Situated on the prairies roughly 106 kilometres east of Saskatoon, Watrous is a small town in Saskatchewan with a population that has settled at around 1,842 residents according to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada. That figure represents a modest decline of 3.1 percent from the 1,900 people recorded in 2016. The town covers a land area of 11.29 square kilometres, giving it a population density of approximately 163.2 people per square kilometre. Despite its modest size, Watrous punches well above its weight in terms of services and amenities, with a hospital, medical clinic, elementary school, high school, community college, bowling alley, RCMP detachment, banks, a grocery store, and several motels and restaurants all available to residents and visitors.
Economy, Tourism, and the Manitou Beach Connection
The local economy draws from two primary sources: agriculture and tourism. A significant driver of that tourism is the town’s proximity to Manitou Beach, where the Mineral Spa and the historic Danceland Dance Hall attract visitors from across the region. Danceland is widely known as the “Home of the World Famous Dance Floor Built on Horsehair,” a construction method that gives the floor its distinctive spring. The Jubilee Drive-In Theatre at Manitou Beach also draws crowds from the Victoria Day weekend through to October, making it one of the few remaining operational drive-in theatres in Saskatchewan. For those who enjoy winter sport, the Watrous Winterhawks compete in the Long Lake Hockey League at the Watrous Centennial Arena, and the town also offers curling, golfing, swimming, ball diamonds, and a soccer pitch.
History, Broadcasting, and Points of Interest
Watrous takes its name from Frank Watrous Morse. One of its more unusual claims to historical significance is that the transmitter for CBK, CBC Radio One’s primary Saskatchewan station, has been located in Watrous since 1939. The transmitter was originally placed there to reach most of the Prairie Provinces with a powerful nighttime signal, operating as a 50,000-watt clear-channel station. Although both Regina and Saskatoon are now covered by their own FM rebroadcasters, the Watrous transmitter remains the station’s primary signal, while the actual studios operate out of Regina. The town is also served by Watrous Airport and by Via Rail’s The Canadian, which stops at the former Watrous railway station site as a flag stop three times per week in each direction. On Main Street, All Saints Anglican Church contains a stained glass window that may be more than 500 years old, possibly originating from St John the Baptist Anglican Church in Latton, Wiltshire, England. Watrous experiences a humid continental climate, with average daily mean temperatures of 2.3 degrees Celsius, a record low of -43 degrees Celsius, and a record high of 39.5 degrees Celsius.