Village Growth

Growing Up

Sarah Ritchie

You might miss it if you weren’t looking for it. Located just south of the Highway 1, 42 kilometres west of Moose Jaw, Mortlach, Sask. barely registers as a pit stop, let alone a tourist destination.

The village of 257 residents appears sleepy at first glance. A narrow, tree-lined street leads into the heart of the community, where suddenly you find yourself in a bustling main street, complete with facades reminiscent of boom-town days.
 
Like their neighbours to the east, Mortlach boasts an “historic downtown” - albeit smaller than Moose Jaw’s, and lacking Al Capone’s tunnels. The village is steeped in history, from a nearby buffalo jump and archaeological site, to its museum and century-old buildings.

But it is the future of Mortlach that concerns many residents.

Mortlach is, by all criteria, a tiny settlement. It registers by Saskatchewan standards as a village. However, there is a movement afoot to grow the community, an idea that is born partly out of optimism, and partly of necessity.

As many small Saskatchewan communities are living a slow, painful decline, Mortlach is looking to encourage a revival. The Village of Mortlach website boasts that Mortlach is “making a strong ‘comeback’.” Indeed, one of the most prominent ways of encouraging this comeback is via the Internet.
To attract visitors and encourage growth, the Village of Mortlach is utilizing Facebook, the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, and their own website.

Speaking from the village office, which shares a home with the local post office and library, village administrator Tracey Gardner (who also serves as the school caretaker and owner of the Crocus Ridge Art Gallery) explains that some dedicated volunteers have put Mortlach on the virtual map.

“The Community Development (committee) are very aware of the importance of media and what it can do for you, so they’re always on top of that. They make sure there’s lots of coverage for things like the berry festival,” she said.

It works. In 2010, a record 4,000 people were estimated to have attended Mortlach’s Saskatoonberry Festival - in one day. This is a tribute - and a boon - to the growing tourism aspect of the community, which boasts three art galleries, a museum, and several music groups.

Of course, growth isn’t as simple as advertising. And encouraging people to visit Mortlach for a day, while certainly a good idea, is not enough. Mortlach must provide services, and this is a challenge.
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