La Ronge, Saskatchewan
Encyclopedia
La Ronge is a community
of about 2,700 (2006 census) people in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada
, 250 km north of Prince Albert
. There are an additional 2,000 people living in the Lac La Ronge First Nation
bordering the town, and another 1,000 people living in the neighbouring community of Air Ronge. It is the largest settlement in northern Saskatchewan.
The town lies on the western shore of Lac la Ronge
and is adjacent to Lac La Ronge Provincial Park. It is also on the edge of the Canadian Shield
.
Highway 2
becomes Highway 102
inside the community.
In 1770, the early explorer Etienne Waden established the first white settlement on Lac la Ronge, not far from the current town site of La Ronge. La Ronge began in 1904 as a fur trading post
and meeting place, but with the decline of hunting and the fur market, La Ronge has diversified into other areas. Many of the Dene
, Cree
, and white trappers used La Ronge as their central service point.
With the extension of Highway 2
from Prince Albert in 1947, La Ronge became a major tourist fishing
area. The highway
between the town and Prince Albert expanded the town further in the 1970s after it was paved.
In the early 1950s and 1960s, the mineral
resources in the La Ronge area began to be explored and developed.
In 1976, the Town of La Ronge changed its municipal status from village
to an incorporated town.
With access to all other points north, east and west, and transportation linkage to the south, La Ronge is also the northern hub for the Saskatchewan provincial government.
Several mining companies, government agencies, and airlines now keep offices in La Ronge, and the local Chamber of Commerce has many other retail and service businesses amongst its members.
La Ronge is surrounded by several First Nations
reserves, with the Northern Village of Air Ronge located just south of the town on Highway 2.
In 2009, the Town of La Ronge elected 21 year old councillor Thomas Sierzycki as its mayor. This established La Ronge as having one of the youngest mayors in Canada.
The community is also home to the La Ronge Ice Wolves
junior "A" hockey
team and the La Ronge Crushers hockey league.
(Köppen
Dfc) with long, dry, very cold winters and short, warm, wetter summers. Precipitation is low, with an annual average of 484 mm.
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
of about 2,700 (2006 census) people in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, 250 km north of Prince Albert
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is situated in the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan...
. There are an additional 2,000 people living in the Lac La Ronge First Nation
Lac La Ronge First Nation
Located in north-central Saskatchewan, the Lac La Ronge Indian Band is the largest First Nation in Saskatchewan, and one of the 10 largest in Canada, with a 2010 population of 8,954....
bordering the town, and another 1,000 people living in the neighbouring community of Air Ronge. It is the largest settlement in northern Saskatchewan.
The town lies on the western shore of Lac la Ronge
Lac la Ronge
Lac la Ronge is a glacial lake in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is the fifth largest lake in the province.It is approximately 250 km north of Prince Albert, on the edge of the Canadian Shield. La Ronge, Air Ronge and the Lac La Ronge First Nation are on the west shore. The lake is a popular...
and is adjacent to Lac La Ronge Provincial Park. It is also on the edge of the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
.
Highway 2
Saskatchewan Highway 2
Highway 2 is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is the longest Saskatchewan Highway, at 809 km . The highway is partially divided and undivided. However, only about near Moose Jaw, near Chamberlain, and near Prince Albert are divided highway...
becomes Highway 102
Saskatchewan Highway 102
Highway 102 is a highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It runs from Highway 2 at La Ronge and Lac La Ronge Provincial Park to Southend, at Reindeer Lake. Highway 102 is about 216 km long, the majority of which is gravel surface....
inside the community.
History
The name of the town comes from the lake. The origin of the name is uncertain; the most likely explanation is that early French fur traders named it "la ronge" (literally "the chewed") because of the large amount of beaver activity along the shoreline -- many of the trees would have been chewed down for beaver dam construction.In 1770, the early explorer Etienne Waden established the first white settlement on Lac la Ronge, not far from the current town site of La Ronge. La Ronge began in 1904 as a fur trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
and meeting place, but with the decline of hunting and the fur market, La Ronge has diversified into other areas. Many of the Dene
Dene
The Dene are an aboriginal group of First Nations who live in the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dené speak Northern Athabaskan languages. Dene is the common Athabaskan word for "people" . The term "Dene" has two usages...
, Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
, and white trappers used La Ronge as their central service point.
With the extension of Highway 2
Saskatchewan Highway 2
Highway 2 is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is the longest Saskatchewan Highway, at 809 km . The highway is partially divided and undivided. However, only about near Moose Jaw, near Chamberlain, and near Prince Albert are divided highway...
from Prince Albert in 1947, La Ronge became a major tourist fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
area. The highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
between the town and Prince Albert expanded the town further in the 1970s after it was paved.
In the early 1950s and 1960s, the mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
resources in the La Ronge area began to be explored and developed.
In 1976, the Town of La Ronge changed its municipal status from village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
to an incorporated town.
With access to all other points north, east and west, and transportation linkage to the south, La Ronge is also the northern hub for the Saskatchewan provincial government.
Several mining companies, government agencies, and airlines now keep offices in La Ronge, and the local Chamber of Commerce has many other retail and service businesses amongst its members.
La Ronge is surrounded by several First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
reserves, with the Northern Village of Air Ronge located just south of the town on Highway 2.
In 2009, the Town of La Ronge elected 21 year old councillor Thomas Sierzycki as its mayor. This established La Ronge as having one of the youngest mayors in Canada.
The community is also home to the La Ronge Ice Wolves
La Ronge Ice Wolves
The La Ronge Ice Wolves are a Junior "A" team based out of La Ronge, Saskatchewan. They play out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. They play their homes games at the Mel Hegland Uniplex which has a seating capacity of 1,200. Ice Wolves road games are broadcast on CJLR FM 89.9 with...
junior "A" hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team and the La Ronge Crushers hockey league.
Town statistics
Although the 2006 census shows a population of just over 2,700, the Saskatchewan government claims a population much higher than that, with Tourism Saskatchewan's Saskatchewan Discovery Guide 2011 claiming a population of 5,057 for the town (the 2010 edition showed an identical population), which makes it eligible to apply for city status itself. However, as the Guide does not have a separate listing for Air Ronge, it's unclear whether the population number might also include that community, as well as the neighbouring reserves.Climate
La Ronge experiences a subarctic climateSubarctic climate
The subarctic climate is a climate characterized by long, usually very cold winters, and short, cool to mild summers. It is found on large landmasses, away from the moderating effects of an ocean, generally at latitudes from 50° to 70°N poleward of the humid continental climates...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfc) with long, dry, very cold winters and short, warm, wetter summers. Precipitation is low, with an annual average of 484 mm.
Education
There are 2 high schools and 3 elementary schools in La Ronge and Air Ronge. High schools include Churchill Composite High School and Senator Myles Venne High School l. Elementary schools in La Ronge and Air Ronge include Pre-cam Community School, Gordon Denny Community School, and Bells Point Elementary School.External links
- Lac La Ronge Provincial Park
- http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/la_ronge.html Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan