Martensville, Saskatchewan
Encyclopedia
Martensville is a city located in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, just 8 kilometres (5 mi) north of Saskatoon, and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south west of Clarkboro Ferry
Clarkboro Ferry
The Clarkboro Ferry is a cable ferry in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The ferry crosses the South Saskatchewan River at Clark's Crossing, carrying Grid Road 784 across the river, and connecting Warman in the west and Aberdeen in the east. The ferry is named for the community of Clarkboro...
which crosses the South Saskatchewan River
South Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
. Martensville is one of the fastest growing communities in Saskatchewan, with the population growing 25% between 1996 and 2001. It is sometimes considered a bedroom community of Saskatoon. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344
Corman Park No. 344, Saskatchewan
The area's German Canadian population is much higher proportionately than the national or provincial averages: 43.4% .-Government of the RM:...
.
History
In 1939, Isaac and Dave Martens purchased land north of Saskatoon. They then sold three small parcels of land to people who wanted to move out of Saskatoon and, as a result, the community of Martensville was created.Martensville was later incorporated as a village in 1966 and as a town three years later in 1969. Sewer and water was established in 1976 with the town experiencing accelerated growth. In 2009, Martensville was incorporated as a city.
In 1992 Martensville received national attention due to a satanic sex scandal
Martensville satanic sex scandal
The Martensville satanic sex scandal occurred in Martensville, Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1992, where an allegation of day care sexual abuse hysteria escalated into claims of satanic ritual abuse.-History:...
where day care sexual abuse hysteria
Day care sexual abuse hysteria
Day-care sex-abuse hysteria was a panic that occurred primarily in the 1980s and early 1990s featuring claims against daycare providers of satanic ritual abuse and several forms of child abuse...
escalated into claims of satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse
Satanic ritual abuse refers to the abuse of a person or animal in a ritual setting or manner...
.
Demographics
According to the mayor of Martensville, the population of the Martensville, as of March 2006, was 5,120 which is roughly the same as that of the city of HumboldtHumboldt, Saskatchewan
Humboldt is a Canadian city located in the province of Saskatchewan, 113 km east of Saskatoon at the junction of Highway 5 and Highway 20. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Humboldt No...
and considerably more than the city of Melville
Melville, Saskatchewan
Melville is a small Canadian city located in the east-central portion of Saskatchewan. It was declared a city by the province in 1960. The city is north east of the provincial capital of Regina and south west of Yorkton. According to The World Gazetteer, it has a 2004 population of approximately...
whose population has dropped below 5,000 over the last decade. The 2006 census reported a population growth of 13.8 per cent since 2001 placing the town at a population of 4,968. On September 4, 2009, the provincial government announced that Martensville would be granted city status in November 2009.
The 2011 edition of the official Saskatchewan government road map lists populations of its cities; according to it (but without citing source for the figure), Martensville's population was 6,035 as of the date the map was printed.
Geography
Martensville located between the North Saskatchewan RiverNorth Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows east from the Canadian Rockies to central Saskatchewan. It is one of two major rivers that join to make up the Saskatchewan River....
and South Saskatchewan River
South Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
is between 600 metres (1,968.5 ft) to 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) above sea level. Martensville is located just north of the moist mixed grasslands area typical of Saskatoon, and locates instead in an ecoregion
Fauna of Saskatchewan
The Fauna of Saskatchewan include several diverse land and aquatic animal species. From the multiplicity of invertebrates and vertebrates, two have been chosen as symbols of Saskatchewan. Cenozoic vertebrate fossils reveal the geological evolution of the interior plains and its prehistoric...
of aspen parkland
Flora of Saskatchewan
The native flora of the Saskatchewan includes vascular plants, plus additional species of other plants and plant-like organisms such as algae, lichens and other fungi, and mosses...
. It is located just 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) north of Saskatoon, and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south west of Clarkboro Ferry
Clarkboro Ferry
The Clarkboro Ferry is a cable ferry in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The ferry crosses the South Saskatchewan River at Clark's Crossing, carrying Grid Road 784 across the river, and connecting Warman in the west and Aberdeen in the east. The ferry is named for the community of Clarkboro...
which crosses the South Saskatchewan River
South Saskatchewan River
The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan....
. The 20 km distance between Saskatoon and Martensville is the closest between two chartered cities in the province.
Prairie
Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...
/savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
and experiences warm summers and very cold winters. Martensville has four distinct seasons. Average temperatures range from -17°C in January to 18°C in July. Martensville is fairly dry; with the summer being the wettest season. It belongs to the continental climate region of Canada which typifies warm summers according to the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
.
The geology of the area are sandy plains which resulted from shorelines of glacial lakes and depositions from glacial lakes as the Laurentide ice sheet
Laurentide ice sheet
The Laurentide Ice Sheet was a massive sheet of ice that covered hundreds of thousands of square miles, including most of Canada and a large portion of the northern United States, multiple times during Quaternary glacial epochs. It last covered most of northern North America between c. 95,000 and...
left the area. There are no large lakes in this area due to the sandy soils which drained away melting glacial waters. The lakes in this area are remnants of the South Saskatchewan river channels.
Government
Martensville has a mayor as the highest ranking government official. They also elects aldermen or councillorCouncillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s to form the municipal council. Gordon Rutten is the current mayor. He also holds the distinction of being the first mayor of the city of Martensville.
Provincially Martensville is within the Martensville constituency
Martensville (electoral district)
Martensville is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada.The electoral district was created in 2003, mostly out of the former constituency of Rosthern.-Members of the Legislative Assembly :...
served by their MLA
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
who is currently Nancy Heppner
Nancy Heppner
Nancy Heppner is a current Saskatchewan Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, first sitting with Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, and now as a member of the Government of Saskatchewan.-Early life:...
.
Martensville is represented in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
by MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of the Saskatoon—Wanuskewin
Saskatoon—Wanuskewin
Saskatoon—Wanuskewin is a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997...
riding, currently this is Maurice Vellacott
Maurice Vellacott
Maurice Vellacott is a Canadian politician. He has served in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997, and is currently the Conservative Member of Parliament for the riding of Saskatoon—Wanuskewin in the province of Saskatchewan....
.
The city does not have its own police service and is in contract with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
for protective services along with Corman Park Police Service and the Saskatoon Police Service
Saskatoon Police Service
Saskatoon Police Service is the municipal police force in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and holds both municipal and provincial jurisdiction. Police Chief Clive Weighill is the head of the force. The deputy chiefs are Deputy Chief Gary Broste , and Deputy Chief Bernie Pannell...
who provide additional assistance when needed.
Education
Martensville received its first school in 1953. Martensville is served by two elementary schools and one high school in the Prairie Spirit School DivisionPrairie Spirit School Division
Prairie Spirit School Division No. 206 has 44 schools located in 28 communities surrounding the city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan which includes 3 First Nations and 8 Hutterite communities...
. Valley Manor Elementary School is located on the south side of Martensville, while Venture Heights Elementary School and the Martensville High School are both located on the north side. Each school has an enrollment of approximately four hundred students each. In the spring of 2008, CA$ 698,000 was allocated for portable classrooms at Valley Manor and Venture Heights Schools.
Historically pupils were served by the Halcyonia School District #1237 one room school house at South West Section 28 township
Dominion Land Survey
The Dominion Land Survey is the method used to divide most of Western Canada into one-square-mile sections for agricultural and other purposes. It is based on the layout of the Public Land Survey System used in the United States, but has several differences...
40 Range
Dominion Land Survey
The Dominion Land Survey is the method used to divide most of Western Canada into one-square-mile sections for agricultural and other purposes. It is based on the layout of the Public Land Survey System used in the United States, but has several differences...
8 W of the 3 meridian which was established by the historical Rural Municipality
Rural municipality
A rural municipality, often abbreviated RM, is a form of municipality in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, perhaps best comparable to counties or townships in the western United States...
number 384. Some pupils may have attended Virtue one room school house #2616 which was built at a later date at Tsp 38 Rge 6 W of the 3 meridian.
Points of interest
The city has seven lakes that are connected through a series of canals. The lakes and creeks are part of the Opimihaw Creek system. The lakes were created for water retention but are also used for a variety of year round recreational activities including perch fishing, canoeing, and skating.The city has a new outdoor pool facility that opened in the summer of 2010. The facility includes a six lane junior olympic sized pool, a zero depth entry pool, and a toddler pool. There are four waterslides and several spray features. It has a full service concession and is right next to the community centre.
Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Wanuskewin Heritage Park is a non-profit internationally-recognized award-winning interpretive centre that reflects First Nations culture, history, and values...
, a Provincial Heritage Property and interpretive centre is located 5 miles (8 km) from Martensville and the Sutherland Bird Sanctuary is within 10 miles (16.1 km).
See the article on Saskatoon for additional regional points of interest shared with Martensville.
Arts and culture
Martensville holds its annual Buster Days festival every June, usually in the first or second week. Buster Days is a 3 day festival that includes a parade, dances, softball, and, as of 2005, a volleyballVolleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
tournament. Before 2005, a small exhibition took place that offered amusement rides, games, and food. Otherwise, its close proximity to Saskatoon - in particular the Credit Union Centre
Credit Union Centre
Credit Union Centre is an arena, located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Situated near the city's northern entrance, the facility opened in February, 1988 with a seating capacity of around 7,800. It was expanded to 11,330 for the World Junior Hockey Championships in 1990...
arena - allows residents easy access to that city's events and attractions.
Sports
Sports venues in Martensville include a kart racing track (Saskatoon Kart Racers), the North Ridge Centennial Centre, Chrome Dome Park (ball diamonds and soccer pitchs and Geransky multipurpose field), Kinsmen Park (tennis, skate park, walking trails, ball diamonds, tobogan hill), North Hills Park, Sport Centre (rink where the Marauders. play hockey and curling rink), aquatic facility and various neighbourhood parks.Martensville also hosts the Martensville Mustangs, who are a part of the Martensville Minor Baseball Association (MMBA),
as well as the Martensville Maddogs football team and the high school team Martensville Royals.
The city used to have a small golf course, but in May 2008 it was demolished to make way for new houses and a public swimming pool. Martensville's bowling alley was also closed in 2008, and replaced by a gym in late 2009. In the summer of 2008, the former bowling alley was used as a filming location for the second season of the Canadian television show, Rabbit Falls.
Local business
Martensville is the home of many local successful businesses. These include A La Mode (wedding dresses and rentals), Duraroc Homes Ltd. (residential project management), Theodore's Bakery, Martensville Rental Center, and Smokehaus.Infrastructure
Several major trucking routes radiate north from Saskatoon; Idylwyld Drive North, Sk Hwy 11 Louis Riel TrailSaskatchewan Highway 11
Highway 11 is a major north-south highway in Saskatchewan, Canada that connects the province's three largest cities: Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. It is a structural pavement major arterial highway which is approximately long. It is also known as the Louis Riel Trail after the 19th century...
to Prince Albert
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is situated in the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan...
via Warman
Warman, Saskatchewan
-History:The town of Warman was born when the Canadian National Railway running from Humboldt to North Battleford intersected with the Canadian Pacific Railway running from Regina to Prince Albert. This took place in the fall of 1904....
, and Sk Hwy 12
Saskatchewan Highway 12
Highway 12 is a major highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It begins in Saskatoon at the intersection of Idylwyld Drive and 22nd Street, initially running north on Idylwyld concurrently with Highway 11. Just outside Saskatoon's northern city limits, Highway 11 branches off and Highway...
to Blaine Lake
Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan
Blaine Lake is a town in central Saskatchewan, Canada and is situated 80 kilometers north of Saskatoon at the junction of Saskatchewan Highway 12 and 40....
via Martensville concurrency.
Martensville is located about 9 miles (14.5 km) from the Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport.
Martensville is the only Saskatchewan city without a full hospital; the closest are the St. Paul's and City hospitals in Saskatoon.
Media
Martensville is currently serviced by a recently launched monthly newspaper, The Martensville Messenger. Otherwise it shares other print, radio and television media with its neighbour, SaskatoonSaskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
. It is the only Saskatchewan city that currently does not have a radio station.