heritage and cathedral), Swift Current (the regional "headquarters"), Hodgeville ("home" of the Saskatchewan flag) and Ponteix (close to Notekeu Regional Park). Vanguard is close to Cypress Hills inter-provincial park, Grasslands National Park, the Canada-U.S. border, and Lac Pelletier provincial park.

[edit] History

In 1910, the Canadian Pacific Railway purchased the land which became the village of Vanguard from Latimer Young. The origin of the name Vanguard may be attributed to it having been on the vanguard of the railway in 1912 ; however, Vanguard is also a proud name in the British Navy tradition. Lord Horatio Nelson had a Vanguard; the last dreadnought battleship (scrapped in 1960) was also called the Vanguard. Recent publications state that the inspiration for the name of the village came from the HMS Vanguard which was commissioned in 1909 and exploded in 1917, killing 843 of the 845 men aboard. Regardless of the true origin of the name, the north-south streets in Vanguard reflect the naval heritage, being named Armada, Victory, Triumph, Drake and Nelson Streets. The east-west streets are named in honor of the province (Saskatchewan Ave.), the landscape in which Vanguard is situated (Prairie Ave.), the rail heritage (Railway Ave.) and the hopeful spirit in which Vanguard was established (Progress Ave.). Vanguard is bisected by Division St. and the main street is called "Dominion".

[edit] Notable People

Author, broadcaster, and journalist James Minifie (1900-1974) called Vanguard home. He worked for the New York Herald Tribune and was the Washington correspondent for the CBC. Knowlton Nash described Mr. Minifie as: "a man passionately dedicated to improving the quality of journalism [whose] overwhelming desire was accuracy in reporting". Woodrow Lloyd, former premier of Saskatchewan, was a principal in Vanguard. NHL goaltender, Al Rollins, was born in Vanguard.

[edit] Demographics

On July 3-4, 2000, Vanguard was deluged by 13 inches (330 mm) of rain in a seven hour "perfect storm". Under the able guidance of long-serving mayor, Dorothy Saunderson, Vanguard has recovered from the devastation of the resulting flood and remains a viable community renowned for its low cost of living, negligible crime rate, stargazing and bird watching opportunites, clean air and sunshine.


According to the Canada 2001 Census:

Population: 187 (- 9.7 from 1996)
Land area: 1.86 km²
Population density: 100.4 people/km²
Median age: 47.5 (males: 47.0, females: 47.5)
Total private dwellings: 102
Mean household income: $NA

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 49°54′32″N 107°15′25″W / 49.909, -107.257

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