Buffalo Narrows

Buffalo Narrows
Northern village[1]

New village centre in Buffalo Narrows
Buffalo Narrows

Location of Buffalo Narrows in Saskatchewan

Coordinates: 55°51′14.4″N 108°29′2.4″W / 55.854000°N 108.484000°W / 55.854000; -108.484000Coordinates: 55°51′14.4″N 108°29′2.4″W / 55.854000°N 108.484000°W / 55.854000; -108.484000
Country  Canada
Province  Saskatchewan
Government
 • Mayor Estelle Laliberte
 • MLA Athabasca Buckley Belanger
 • MP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River Georgina Jolibois
Area
 • Total 68.63 km2 (26.50 sq mi)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 1,153
 • Density 16.8/km2 (44/sq mi)
Time zone Central Standard Time (UTC−6)
Postal code S0M 0J0
Highways Hwy 155
Post office established 1936
[3][4][5]

Buffalo Narrows is a northern village in Northern Saskatchewan. It is a community of 1,153 people.[6] Located at the "Narrows" between Peter Pond Lake and Churchill Lake, tourism and resource extraction (logging, fishing) are its main economic activities.

History

John Franklin's Coppermine Expedition map of 1819–1822 showing the fur trade route from Île-à-la-Crosse to Methye Portage

Buffalo Narrows or Détroit du Boeuf as it was called in French was founded in the early 20th century as a trapping, mink ranching and fishing settlement by Scandinavian traders.[7]

The community developed around an earlier Dene settlement. John Macoun, who was travelling the fur trade route from Methye Portage to Lac Île-à-la-Crosse visited the "Narrows" in September 1875. He described his visit to this old community in the following lines: "After sunrise, a head wind sprang up with which we battled all day and reached the "Narrows," that connect Buffalo and Clearwater lakes, before dark. Chipewyan House is situated at the eastern end of the "Narrows," and at the head of Clearwater Lake. Here the Chipewyans have built themselves a number of houses."[8]

Chipewyan House where Macoun stayed for about four days was probably a small outpost of the Hudson's Bay Company much like Buffalo House at Dillon and Bull's House on the La Loche River.

Clearwater Lake (or Clear Lake) was renamed Churchill Lake in 1944[9] and Buffalo Lake was renamed Peter Pond Lake in 1932.[9]

Demographics

Climate

Climate data for Buffalo Narrows
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13
(55)		 15
(59)		 15
(59)		 29.6
(85.3)		 31.5
(88.7)		 34.5
(94.1)		 33.5
(92.3)		 35
(95)		 30.9
(87.6)		 27.2
(81)		 13.5
(56.3)		 10
(50)		 35
(95)
Average high °C (°F) −13.3
(8.1)		 −8.4
(16.9)		 −1.1
(30)		 7.9
(46.2)		 15.2
(59.4)		 20.1
(68.2)		 22.5
(72.5)		 21.3
(70.3)		 14.6
(58.3)		 6.4
(43.5)		 −4.5
(23.9)		 −11.7
(10.9)		 5.8
(42.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) −18.3
(−0.9)		 −13.7
(7.3)		 −6.9
(19.6)		 2.3
(36.1)		 9.4
(48.9)		 14.8
(58.6)		 17.5
(63.5)		 16.3
(61.3)		 10.1
(50.2)		 2.8
(37)		 −7.7
(18.1)		 −15.9
(3.4)		 0.9
(33.6)
Average low °C (°F) −23.2
(−9.8)		 −19
(−2)		 −12.7
(9.1)		 −3.3
(26.1)		 3.7
(38.7)		 9.6
(49.3)		 12.4
(54.3)		 11.3
(52.3)		 5.6
(42.1)		 −0.8
(30.6)		 −10.9
(12.4)		 −20.1
(−4.2)		 −4
(25)
Record low °C (°F) −47
(−53)		 −44
(−47)		 −43.5
(−46.3)		 −31.8
(−25.2)		 −9.5
(14.9)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 3.5
(38.3)		 0.1
(32.2)		 −5.5
(22.1)		 −20
(−4)		 −39.2
(−38.6)		 −42.4
(−44.3)		 −47
(−53)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 19.7
(0.776)		 17
(0.67)		 15.1
(0.594)		 26
(1.02)		 38
(1.5)		 54.7
(2.154)		 75.5
(2.972)		 65.5
(2.579)		 46.4
(1.827)		 34.4
(1.354)		 25.7
(1.012)		 22.3
(0.878)		 440.2
(17.331)
Source: Environment Canada[12]

Attractions

Park on Churchill Lake
Rare piping plover
Highway 155 bridge over the Kisis Channel
Churchill Lake viewed from Buffalo Narrows

Buffalo Narrows is notable for its scenery and its bridge that crosses the Kisis Channel.[9] This channel links Peter Pond Lake and Churchill Lake.

Buffalo Narrows Sand Dunes Park

The dunes of Buffalo Narrows Sand Dunes Park located 5 km north of downtown create a 10 km fine sandy beach along the southwest shore of Big Peter Pond Lake (55°53′35.90″N 108°36′39.64″W / 55.8933056°N 108.6110111°W / 55.8933056; -108.6110111). The park, which is 3,650 hectares (14.1 square miles) in size, includes the peninsula that nearly cuts Peter Pond Lake in two creating Little Peter Pond, the southern section and Big Peter Pond, the northern section. Formerly Crown land, the recreation area was transferred to the Northern Village of Buffalo Narrows in 2003. The community has assumed the responsibility for its maintenance and development.[13][14] The beach is a nesting site of the vulnerable sparrow-sized piping plover.[15]

Transportation

Buffalo Narrows is connected to the rest of Saskatchewan by Highway 155. Highway 155 is paved along its whole length. The community is served by the Buffalo Narrows Airport and the Buffalo Narrows Water Aerodrome. The Saskatchewan Transportation Company offers bus service for passengers and freight. The route goes from La Loche to Prince Albert and back.

Education

The school in Buffalo Narrows is called Twin Lakes Community School or "TLCS". The K-12 school has approximately 310 students and about 30 teachers and is part of the Northern Lights School Division # 113.[15] Northlands College maintains a satellite campus in Buffalo Narrows.

References

  1. ↑ "Search for Municipal Information". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "2011 Community Profiles". Statistics Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  3. ↑ National Archives, Archivia Net. "Post Offices and Postmasters". Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  4. ↑ Government of Saskatchewan, MRD Home. "Municipal Directory System". Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  5. ↑ Commissioner of Canada Elections, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada (2005). "Elections Canada On-line". Retrieved 6 September 2009.
  6. ↑ "Statistics Canada (Community profiles)". Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  7. ↑ "History of Buffalo Narrows". Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  8. ↑ John Macoun (1922), Autobiography of John Macoun, M.A (page 121), Ottawa: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, Library of Congress QH31.M15
  9. 1 2 3 "Geographical Names Query". Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  10. ↑ "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
  11. ↑ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
  12. ↑ Environment Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 23 July 2010
  13. ↑ "Government of Saskatchewan (COMMUNITY OF BUFFALO NARROWS WILL BE GETTING NEW RECREATION SITE)". 7 October 2003. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
  14. ↑ "Buffalo Narrows Assumes Control of Beach Site". 2010-08-01. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
  15. 1 2 "Northern Lights School Division # 113". Retrieved 2014-07-02.

External links

La Ronge
   Buffalo Narrows  
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