Shaunavon ( ) is a town in southwest Saskatchewan. At the junction of Highways 37 and 13, it is 110 kilometres from Swift Current, 163 kilometres from the Alberta border, and 74 kilometres from the Montana border. Shaunavon was established in 1913 along the Canadian Pacific Railway line.
The town has several nicknames including Bone Creek Basin, Boomtown, and Oasis of the Prairies. The latter name is derived from the park located in the centre of town. The Shaunavon Formation, a stratigraphical unit of the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin is named for the town.
History
Prior to September 17, 1913 Shaunavon's earliest development as a civic centre began in 1912 when the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) bought the land as "a divisional point on its Weyburn-Lethbridge line" going west to east. At the time there were 9 surrounding townships to the site. The CPR would build tracks through the current site of the town mainly for its bountiful water supplies. As such, prior to the railway being laid temporary shacks "sprung up around the Hipfner farm just north of the town site" of Shaunavon. as people speculated as to where the railway would go. The exact spot of where the railway would go was unknown so many pre-incorporation buildings were built on skids along Government Road.
Initial land sale and development On the morning of September 17, 1913, 51 kilometres north in Gull Lake, the sale of lots in the new CPR town site began. The Shaunavon Standard, established 1913, published its first issue the next day. It reported that "approximately 125 people"Shaunavon's 19th Birthday – anniversary September 17. The Shaunavon Standard. September 22, 1932 were in attendance, and that many had been waiting for "13 days and 13 nights" for the sale to begin. In the same issue the Standard reported that "within eight hours 370 business and residential lots had been purchased".
Early buyers spent $1,000, present day costing $20,966 CND, per residential position number, with some buyers buying multiple plots. The name of the town remains a source of much debate.
From this initial purchase approximately 370 business and residential lots were bought and by November 27, 1913, Shaunavon was incorporated as a village. Following the initial purchase of land Shaunavon witnessed incredible construction, within the first few months of its history Shaunavon expanded and came to have several buildings addressing the needs of its people. These included: Brown-Naismith Hardware, the Kennedy Hotel (destroyed in 1918), Merchants Bank (now Royal Bank of Canada branch), the First Baptist Church and the Empress Hotel (renamed The Shaunavon Hotel in 1915). All but the Kennedy Hotel stills stand to this day. Also, in 1913 five grain elevators were built. 1914 also saw continued growth in the village, with several more buildings popping up.
World War 1 Though World War I broke out in 1914, Shaunavon did not send a division until 1916. This is simply because Shaunavon, and Swift Current, did not have their own detachments until 1916. Early that year the battalion began recruiting and by April 27 the Shaunavon Standard reported that “124 officers and men” had joined and passed military inspection, while “nine more (had) signed up but have not yet passed.”New Men Enlisted”. The Shaunavon Standard. April 27, 1916. Members of the 209 reported to the Swift Current barracks on September 15, 1916. Many had been on leave helping their respective families on their farms.
Expansion By 1916 Shaunavon had grown to 897 people,The Canada Year Book 1916–1917 Statistics Canada. keeping with its reputation as a boom town considering. Years after the war in 1922 Shaunavon appealed to the Employment Bureau to make Shaunavon a port of entry for American workers to help with harvest that year."Shaunavon is port of entry for labourers". The Morning Leader. September 13, 1922. From its inception agriculture was a major component in the Shaunavon economy but 1922 saw a shortage in helping hands.
Early Mineral Development Later that year lignite, a form of coal, was found south of Shaunavon and was soon after mined and heavily developed.Lignite operation started south of Shaunavon. The Morning Leader. November 25, 1922. Lignite had always been present in the region and in some cases it was close enough to the surface that farmers could pick it up by hand and, for some time, had been using the lignite to heat their homes.
Prior to great depression The late 1920s again saw a boom in development leading up to the great depression. In 1928 several new developments began in Shaunavon. In facts from April 24"$80,000 in building going up". The Morning Leader. April 24, 1928. to June 27, 1928"$250,000 in building going up". The Morning Leader. June 27, 1928. considerable funding went into the town. In subsequent years several buildings were erected. 1928 saw the completion of the King's Hotel. In 1929 the Shaunavon Service Station was built, later that year Crystal Bakery was built.
Oil In 1938, Shaunavon became the oil distribution centre for all plants within a 30-mile radius, as decided by the B.A. Oil Company.
In 1942Marsh, Arden & Hill, Peter. Saskatchewan Geological Survey & Saskatchewan Ministry of the Economy. Off the Beaten Track: Oil Shows in the Upper Shaunavon Member, West of the Main Oil Field Trend, Southwestern Saskatchewan (n.d.). Geoconvention. Saskatchewan Ministry of the Economy, 2014. Web. the Tide Water Associated Oil Company was interested in the region of south-west Saskatchewan for the development of oil. The discovery of oil in the region was in 1952"History." Town of Shaunavon. Town of Shaunavon, n.d. Web. October 10, 2014. and the initial production came from Delta field, Dollard and Eastend.
Dollard, approximately 13.4 km west of Shaunavon, was rated as one of the province's best oil wells in September 1952. In November 1952, the company announced that two more wells would be drilled in this area. With this discovery of oil, Shaunavon experienced a population boom and an increase in housing. In March 1954 Tide Water's 15th well was drilled in Dollard medium gravity oil field.
The early 1950s was a great year for the oil industry in south-western Saskatchewan. In March 1953, Saskatchewan's oil reserves were at 124,000,000 barrels, increasing from 21,000,000 from 1951."Loomis Discovery Fifth This Year in Saskatchewan." The Globe and Mail [Toronto] March 6, 1953: 20. Print.
Industrial Park In 1981, Shaunavon began developing 65 acres of serviced land for the Shaunavon Industrial Park. The park is located on the west side of Highway No. 37.Expansion Underway to Shaunavon's Industrial Park The Shaunavon Standard. November 15, 2011. This highway connects Shaunavon to the United States and the Trans-Canada north at Gull Lake. The extremities included electrical, natural gas and water services. The first park development was Foothills Pipelines (Sask.) Ltd.Mitchell, George.Town of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan Saskatchewan History Online. 1983. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
In 1983, land sold for $8,500- $9,500 an acre, marketed by SEDCO (Saskatchewan Economic Development Corporation). In 2011, empty lots were created and ranged from $20,000- $50,000, depending on size. Oil-field-based companies are the main parties interested in the industrial property. Today the industrial park is home to a wind turbine that powers the Veren Wickenheiser Centre.
Crescent Point Energy Today, the oil industry continues to be a prominent part of Shaunavon. Shaunavon's unfolding development of oil, its history goes back to the discovery in 1952. After the initial discovery, five major and eight smaller fields were developed. A pipeline was completed in 1956, which carries the asphaltic base crude. Seismographic crews were again present in the area in the early 1980s. The construction of the Alaska Highway Gas Pipeline in 1981 from Burstall at the Alberta border reaches to Monchy at the US border. The pipeline passes 2 miles west of Shaunavon.
Wave Energy drilled the first successful horizontal well,Park, Gary. Lower Shaunavon Seen as a Key Base for Years Petroleum News. Retrieved November 9, 2014. however, a $665 million purchase in 2009,Crescent Point pays $665M for Wave Energy Toronto Star. August 24, 2009. Retrieved 2014-11-10. made Crescent Point the predominant company."Crescent Point Consolidates Position in Lower Shaunavon Oil Resource Play with Strategic Acquisition of Wave Energy." August 24, 2009. Toronto. Retrieved November 1, 2014. Crescent Point Energy is an oil and gas company based out of Calgary, Alberta.Crescent Point Contact Information Retrieved 2014-11-17. In 2009, Crescent Point Energy became the main oil company to invest in Shaunavon, owning approximately 90% of the oil play.Stonehouse, Darrell. Activity Heating up in Southwest Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
Coal Before the discovery of oil in 1952, Shaunavon relied on coal. Coal was dug outside Shaunavon in the hills and used to heat homes. Coal was used as barter during the Great Depression. In 1932, the promise of Shaunavon Coal Company's mine was rising. The Roe's Coal Mine sold tunnel coal for $1.75 a ton and open mine coal for $1.50 a ton. In November 1942, the town feared a shortage of coal and in October 1945 there was a shortage of miners and high demand for coal. Unfortunately, coal labour was cheap and miners were paid low wages.
Today, Shaunavon is one of the five operating coal mines in the entire provinceParchewski, Julie L. "Coal." The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. University of Regina, 2006. Web. October 28, 2014. and ts in one of the three coal fields in Saskatchewan that contain almost five billion tonnes of Lignite resources. This means it is able to supply the province with thermal electric power for 300 years with the current rate of consumption."Coal: Powering the Province." ORE Magazine (2013): 1–35. Saskatchewan Mining Association, 2013. Web. October 25, 2014.
World War I/ World War II/ Korean War In 1939, 83 men of the 14th Canadian Light Horse left for Dundurn approximately 391 km north-east of Shaunavon. In May 1940, 65 men applied for active war service. In total, from the town and area there were 600 men enlisted in World War I."Cenotaph Needs Repair." The Shaunavon Standard, February 7, 2012. Web. October 28, 2014. In October 1940 Shaunavon local, Dennis King with the C.A.S.F. England captured a German pilot after his plane was shot down.
War efforts from Shaunavon were not just seen in battle because in the town war service drives began. June 1940, the Legion Ladies Auxiliary sent cigarette and blankets as gifts to local soldiers overseas and in 1943, the Shaunavon Services Committee sent parcels to 85 soldiers. Importantly, the Shaunavon Plaza Theatre gave a benefit performance to help boost the sale of War Saving Certificates and Stamps in July 1940.
The town was able to financially contribute to the Second World War. This included $6,580 in 1941, $3,750 in 1942, and $10,000 in 1943–1945.