Rama, Saskatchewan

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Village of Rama
other_name = Rama, Saskatchewan
native_name =
nickname =
settlement_type = Village
motto =


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Location map
Canada Saskatchewan
width = 250
lon_dir = W
lat_dir = N
lat_deg = 51
lat_min = 46
lat_sec = 00
lon_deg = 103
lon_min = 00
lon_sec = 00
caption = Location of Rama, Saskatchewan
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = CAN
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = SK
subdivision_type2 = Region
subdivision_name2 = East Central Saskatchewan
subdivision_type3 = Census division
subdivision_name3 = 9
subdivision_type4 = Rural Municipality
subdivision_name4 = Invermay
government_footnotes =
government_type = Strong Mayor-Council
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Darrell Dutchak
leader_title1 = Administrator
leader_name1 = Nicole Monchamp
leader_title2 = Councillor
leader_name2 = Jeff Hunter
leader_title3 = Councillor
leader_name3 = Darryl McLeod
leader_title4 =
leader_name4 =
established_title = Post office Founded
established_date = April 9, 1908
established_title2 = Incorporated (Village)
established_date2 = December 18, 1919
established_title3 =
established_date3 =
founder = John Berge
area_magnitude =
unit_pref = Metric
area_footnotes =
area_total_km2 = 0.67
area_land_km2 =
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area_water_percent = 0
area_urban_km2 =
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population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
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population_total = 75
population_density_km2 = 112.3
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timezone = CST
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CST (No DST)
utc_offset_DST = -6
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 750
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type = Postal code
postal_code = S0A 3H0
area_code = 306
blank_name = Highways
blank_info = Highway 5
blank1_name = Waterways
blank1_info = Whitesand River, Assiniboine River
website =
|footnotes = [Citation
last =National Archives
first =Archivia Net
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title =Post Offices and Postmasters
date =04/09
year =1908
url =http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/post-offices/001001-119.01-e.php?&isn_id_nbr=11879
accessdate = ] [Citation
last =Government of Saskatchewan
first =MRD Home
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title = Municipal Directory System
date =
year =
url =http://www.mds.gov.sk.ca/apps/Pub/MDS/muniDetails.aspx?cat=3&mun=2173
accessdate = ] [Citation
last =Canadian Textiles Institute.
first =
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title =CTI Determine your provincial constituency
date =
year =2005
url =http://www.textiles.ca/eng/nonAuthProg/redirect.cfm?path=IssPolContacts&sectionID=7601.cfm
accessdate = ] [Citation
last =Commissioner of Canada Elections
first =Chief Electoral Officer of Canada
author-link =
last2 =
first2 =
author2-link =
title =Elections Canada On-line | Home
date =
year =2005
url =http://www.elections.ca/home.asp
accessdate = ]

Rama is a village located in the Parkland area, also known as the East-Central region, of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is approximately 300 km east of Saskatoon on Highway 5 and approximately 255 km north-east of Regina.

Demographics

Canada_CP_2006|pop=75|popDelta=-16.7
landArea=0.67|popDensity=112.3|medianAge=53.5|medianAgeM=52.0|medianAgeF=53.8
privateDwell=51|medianHHIncome=

Canada Post provides weekday Mail and Courier services to the area through a local postal outlet and post office boxes. The Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC) also provides courier services and non-scheduled bus services.

Although a small community, residents enjoy many common amenities such as treated water and sewage services, natural gas, power, private line telephone, high speed internet, cellular telephone service and wireless cable television. The community water supply originates from a regional water source in the nearby town of Canora. Water taken from the system has been voted the best in Canada and fourth in the world.

History

The Village of Rama was officially incorporated as a village on December 18, 1919, at the same time the village was incorporated a large wave of Polish settlers migrated to the province] , and to this day the population is largely Polish. The name of the village originates from a river and community in the former Yugoslavia, the name was officially approved by the Government of Canada in 1956.

Some community firsts:

1890 - First land survey and road plan.
1905 - Mr. John Berge, first resident.
1908 - First Bicycle.
1910 - First Steam Tractor.
1912 - First gasoline tractor.
1912 - First Long Distance Telephone.
1919 - Telephones were first installed.
1920 - First village council meeting.
1921 - First Radio.
1927 - First public passenger bus. Part of route from Tisdale to Yorkton.
1928 - Diphtheria Outbreak.

Economy

Industry in the community consists mainly of 'family' or corporate farming with several small and medium sized farming support businesses.

Big Sky Farms is a major employer in the area and contributes significantly to the local economy through employment and through feed and other purchases from local businesses and farms.

Health

Medical service is not directly available in the village, however the nearby town of Canora and City of Yorkton have medical facilities. Fire protection service is provided through an agreement with the Invermay Volunteer Fire Department while police services are provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) through a detachment located in Canora.

Education

School aged children from Rama and surrounding area are transported via bus to the nearby community of Invermay to attend class. Rama School closed in the 1990s and has since been converted into the local fuel station, farm supply store and Convenience Store.

Religion

Arguably, the community is best known for the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes immediately to the west of the Roman Catholic Church. Every year in August, the church holds a 'Pilgrimage' where mass is held in several different languages, and a candle light procession occurs. The idea of a grotto was originally conceived by Fr. Anthony Sylla who had arrived in Saskatchewan in 1909 and was appointed the Priest at the Roman Catholic church in the community in 1933. 1939 was when he established a shrine and pilgrimage site there in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Many persons of many different backgrounds come to the grotto annually to worship. The Polish see the pilgrimage as a substitute to Częstochowa, a sacred monastery in Poland.

Transportation

Rama is serviced by a major provincial Highway 5 and a main Canadian National rail line. Extensive local secondary roads and gravel roads also connect the village to the surrounding areas.

Recreation

A recreational facility housing both skating and curling rinks is typically maintained during the winter months. Both the skating and curling arenas utilize a natural ice surface and while located in a covered structure, are unheated and only available for use during months cold enough to support an ice surface.

Winter recreational activities also include snowmobiling with an extensive network of groomed trails located nearby. In February the Village holds its annual winter festival including a trail ride/poker derby on Snowmobiles. Many surrounding communities also provide the opportunity to partake in such activities as hockey, curling, Ukrainian dancing and figure skating.

Notable people

A number of nationally recognized athletes have come from Rama and surrounding area including:

*Barry Nieckar, a retired Canadian hockey player who played eight games in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim between 1992 and 1998.
*Christopher Korchinski, (Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League)
*Kenneth Kotyk, (Bobsledding)
*Ryan Nieckar, (Figure Skating)

ee also

* List of communities in Saskatchewan
* Villages of Saskatchewan

External links

* [http://homepages.yourlink.ca/~villagerama/ Village Of Rama Site]
* [http://www.worldisround.com/articles/200658/index.html Photos of area churches]
* [http://www.mds.gov.sk.ca/apps/Pub/MDS/muniDetails.aspx?cat=3&mun=2173 Municipal Directory System - Rama]
* [http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Rama,+Sk&ie=UTF8&ll=51.758783,-102.998972&spn=0.019338,0.029097&z=15&om=1 Location, Google Maps]
* [http://www.becquet.com/director/maps/index.htm Saskatchewan City & Town Maps]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~cansk/school/ Saskatchewan Gen Web - One Room School Project ]
* [http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/post-offices/001001-119.01-e.php?&isn_id_nbr=11879 Post Offices and Postmasters - ArchiviaNet - Library and Archives Canada]
* [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~skkamsac/ Saskatchewan Gen Web Region]
* [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~skwheat/yorkton1924.gifOnline Historical Map Digitization Project]
* [http://geonames2.nrcan.gc.ca/cgi-bin/v9/sima_unique_v9?english?HAIJI?C GeoNames Query ]
* [http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4709056&Geo2=PR&Code2=47&Data=Count&SearchText=Rama&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=47&B1=All&Custom= 2006 Community Profiles]

Footnotes

Canadian City Geographic Location (8-way)
Northwest =
North = Hazel Dell, Saskatchewan
Northeast =
West = Invermay, Saskatchewan
Centre = Rama, Saskatchewan
East = Buchanan, Saskatchewan
Southwest =
South = Insinger, Saskatchewan
Southeast =

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