Gravelbourg plans for success

August 9, 2004

Advance planning and foresight may be the keys to success for a variety of projects in the Town of Gravelbourg.

One may not notice the emphasis on planning at first – but, it becomes apparent while chatting with Gravelbourg residents, say, for example, about Gravelbourg’s 100th anniversary to be held in July 2006. Two of the major centennial projects are already in the bag. First, the local Saskatchewan Wheat Pool elevator, circa 1917, has been saved for the future. Second, the fundraising for cemetery repairs is completed: a total of $20,000 donated over six months by people who no longer live in Gravelbourg.

The Save Our Little Elevator (SOLE) committee successfully lobbied the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool this past winter suggesting that instead of demolishing the elevator, the Pool could give it to the community as a gift in honour of Gravelbourg’s approaching centennial.

“The community’s objective is to retain this prairie sentinel while we still can,” said Toos Giesen, SOLE chair. “It’s estimated that there are only 25 surviving wooden grain elevators remaining in Saskatchewan and they are disappearing rapidly. We wish to preserve ours as a heritage site and to commemorate the industry and spirit that founded this community in 1906.”

The parish cemetery repair project was organized by parishioners of Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic church, designated a Parks Canada National Historic Site in 1995. At the beginning of the year, the committee made a list of the families whose ancestors rest in the cemetery, and wrote 627 letters, all to people who do not live in Gravelbourg any longer.

“Our cemetery was in disrepair and we wanted to improve it because we feel it is important to celebrate those who have gone ahead of us. Their hard work and contributions are the reasons Gravelbourg and its people are here today,” said Father Raymond Carignan, the parish priest. The donations, along with funds raised inside the parish, have contributed the construction of a large monumental gate at the cemetery and the installation of a plaque in English and French this spring. Other improvements are also planned, along with future projects such as the development of a walking tour of the cemetery, and a museum of Gravelbourg’s religious history.

These projects for the 2006 centennial are building upon and enhancing accomplishments of previous years when Gravelbourg gradually developed 20 heritage buildings and sites, including a working theatre, to showcase the community’s history and culture.

To this end, Gravelbourg also created a theme for itself, A Touch of Europe on the Prairies, which reflects the town’s French roots and the multicultural composition of the community’s 1,200 residents.

To attract visitors, the community added a June festival called Summer Solstice, which relates to agriculture, and is gradually refurbishing main street by adding paving stones and wrought iron lamp posts and signage, which gives the street an old-world ambience.

The community also emphasizes economic development, and a concern for the environment.

“In terms of diversification, we have projects in development as a result of an aggressive strategic plan. We examined what is feasible, what will work and what won’t work,” said Verona Thibault, Gravelbourg’s Economic Development Officer since 2000. “We deliberately looked inward to the community in order to determine where to go. We looked at what was here, what was available. We examined the risk of value-added agriculture – and there is some discussion of a mustard operation – we are in the heart of the best and most consistent mustard growing area of Canada.”

However, the town’s history as a spiritual and cultural centre, and the associated infrastructure, which still exists and is in good condition, may lend more to health services and tourism diversification,” Thibault said. “We are looking at a healing centre or sanctuary with a chronic pain centre, something that doesn’t contravene health legislation, but which serves a need.”

While caring for the past, Gravelbourg also plans for the future. The town initiated the Wood River Environmental Authority to mobilize the region to become a steward of the river, and also has its own Climate Change Action Plan funded in part by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Thibault said.

To learn more about Gravelbourg, see the Web site www.atouchofeurope.net or phone Thibault at (306) 648-3525.