Southwest Progress Report 2012

12 Southwest Progress Report 2012 BY MONIQUE MASSIAH BY MON

BY M NIQUE reat idea

are cre championed but BY MONIQUE MASSIAH H and way of life still run deep

Imagine living in a town or city where bright new ideas are championed, but small town community values and way of life still run deep.

reat ideas and innovati e ptive people make gr Imagin

r city w t small t w wn co ty val

e great places. ig t ne

T e town of Maple Creek is in the middle of a economic evolution. New businesses with strong ties to the communitty are spriinging up all around the town. It was al

le Cr ev w business

C eek is in t e midd h str

g ties to t

dlle of a economiic y

ep skiin n p all around t t was almost twotwo years ago t ago the first sheep n wagons

beg 20 tra

c vis

pr le

he

Piecing Together the Social Fabric

Entrepreneurial shift springs up in Maple Creek G

in lod dge facility.T

facilities a e f eq lik

ddin as iit t sits o one kilo

ed for community special e g f

It was almost two years ago the fi rst sheep skin wagons began appearing on the property of Greg Hisey, owner and operator of Ghostown Blues Bed & Breakfast. In September 2010, the site where the one-of-a-kind bed and breakfast is located was just a bare piece of ground. Today, Hisey has transformed the area into a step back through time, where visitors can sleep under the stars, enjoy campfi res and all of the comforts of the modern world steps away from Maple Creek.

“With so many things today being driven by mass production and automation, most of today’s accommodations leave little to stir the blood,” Hisey says.

T e bed and breakfast surrounds guest with the old-time

craſt smanship and labour of pioneers. T e facility is always evolving. Hisey is in the process of restoring a new log cabin at the site. He hopes to try a new marketing approach and maybe add a Sunday brunch special this season.

cr

n s

His latest log cabin for guest was built in about 1912 likely in from the Fort Walsh area. Walking into one of the roomy cabins guests can feel the authentic groves in the wood where nearly 100 years ago the wood was cut by hand with an axe and elbow grease.

lik ro

h

T e bed and breakfast features a homestead cabin, historic log cabin, several fully restored sheep skin wagons,

Town of Maple Creek kilometer er ffr mM leMaple Creek.

tio s co eek.

d pa

campsites and a main lodge facility. T e bed and breakfast’s facilities are frequently used for community special events like weddings, town sporting functions concerts and parties as it sits one kilometer from Maple Creek.

Hisey receives both local and international tourists.

T e bed and breakfast opened to the public May 15 with the season ending in November. Last year, Town of Maple Creek Tourism co-ordinator

Adrienne Gradauer had a dream. She wanted to give people from all over southwest Saskatchewan the opportunity to taste the wonderful cuisine one can fi nd in Maple Creek. T e fi rst annual Taste of Maple Creek food festival was held

on August 20, 2011. T e event was organized in conjunction between the town and local businesses. T e town’s main drag was blocked off so pedestrian traffi c

could wander at their leisure tasting bite-size samples from a variety of local restaurants. As well as featuring local vendors the “taste” showed off local Métis jigging talent. Her overall impression of the food tourism event was

great. “A lot of people were surprised that there were so many

great places to eat in town,” said Gradauer. “People were very delighted to have a celebration about food on the street. “ For 2012 organizers are gearing up pretty quick. “It’s all really early in planning stages right now,” said

Gradauer. “T ere will be more tents. It will be a little bit more bigger event this year.”

Continued on Page 13 2012 EVENTS

★ 25th Maple Creek Ranch Rodeo – July 7 ★ 104th Murraydale Stampede – July 8 ★ Cowtown Pro Rodeo – July 18 - 20 ★ 3rd Annual Heritage Festival – July 20 ★ 2nd Annual Taste of Maple Creek Festival – Aug.18 ★ Maple Creek Light Horse Show – Aug.18 & 19

★ 23rd Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Art & Gear Show – Sept.14 - 16

★ Cowtown Christmas – Dec.13 Residential, Commerical & Light-Industrial Lots Available

For more info contact: Visitor Information Centre – 114 Jasper St., 306-662-4005 (Welcome bags available!); Economic Development Officer – 306-662-2474; Town Hall – 306-662-2244

www.maplecreek.ca

Redmond House workers participated in the Taste of Maple Creek event held last August. The new bed and breakfast business won awards recently.

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13 | Page 14 | Page 15 | Page 16 | Page 17 | Page 18 | Page 19 | Page 20 | Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23 | Page 24