Swift Current encyclopedia topics

History

Swift Current has a long history which begins with a creek. The creek winds its way across a hundred miles of prairie until it empties into the South Saskatchewan River. First Nations people knew it well and camped alongside the creek banks for centuries. The name of the creek has its own history, and over time has evolved into what we know today as Swift Current. The first known name is believed to have come from the Cree, who referred to it as "kisiskâciwan." The word means "it flows swiftly," and is the same word used to describe the Saskatchewan River. When early fur traders found the creek on their westward treks in the 1800s, they named it "Riviere Au Courant," which means "Swift Current". Henri Julien, who was an artist with the North West Mounted Police expedition that arrived in 1874, referred to it as "Du Courant," while Commissioner French noted "Strong Current Creek" in his diary during the same period. It would be another decade before it was officially recorded, but it appears the area was and always has been known as Swift Current.

The settlement of Swift Current was begun in 1881 when the CPR surveyed a railway line as far as Swift Current Creek. In 1882, initial grading and track preparation commenced, with the first settlers arriving in the spring of 1883. During the early part of its settlement, the economy was based almost exclusively on serving the new railway buildings and employees. There was also a significant ranching operation known as the "76" ranches. It included 10 ranches raising sheep and cattle and stretched from Swift Current to Calgary. Other early industries included gathering Buffalo bones for use in fertilizer manufacturing and "freighting" by Metis residents. During the Riel Rebellion of 1885, Swift Current became a major military base and troop mustering area due to its proximity to Battleford but this was only for a short time. On September 21 1903, the hamlet became a village and then a town on March 15 1907 when a census indicated a population of 550. There is some dispute as to whether this is because they counted dogs in the population. Swift Current became incorporated as a city on January 15 1914 with Travis Blaine Frederick being the mayor at the time.

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.

The Swift Current Airport was taken over by the City of Swift Current from Transport Canada in 1996. Airport services were then contracted out. There have been recent (2005 - 2006) plans to expand and revitalize the airport alongside the rural municipalities surrounding Swift Current.

Swift Current is sometimes known as "Speedy Creek". Considered to be slightly pejorative, this term is very seldom used by current or former residents. In more common usage by these groups are the terms "Swift", "Swifty" and unfortunately, more often than not given the diaspora of more ambitious Saskatchewan youth, "a good place to be from".

Swift Current's expression is, "Where Life Makes Sense," which has received a fair amount of humour as it is a somewhat odd tagline written by an Albertan.

Swift Current is currently experiencing a 'boom'. Businesses growing, population younger and growing in numbers, and people happy to stay and support local businesses, charities, sporting events, and the community as a whole! Housing pricess are up, and building keeps going faster and faster. Lets see where it will go. (Summer 2008)

Landmarks

A little-known fact is that Swift Current is the birthplace of Medicare. Health Region No. 1 was established during the 1940's by the provincial government in a downtown clinic (which has since been demolished) as an experiment in government-run health care. People came from all over the world to observe the experiment, which was later used as a model for the rest of Canada and in other countries.

Swift Current is also home to Saskatchewan's oldest operating theatre: the Lyric, built in 1912 at a cost of $50,000 is the "crown jewel" of Swift Current's historical downtown buildings, with instantly recognizable advertisements painted on the north and south sides of the building dating back to the early 1920's. The building has served many functions over the years: at first it housed glamourous vaudeville performances by travelling companies, was later converted into a movie theatre and, in the late 1970s, a bar. A volunteer non-profit group purchased the facility in 2005 and is raising money for its preservation while staging cultural events and administering rentals of the building.

Swift Current's tallest commercial building is the EI Wood Building in downtown.

The longest running business in Swift Current is the Imperial Hotel, also known as The Big "I". It has been open since Swift Current became a town and as a hotel, it could also serve alcohol.

Arts and Culture

Education

Schools

School Divisions

Sports and Recreation

Swift Current is home to the Swift Current Broncos, a hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. They play in the 2,865 seat Credit Union iPlex in the east end of town. The team has raised some of the world's greatest hockey players to the professional level, such as Joe Sakic and Bryan Trottier. Sheldon Kennedy received notoriety during his time with the Broncos when he was sexually assaulted by then head coach Graham James. The Credit Union iPlex is also the home of the Swift Current Rampage a junior box lacrosse team.

Media

Print

Television

Channel 5 - CBKT-4, CBC (formerly CJFB)
Channel 12 - CKMC, CTV

Radio

AM 570 - CKSW, country music
AM 540 - CBK, CBC Radio One
FM 94.1 - CIMG, "The Eagle 94 One" classic hits
FM 95.7 - CHSK, CBC Radio Two
FM 97.1 - CKFI, "Magic 97" adult contemporary

Other

Southwest TV News is a news program focused on news in and around the Swift Current area. It is seen locally on community television and on SCN. It was formed to fill the gap left with the closure of CJFB television.