Kenaston, Saskatchewan

History

First known as Bonnington Springs in the District of Assiniboia in the North-West Territories, the settlement was usually referred to as "Bonnington". In late 1905, when Saskatchewan became a province, the name was changed to "Kenaston", honouring F. E. Kenaston, who was the Vice President of the Saskatchewan Valley Land Company.{{Citation |publication-place =Altona, Manitoba |publication-date =1980 |access-date =September 24, 2013 |archive-date =September 27, 2013 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130927031158/http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=4852 |url-status =dead |access-date=2013-09-23}}

The railroad reached Bonnington in late 1889, but there is no record of any permanent residents until 1902. In that year the Saskatchewan Valley Land Company was formed made up of wealthy men from the United States.{{cite web | access-date = 2013-09-23 | archive-date = September 27, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130927081425/http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/2966/1.html | url-status = dead | access-date = 2013-09-23}} and F. E. Kenaston was vice-president.

The Saskatchewan Valley Land Company purchased 839000 acre of land from the railway for $1.53 an acre and another 250000 acre from the Dominion Government for $1.00 an acre. By adopting spectacular methods of advertising and employing dozens of land agents, the wide open spaces between Regina and Saskatoon were peopled with hundreds of settlers in the time between 1902 and 1910.

Needs of settlers created a necessity for business places and the settlement grew. Kenaston incorporated as a village on July 18, 1910. The Kenaston School opened its doors to its first fourteen pupils in August 1905, while the town was still officially known as Bonnington. The first store was built in 1903, the post office and hotel were established in 1904, the first telephone installed in 1909, and the first of Kenaston's grain elevator was built in 1906 by the Canadian Elevator Company. In 1910, the 40,000-gallon water tower was built by CNR in proximity to the train station and just across from the first hotel.

Demographics

(1981–2016) |1981|345 |1986|359 |1991|309 |1996|323 |2001|282 |2006|259 |2011|285 |2016|282 In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kenaston had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of 1.14 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

In the 2016 Census of Population, the Village of Kenaston recorded a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of . With a land area of 1.17 km2, it had a population density of in 2016.

Attractions

Kenaston hosts a sporting facility named Kenaston Place which brings to the village the event Super Draft. Kenaston Snowman Park is near the historic water tower restoration. Kenaston's large roadside attraction is a Snowman which is 18 feet (5.5 metres) in height and honours the nickname of Kenaston being the Blizzard capital of Saskatchewan. Bonnington Springs is the name of the campground at Kenaston. Kenaston Recreation Site is a conservation area near Kenaston.{{Citation |access-date=May 27, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608142017/http://geonames2.nrcan.gc.ca/cgi-bin/v9/sima_unique_v9?english%3FHAWEW%3FC |archive-date=June 8, 2011 |access-date=May 27, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609022621/http://www.roadsideattractions.ca/kenaston.htm |archive-date=June 9, 2007

Education

Kenaston is part of the Sun West School Division. It is also home to the Distance Learning Centre which provides education to the province through online studies.

Media

• The Davidson Leader is a newspaper which serves Kenaston.
• A piece from Chilly Gonzales' Solo Piano II is named "Kenaston".
• The book Kith 'n kin outlines the history of Kenaston and district.

Transportation

Kenaston is at the crossroads of Highway 15 and Highway 11.

Canadian National Railway currently serves Kenaston; however the line terminates at Davidson where the Last Mountain Railway (Craik subdivision) begins and takes over the remainder of the line.

Notable people

• Allan Kerpan is a politician born in Kenaston.
• Mike Prpich is a professional ice hockey player.
• Lynne Yelich (née Zdunich) is the Member of Parliament representing the federal riding of Blackstrap. She was raised in Kenaston and continues to call Kenaston home.

References

References

1. "Urban Municipality Incorporations". Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations.
2. "Saskatchewan Census Population". Saskatchewan Bureau of Statistics.
3. "Saskatchewan Census Population". Saskatchewan Bureau of Statistics.
4. (February 9, 2022). "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Saskatchewan". [[Statistics Canada]].
5. (February 8, 2017). "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Saskatchewan)". [[Statistics Canada]].
6. [http://www.highways.gov.sk.ca/adx/aspx/adxGetMedia.aspx?DocID=333,328,81,1,Documents&MediaID=2308&Filename=Saskatchewan+rail+network.pdf/ Gov't Rail Map 2010]
7. [http://www.rootsweb.com/~canmaps/1925Waghorn/ Canadian Maps: January 1925 Waghorn's Guide. Post Offices in Man. Sask. Alta. and West Ontario.]
8. "Lynne Yelich - MP Blackstrap - Election 2008".