Canwood, Saskatchewan

Canwood
Village
Aerial image of Canwood looking towards the west
Canwood Location of Canwood in Saskatchewan
Coordinates: 53°22′N 106°36′W / 53.36°N 106.6°WCoordinates: 53°22′N 106°36′W / 53.36°N 106.6°W[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Saskatchewan
Census division	16
Rural Municipality	Canwood
Post office opened	September 1, 1911
Government
• Mayor	Robert Thompson
• Town Manager	Lisa Quessy
• Governing body	Canwood Village Council
• MLA Rosthern-Shellbrook	Scott Moe
• MP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River	Rob Clarke
Area
• Total	2.56 km^2 (0.99 sq mi)
Elevation[2]	482 m (1,581 ft)
Population (2011)[3]
• Total	308
• Density	120/km^2 (310/sq mi)
Time zone	CST (UTC−6)
Postal Code	S0J 0K0
Website	www.canwood.ca
[4][5]

Canwood is a community in central Saskatchewan. As of the Canada 2011 Census the town has a population of 308,^[6] with a larger rural municipality (No. 494) population of 1424.^[7]

History

Since it was settled, Canwood has gone through four name changes.^[8] Records kept by the post office show the original name of the settlement was "Parksiding," but no evidence has shown it ever operated under that name. The post office opened September 1, 1911, operating under the town name "McQuan"; this was a typographical error, and three months later the name was corrected to "McOwan." This name honoured Alexander McOwan, a pioneer settler who was an immigration agent, estate manager, and author. On June 1, 1912, the town name was changed again to "Forgaard," honouring Jens Forgaard, a Norwegian-born settler who had emigrated from Minnesota. Exactly one year later, on June 1, 1913, the name was changed for the last time to "Canwood," a portmanteau of Canadian Woodlands.

Education

Canwood Community School is the only educational institution in Canwood.^[9] Part of the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division #119, it educates students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Higher education can be pursued out of town at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, University of Saskatchewan, or University of Regina.

Surrounding Area

Canwood is located along Highway 55, and neighbours the towns of Debden and Shellbrook.

The Canwood Regional Park is located 5 kilometres (3 mi) southeast from Canwood along Highway 55. It has 20 campsites, a 9-hole golf course, and three baseball diamonds, and is open May through September.^[10]

In Urban Legend

An urban legend says Albert Einstein played goal for the Canwood Canucks one winter while traveling to find peace and silence for his work on the Theory of Relativity.^[11] This story has been found to be implausible by media observers;^[12] in addition to the unlikeliness of Einstein visiting the rural community of Canwood, the Canwood Canucks hockey team was formed in 1958,^[13] three years after his death.

References

1. "Co-ordinates". Google Maps. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
2. "Canwood, Saskatchewan". RoadsideThoughts. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
3. "Canwood, Village". Census Profile. Statistics Canada 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2012.
4. "Post Offices and Postmasters". Library and Archives Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
5. "Municipal Directory System". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
6. "Statistics Canada Canwood 2011 Community Profile". Retrieved February 20, 2012.
7. "Statistics Canada Canwood No.494 2011 Community Profile". Retrieved February 20, 2012.
8. Barry, Bill (1997). People Places: Saskatchewan and its names. Regina: Printwest. p. 58. ISBN 0-88977-114-6.
9. "Canwood Community School Homepage". Retrieved November 11, 2011.
10. "The Canwood Regional Park". Village of Canwood. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
11. "Club Sask: I bet you didn't know...". Retrieved November 11, 2011.
12. "Separating rural myths from reality". Regina Leader Post. April 21, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
13. Friesen (1981). Chronicles of Canwood and Districts. Canwood History Book Committee. p. 382. ISBN 0-88925-164-9.