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| Geography |  Swift Current is located at the junction of Highway 4 and the TransCanada Highway, the world's longest national road. Swift Current is Saskatchewan's 6th largest city, with a population of approximately 16,000. The immediate market area serves approximately 55,000 but, there is a population of six million people within a 500 mile radius of the City of Swift Current. The commuting distance from Regina to Swift Current is 245 kilometres (2.5 hours) and 267 kms (3 hours) from Saskatoon to Swift Current.
Swift Current is the hub for the great southwest with easy access to many area attractions:
- Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park is an oasis in the midst of the open prairie that surrounds it. It is the highest point of land in Canada between the Rocky Mountains and Labrador. The park is home to rare wild flowers, towering stands of lodgepole pine, and more than 200 species of birds and animals, including moose, elk, deer, and antelope. It is located 276 kms south of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan on Highway #21, via the TransCanada #1 Highway.
- Grasslands National Park preserves a wide expanse of the broad Frenchman River Valley with its weathered badlands, untouched native prairie and grassland flora and fauna. The park is only one of our 39 national parks that represent Prairie Grasslands. It is home to a unique blend of common and endangered species including the pronghorn antelope, sage grouse, burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk, short horned lizard, and the prairie rattlesnake. It is the only place in Canada where colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs still exist. The park's West Block can be accessed near the Village of Val Marie on Highway #4 (one and one half hour drive south of Swift Current).
- Dino Country in Eastend is a unique example of what communities can do when they have a dream and work together to capture their history. Who else can lay claim to being the real home of Wallace Stegner, a Pulitzer Prize winning writer who described the prairie landscape as 'a distance without limits'. The area has drawn international attention with the discovery of a near-complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton. This fossil is one of only 12 in the world, and the newly opened TRex Discovery Centre now attracts thousands of visitors each year. Eastend can be located by getting off of #1 Highway with exit points at Maple Creek, coming south on Highway 21, or at Gull Lake, heading south on Highway 37.
- The Great Sandhills is one of the largest sets of active sand dunes in the country. Legends and secrets about the dunes can be uncovered by visiting the Great Sandhills Museum in Sceptre. The Sandhills are subject to strong winds blowing from the northwest and exposed sand dunes are estimated to be moving east at a rate of about four metres per year, creating an ever-changing landscape. The Great Sandhills are located approximately 20 kms south of Sceptre, Saskatchewan.
- Saskatchewan Landing is located on the shores of Lake Diefenbaker (approximately 50 kms from Swift Current on Highway #4 North). The lake has become known for its recreation, which includes windsurfing, sailing, and fishing. Along with great fishing, a first class marina, and the new Saskatchewan Landing Golf Resort, you'll also find the historic Goodwin House, which operates as a visitor's centre.
- Chaplin Lake Shorebird Reserve is one of Saskatchewan's newest natural destinations, featuring an interpretive centre, viewing tower, and nature walks. Self-guided and guided horse-drawn tours are available. Chaplin is located approximately 80 kms east of Swift Current on Highway #1.
Sources: Tourism Swift Current, City of Swift Current, Saskatchewan Tourism, and Parks Canada.
| | History | Swift Current has a long history that begins with a creek. The creek winds its way across one hundred miles of prairie and empties into the South Saskatchewan River. When fur traders found the creek in the 1800s they named it 'Riviere Au Courant', which means Swift Current.
Surveyors for the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) soon followed the fur traders, and by the 1880s the line was staked out as far as the Swift Current Creek. On December 10, 1882, Swift Current was born in the North West Territories when a CPR crew threw a boxcar beside the track and attached the name Swift Current.
Fraser Tims followed the railroad builders and opened the very first business in Swift Current in 1882. The first homestead in Swift Current was filed in 1885 by William G. Knight. In 1903, Swift Current became a Village and four years later, in 1907, became a Town following a census that indicated the population had grown to a total of 550 persons. Seven years later in 1914 following a period of growth and an influx of settlers, Swift Current became a City.
In the First World War, Swift Current was headquarters for the 14th Light Horse Regiment. During the Second World War, the 8th Recce Regiment was recruited here. This group of men landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. From 1940 to 1944, Swift Current served as a training base for pilots who served with the Royal Air Force.
Oil and gas were discovered in the area in the 1950s. The first successful oil find was the Fosterton Well drilled in 1952. The discovery, 30 miles northwest of the city, led to a boom period and companies continue today to expand their drilling for oil and natural gas.
CKSW, the city's first radio station was launched in 1956, and CJFB-TV, operated by the Forst Family, signed on the air in 1957.
Swift Current's first hospital was built in 1912 and the first medical clinic, the first of its kind in Saskatchewan, was built in 1918. In 1946, a pilot project for province-wide health care began in Swift Current. The project received international attention and history was made when it became the first government funded medical plan in North America. Medicare was implemented across the province in 1962, and in time it would be introduced across the country.
Sources: Tourism Swift Current, Swift Current Museum, and the City of Swift Current.
| | Economic Information | The Swift Current economy is driven by its powerful agriculture engine encompassing cereal and specialty crops as well as the livestock industry. The presence of the internationally known Semi-Arid Prairie Agriculture Research Centre further emphasizes farming's importance to the economy, and better growing methods along with diversification are increasing the region's economic stability. Although cattle and wheat still reign supreme, other livestock, cereal grains, pulses, as well as oil grains are becoming predominant.
We have seen a tremendous amount of development occur on all fronts. There has been substantial investment taking place in our downtown commercial core which has revitalized this important area. Many new and existing businesses have developed along our highway commercial district, taking advantage of the high volume of traffic traveling along the TransCanada Highway; and our industrial parks are being developed at a pace that we have never seen before.
In recent years there has been a boom in oil and gas development in Saskatchewan and the Swift Current area. With estimated reserves of 2.7 trillion cubic feet opportunities abound in exploration, extraction, processing, refining and related services.
In addition to fossil fuels, the Swift Current area is an active participant in the groundbreaking wind energy sector with wind turbine locations at both Gull Lake, 55 km west of Swift Current, and Rush Lake, 30 km east of Swift Current.
Manufacturing, tourism, and service industries also flourish in Swift Current. Approximately 1,000 licensed businesses, manufacturers, and professional offices serve a growing local market area. Since the city's tax incentive policy was implemented in 2003 there has been $1.8 million worth of city commercial property sold that has resulted in more than $23 million worth of construction work.
The City has also prioritized tourism in terms of local development. With one of the highest non-local traffic counts along the TransCanada #1 Highway, the growth potential is significant.
The economic potential for both new and existing businesses is encouraging. About six million people live within an 800 km radius. Expanding western markets in Canada and the U.S., combined with the city's importance to surrounding rural communities, emphasize Swift Current's continuing role as a financial, service, social distribution, and manufacturing centre.
The retail sector is also expanding in the City to meet the growing demands of the market. In addition, the City and Rural Municipality of Swift Current work together on attracting small, medium, and large businesses to Swift Current and area.
The City has been able to attract various large-scale businesses to the community. These and other industries have contributed to the successful diversification of our economy from grain farming, ranching, the oil industry and wind energy industry.
Fully serviced land for manufacturers is readily available at the City owned McIntyre Industrial Park, Munroe Industrial Park, and Sidney Industrial Park.
Swift Current is also home to Saskatchewan's first full service enterprise centre. The Southwest Centre for Entrepreneurial Development offers entrepreneurial training and free business counseling to budding entrepreneurs and existing business alike. The Centre offers single window access to a full range of business services and is home to Community Futures Southwest Development Corporation, Swift Current and District Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Regional Economic Development Authority and Enterprise Saskatchewan. The Centre also has an extensive Business Resource Library and a public Internet access terminal.
Swift Current is proud of its entrepreneurial spirit and is uniquely positioned to be the best location in Western Canada from which to grow and operate businesses of every scale.
Sources: City of Swift Current
| | Attractions | Swimming may be enjoyed at either the Fairview outdoor pool or the Aquatic Centre, an Olympic-size indoor pool where a wide variety of programs are offered to all ages.
Elmwood Golf and Country Club features eighteen holes with grass greens and is considered one of the finest courses in Western Canada. The Chinook Golf Course is a City owned 18-hole course with excellent grass greens, Pro Shop, clubhouse, and dining room.
The Swift Current Indians Baseball Club plays in the Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (SMBL). They have proven that they are indeed a tremendously talented team as they have captured the SMBL League title numerous times. Home games are played on a well-manicured baseball park located one block north of the Centennial Civic Centre.
There are two artificial ice arenas providing facilities for a very active minor hockey, ringette, and figure skating program. The Centennial Civic Centre is the largest of these facilities with space to accommodate 3,000 people (seating and standing room). Fairview Arena has recently seen expansion allowing for two separate ice areas. There are also six outdoor natural ice-skating and hockey rinks.
The Swift Current Broncos Junior Hockey Club is a member of the Western Canada Hockey League. The Broncos won the Memorial Cup in 1989-90, which symbolizes the best of Canadian Junior Hockey. Since that time, they have consistently been rated as one of the top ten teams in Canada.
Hockey schools, figure skating, and power skating schools run annually during the months of June, July, and August. Soccer, baseball, softball, and hockey leagues are available for all minor aged girls and boys.
Cross-country skiers are becoming more and more common in the area and a number of trails are available to them.
Swift Current is a sports-minded city and this is very evident with its indoor and outdoor pools, year-round indoor ice surfaces, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, gun club (trap shooting facilities), miniature golf, bowling, riding academy, squash and racquetball club, and gym facilities. For walkers and joggers there are a number of scenic trails in the City, Chinook Pathway being a popular choice.
For those who prefer to watch sporting activities instead of participating, the seasons bring exciting action at the local, provincial, and inter-provincial level. Special tournaments and competitions are featured throughout the year.
Downhill skiing facilities are available within 150 kms of the City. Major skiing attractions are a 6-7 hour drive from Swift Current and many charter trips are arranged during the season.
Hunting is very popular in the Swift Current area. Upland game birds such as pheasant, partridge, and sharp-tailed grouse are abundant. Migratory birds, most notably mallard ducks, Canada geese, and snow geese are also plentiful. Hunters are also attracted to big game such as whitetail deer, mule deer, and pronghorn antelope.
Boating, sailing, and swimming are enjoyed at several locations in the region, namely Duncairn Dam and Lac Pelletier to the south of the city, and Diefenbaker Lake and Clearwater Lake to the north.
Be it walleye, pike, trout, or a variety of other species fish are abundant in the lakes and rivers throughout the area.
As you can see, Swift Current and area has much to offer in sports and recreation.
Sources: City of Swift Current
| | Other Info | CITY OF SWIFT CURRENT TO HOST 2010 FORD WORLD WOMEN'S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Swift Current will be hosting the 2010 Ford World Women's Curling Championships. The 12-country competition will be played at the Credit Union i-plex March 20-28th. With the event just three weeks after the Vancouver Olympics we can expect to see several Olympic finalists. Swift Current has never hosted an international event and Mayor Sandy Larson is very pleased for the opportunity and adds the possibilities for our city are endless.
Source: Southwest TV News
CITY OF SWIFT CURRENT AWARDS:
- 2004 'Best in the World' Business Retention and Expansion International (BREI).
- 2004 'Outstanding Economic Development Achievement of the Year' Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC).
- 2004 'Economic Development Initiative of the Year' Saskatchewan Economic Developers Association (SEDA).
- 2003 One of three communities that took top honors at the 5th Annual Home Based Business Friendly Community Awards in Toronto.
- 2003 Rated #1 in creation of small businesses in Canadian cities with a population of less than 100,000.
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