Mountain View No. 318 | |
|---|---|
| Rural Municipality of Mountain View No. 318 | |
 The Herschel Museum, located in a former church | |
 Location of the RM of Mountain View No. 318 inSaskatchewan | |
| Coordinates:51°45′04″N108°20′35″W / 51.751°N 108.343°W /51.751; -108.343[1] | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| Census division | 12 |
| SARM division | 6 |
| Formed[2] | December 13, 1909 |
| Government | |
| • Reeve | Rodney G. Wiens |
| • Governing body | RM of Mountain View No. 318 Council |
| • Administrator | Rachel Deobald |
| • Office location | Herschel |
| Area (2016)[4] | |
| • Land | 840.03 km2 (324.34 sq mi) |
| Population (2016)[4] | |
• Total | 337 |
| • Density | 0.4/km2 (1.0/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CST |
| • Summer (DST) | CST |
| Area codes | 306 and 639 |
TheRural Municipality of Mountain View No. 318 (2016 population:337) is arural municipality (RM) in theCanadian province ofSaskatchewan withinCensus Division No. 12 andSARM Division No. 6.
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The RM of Mountain View No. 318 incorporated as a rural municipality on December 13, 1909.[2] Its incorporation was triggered by a petition compiled by a municipal committee and sent to the Municipal Commissioner for Saskatchewan on May 19, 1909. It asked for the authority to proceed with an election whereby local residents would vote on whether to proceed with the establishment of an official RM. At the same time, a list of potential names for the RM was submitted. In all there were seven suggestions including Glengarry, Bramley and Newbury but it was the name Mountain View that prevailed. Prior to incorporation, the area was known as the Mountain View Local Improvement District (No. 16-N-3). Councillors elected to the Local Improvement District included:
Charles Lawrence, Notary Public, Berkshire Farm, of Wiggins was Secretary-Treasurer.
On June 15, 1909, the Municipal Commissioner agreed to hold elections for the new RM on July 20, 1909. 52 voters turned out that day to cast their ballots. The results of the election were clear. 36 people voted in favour of establishing a new RM, while 16 people voted against the proposal. A letter dated August 16 from the Deputy Municipal Commissioner officially established the RM of Mountain View No. 318 on December 13, 1909.
In the early years of the RM, large areas of land in the municipality were taken up by large farms. The Engen farm of 1909 contained 9 sections; the Lamborn farm of 1910 contained 5 sections (sold later to a group of Mennonite settlers in 1925) and the Bellamy farm of 1912 contained 17 sections. The Engen and Bellamy farms were later broken up into smaller farms. Now history is reversing itself; the smaller farms are being taken over by larger farming units.[5]
The RM is drained by Eagle Creek which flows in a southeasterly direction. The valley of this creek is approximately one mile wide, and in most places is more than 100 feet deep. The ground surface on the uplands varies from gently undulating to quite hilly. The elevations a long the valley vary from approximately 1,950 feet at Lake Opuntia to 1,900 feet where the stream leaves the municipality. The elevation rises to the southwest and northeast of the valley. A portion of the area is mantled by moraine deposits. The remainder of the area is covered byglacial till orboulder clay.[6]
The following unincorporated communities are within the RM.
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, the RM of Mountain View No. 318 had a population of358 living in109 of its128 total private dwellings, a change of6.2% from its 2016 population of337. With a land area of 847.02 km2 (327.04 sq mi), it had a population density of0.4/km2 (1.1/sq mi) in 2021.[9]
In the2016 Census of Population, the RM of Mountain View No. 318 recorded a population of337 living in109 of its129 total private dwellings, a1.2% change from its 2011 population of333. With a land area of 840.03 km2 (324.34 sq mi), it had a population density of0.4/km2 (1.0/sq mi) in 2016.[4]
With the coming of the homesteaders, theplough turned land that once produced grass to support vast herds ofplains bison, now it has become some of the best agricultural land in Saskatchewan. This is due in part to the RM being located in the Dark Brown Soil Region of the province. This has resulted in very highwheat yields over the years. There is also an abundance of good ranch land in the RM as the fertile flat land in the middle of the municipality is bordered on the north by the Bear Hills and on the south by the Bad Hills. The hill regions of the area are idea for grazing livestock. Today, agriculture is the primary economic activity in the RM.[5]
In the 1930ssoft coal began to be mined a small valley just south ofHerschel, which lead to the valley being named, the Coal Mine Ravine.[10] Today the ravine is no longer mined for coal but it is home to theAncient Echoes Interpretive Centre, several archaeological sites, as well as being home to several endangered species of plants and the remains of a former First Nations/Metis/pioneerRed River Cart trail.[11]
The RM of Mountain View No. 318 is governed by an elected municipal council and an appointed administrator that meets on the second Tuesday of every month.[3] Thereeve of the RM is Rodney G. Wiens while its administrator is Rachel Deobald.[3] The RM's office is located in Herschel.[3]
In 1911 the rail line fromMacklin toRosetown was formally opened for traffic through the RM. The branch line of theCanadian Pacific Railway follows the Eagle Creek valley through the southwest corner of the municipality, and on it were situated the villages ofHerschel andStranraer.
Remnants of the historicSwift Current - Battleford Trail can be found in the RM as well as several other trails.
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