Emma and Waskesiu make national top 40 list

Not surprising to those who live there, a recent article has named two Saskatchewan lakes to its top 40 list of places to visit in Canada.

Emma Lake placed 37th on the list, while Waskesiu Lake came in at 38. Moose Jaw also made the list at 39.

Terry Dow, director of sales and marketing for the Waskesiu and Area Wilderness Region, said she wasn’t surprised the area would make a list like this.

“I think it’s fantastic [Waskesiu] was recognized on a national level. We’re among many of the beautiful towns across Canada. Emma Lake is absolutely beautiful, it’s got the most beautiful sunsets you’ve seen anywhere in the world. Waskesiu is within the national park and it’s absolutely stunning up there, so I’m not surprised at all,” she said.

Dow said a big draw for people to the area is just getting out of the city and into the wild.

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“That’s exactly what you get when you visit northern parts of Saskatchewan. It’s the quietness of the wilderness, it’s the nature you get to see, the wildlife you come across, it’s always stunning at any time of year,” she said.

Waskesiu and Emma are both four season destinations with activities like fishing, boating, canoeing and hiking in the summer, and sledding, cross country skiing and hiking in the winter. Dow said some of her personal favourite spots in the Waskesiu area include Grey Owl Cabin and Elk Ridge Resort.

Randy Kershaw is the treasurer of the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce, a councillor on the Waskesiu community council and has travelled to the area his entire life.

He said he’s pleased to see the region in the company of some of the best destinations in Canada.

Kershaw said he often bumps into Waskesiu visitors who have come to the area from out of country. Last year, he ran into a man from the Isle of Man which sits between England and Ireland.

“He was so excited that he could go down and fish off the break water and catch fish. He said ‘I’m surrounded by water [on the Isle of Man] but I can’t go down to our beaches and throw a line out and catch a fish,” he said.

Cheryl Bauer-Hyde, the reeve for the district of Lakeland, said she’s not surprised Emma Lake would make a list like this. She said people began building homes and cabins in the area in the 1930s.

“There’s history in the area and it’s nice to see that acknowledged, because it’s not a huge body of water compared to some but it’s a unique and beautiful place for anyone who visits or lives here,” she said.

Her own family became cottage owners back in the 60s and she and her husband moved to the area full time in 2007.

“There’s a certain quietness to it … it’s a busy lake but it is a quiet place. There’s a lot of wildlife, waterfowl and birds,” she continued.

The area is also home to the Fish Lake Metis Settlement, a provincial heritage site, and Fairy Island, which is home to Saskatchewan artist Ernest Lindner’s studio cabin.

swallace@panow.com

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