Canada's Grand Coulee not so different from Washington's

 

Last updated 6/6/2018 at 10:33am

Google Maps shows Grand Coulee, Saskatchewan 836 miles away, just past Moose Jaw.

Approximately 836 miles away via the Trans-Canada Highway lies a town known as Grand Coulee, Saskatchewan.

The town of approximately 650 people is located 10 minutes west of the city of Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan.

"We are a bedroom community surrounded by farmland," Tobi Duck, administrator for the town of Grand Coulee said by email. "How and why they came up with the name Grand Coulee is anyone's guess as we are as flat as a pancake."

Duck said that the people in the Canadian Grand Coulee are very aware of Grand Coulee, Washington, as well as the dam. "Anytime you go to Google or map Grand Coulee, that is the one that pops up first," Duck said.

Duck also described the weather of the town. "As our rule, our winters are cold, -20 to -30 Celsius, and summers are hot, 25 to 33 Celsius." That is equivalent to about -4 to -22 degrees Fahrenheit, and 77-91 degrees Fahrenheit.

The town has an outdoor skating rink, and Duck said that skating and hockey are popular pastimes there.

"The rink was finished last year and was built probably by 90 percent volunteers," Duck explained. "Hockey is extremely popular; if the kids don't have a practise or a game, they will be at the rink playing. Even in the non-winter months you will find them playing rollerblade hockey."

Canadian Pacific Rail, an active cargo train, passes near the town.

A Regina-based company collects recyclables once every four weeks.

An electronic marquee greets visitors to the town.

Most of the residents commute to Regina to work.

The elementary school runs from kindergarten through eighth grade, and students go to Regina for high school.

"I know I am biased, but I love our little town," Duck said. "I was born and raised here and moved away from town after university, as did most of my friends. As we got older and started having families, we all started moving back to Grand Coulee. It is kind of cool to see second- and third-generation kids out here now. The elementary school principal that I had also taught my nieces for a few years."

Sounds a little familiar, doesn't it?

Another tradition in Grand Coulee is the Harvest Hoedown, a party in September that has been going on for over 20 years.

"We used to have a parade around town, but everyone would be in the parade and no one watching," Duck said. "During the day, it is very kid orientated. We have bouncy castles, face painting and princess parties. Later in the afternoon there is a horseshoe tournament, we serve dinner, and then beer gardens and a band in the evening."

 

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