'The only sure things in life are death and taxes' is a common saying. For the life of a rural municipality, it can be said the only sure things are doctor shortages and road maintenance.
Residents of the rural municipality of Saltcoats No. 213 reminisced on the evolution of their area over the past 100 years at the Saltcoats Curling Rink on July 28. The event kicked off with registration and a performance in the very warm hall by Saskatchewan Express.
A large audience listened to speeches from Saltcoats/Melville MLA Bob Bjornerud, SARM President David Marit, the mayors of Saltcoats and Bredenbury, and members of the RM.
Saltcoats Mayor Walter Farquharson emphasized the passion of the RM's early days and how people worked together to achieve shared goals. He called on attendees to consider the anniversary as "a time of recommitment to community and community service."
RM administrator Ron Risling pointed out other changes since the early days of the RM. Using numbers from Statistics Canada, he pointed out that the RM population in 1913 was 1300, while now it is almost half that at 673. The number of farmyards has decreased by more than a hundred while crop size is six times what it was in 1913.
Attendees enjoyed a roast beef supper, anniversary cake and more entertainment as the night went on. A dance and fireworks put on by the Saltcoats volunteer fire department capped off the night's festivities.
