This year, the Rural Municipality of Orkney No. 244 celebrated 100 years of inauguration. Pictured here are the Council members and officials who with many volunteers led the celebrations held in August at York Lake. From left to right: Carleen Koroluk (Assistant Administrator), Randy Trost (Div 2 Councillor), Gordon Rhinas (Div 2 Councillor), Dale Hackman (Div 3 Councillor), Robert Kriger (Div 6 Councillor), Shirley Cole (Div 4 Councillor), Vern Effa (Div 5 Councillor), Dale Rhinas (Reeve), Tina Douglas (Administrator).
The Rural Municipality of Orkney was organized in 1913. Before then, rural people were governed by a Municipal Ordinance enacted by the North West Territories government in 1883. In 1897, Fire Districts were organized, and in 1898 these were called Local Improvement Districts, often referred to as LID. The first meeting of the Rural Municipality was January 7, 1913 with the Reeve, Robert Rousay presiding. The Council spoke about the suitable name for the RM; considered both the names York and Orkney, choosing the latter with the approval of the Department of Municipal Affairs. The name honoured the colony of Scottish settlers that was part of the 1882 settlement enterprise of the York Farmers Colonization Company in this area.
The Council has organized a Time Capsule to be opened 100 years from now. Plans are to bury it (well marked) under a monument at the site of the Orkney church and school located 6 miles or 9.6 kilometers west, a short distance off Highway 16. Should people have items for the time capsule or would like more information about it they can contact the RM office at 306-782-2333.
(We will continue the story of Prohibition in Saskatchewan after the holidays.)
Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince, Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton Archives, Box 400, 37 Third Avenue North
Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3 306-786-1722 [email protected]
.JPG;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
