Saskatchewan Traveller Written By: Dale Buxton


We continue on our trip to Medicine Hat.
What a nice visit in Leader, its always a favourite place to visit.
Did you know? In Prelate, Saskatchewan, there once was the St.Angela’s Catholic Academy, which was a convent for Catholic Nuns and Priests.
Over the years the interest and the age of the residents made it impossible to maintain the facility, in 2011 the property was sold to an Islamic group and was made into The Islamic Academy of Saskatchewan for boys.
The academy in the name of Allah, is made up of 3 different levels of learning ranging from grades 3 to 10.
Enrolment at the academy was said to be around 100 students and they are taught religion and academic studies in the tradition of Islam for Muslim boys.
Certainly a boost for a small community instead of an empty building.
We continue south on highway 21 to Liebenthal where we make a right on highway 321.
Liebenthal is a small community of under 20 people where the only thing that still remains is the Sacred Heart Catholic Church just a short distance out of town.
Next community along the way is another favourite community in Burstall.
Coming from the west Burstall is a gateway into the sandhills.
A Vibrate little community of around 300 people that was incorporated as a town in 1966 and was named after a General Burstall back in the early 1900’s.
Burstall is a border town with Alberta and for a small population have an abundance of amenities within the community.
Burstall was mainly settled by german Russian settlers from the Black Sea coast of southern Russia.
Burstall takes their recreation very serious and have many active sports including hockey, golf, baseball, curling, bowling and swimming.
Burstall is very active throughout the year and are close proximity to the Sandhills, Cyprus Hills, Maple Creek and Medicine Hat.
People say that you can go to sleep in Burstall to the chorus of frogs on a warm summer night.
If you are looking for something to eat, most from this town say that they have the best pizza in Saskatchewan.
For a little shopping experience you simply have to go to the antique store with a variety of interesting things to buy.
Burstall is located in the heart of the “Gas Patch”, where five large gas plants are located within ten minutes of the community.
Burstall has a large Ethane Storage Facility with the capacity of one million barrels.
Burstall is also known as the “Turbo Expander Capital” of the world. The turbo expander is used to cool plant inlet gas by reducing its pressure and is used by all the gas plants in the area.
Burstall is also home to Saskatchewan’s oldest mayor. At 81 years young Joan Macpherson was voted by the good folks of Burstall to be their mayor. Macpherson is said to be the oldest mayor in Saskatchewan’s history.
This is a community with huge pride and the widest streets you’ll ever see.
Stay tuned for more adventures of The Saskatchewan Traveller…


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