Martensville is a city located in Saskatchewan, Canada, just 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Saskatoon, and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south west of Clarkboro Ferry which crosses the South Saskatchewan River. Martensville is one of the fastest growing communities in Saskatchewan,^[2] with the population growing 25% between 1996 and 2001. It is sometimes considered a bedroom community of Saskatoon.

Demographics

According to the mayor of Martensville, the population of the Martensville, as of March 2006, was 5,120^[2] which is roughly the same as that of the city of Humboldt and considerably more than the city of Melville whose population has dropped below 5,000 over the last decade. The 2006 census reported a population growth of 13.8 per cent since 2001 placing the town at a population of 4,968.^[4] On September 4, 2009, the provincial government announced that Martensville would be granted city status in November 2009.^[1][5][6][7]

According to the Canada 2006 Census:^[8]

[edit] Geography

Martensville located between the North Saskatchewan River and South Saskatchewan River is between 600 meters (1,969 ft) to 700 meters (2,297 ft) above sea level.^[9] Martensville is located just north of the moist mixed grasslands area typical of Saskatoon, and locates instead in an ecoregion of aspen parkland. It is located just 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Saskatoon, and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south west of Clarkboro Ferry which crosses the South Saskatchewan River.^[10][11]

Patches of Aspen trees surrounded by wheat fields in the summer.

Martensville is in a dry-prairie/savanna biome and experiences warm summers and very cold winters. Martensville has four distinct seasons. Average temperatures range from -17°C in January to 18°C in July.^[12] Martensville is fairly dry; with the summer being the wettest season. It belongs to the continental climate region of Canada which typifies warm summers according to the Köppen climate classification.^[9]:95 The geology of the area are sandy plains which resulted from shorelines of glacial lakes and depositions from glacial lakes as the Laurentide ice sheet left the area. There are no large lakes in this area due to the sandy soils which drained away melting glacial waters. The lakes in this area are remnants of the South Saskatchewan river channels.^[9]:94

[edit] Government

Martensville has a mayor as the highest ranking government official. They also elects aldermen or councillors to form the municipal council. Gordon Rutten is the current mayor. He also holds the distinction of being the first mayor of the city of Martensville.^[13]

Provincially Martensville is within the Martensville constituency served by their MLA who is currently Nancy Heppner.^[14]

Martensville is represented in the Canadian House of Commons by MP of the Saskatoon—Wanuskewin riding, currently this is Maurice Vellacott.

[edit] Education

Martensville received its first school in 1953. Martensville is served by two elementary schools and one high school in the Prairie Spirit School Division.^[15] Valley Manor Elementary School ^[16] is located on the south side of Martensville, while Venture Heights Elementary School ^[17] and the Martensville High School ^[18] are both located on the north side. Each school has an enrollment of approximately four hundred students each. In the spring of 2008, CA$ 698,000 was allocated for portable classrooms at Valley Manor and Venture Heights Schools.^[19]

Historically pupils were served by the Halcyonia School District #1237 one room school house at South West Section 28 township 40 Range 8 W of the 3 meridian which was established by the historical Rural Municipality number 384. Some pupils may have attended Virtue one room school house #2616 which was built at a later date at Tsp 38 Rge 6 W of the 3 meridian.^[20]

[edit] Points of Interest

The city has seven lakes that are connected through a series of canals. The lakes and creeks are part of the Opimihaw Creek system. The lakes were created for water retention but are also used for a variety of year round recreational activies.

Wanuskewin Heritage Park, a Provincial Heritage Property and interpretive centre is located 5 miles (8 km) from Martensville and the Sutherland Bird Sanctuary is within 10 miles (16 km).^[10]

[edit] Arts and culture

Martensville holds its annual Buster Days festival every June, usually in the first or second week. Buster Days is a 3 day festival that includes a parade, dances, softball, and, as of 2005, a volleyball tournament. Before 2005, a small exhibition took place that offered amusement rides, games, and food.

[edit] Sports

Sports venues in Martensville include a kart racing track (Saskatoon Kart Racers), the North Ridge Centennial Centre, Chrome Dome Park (ball diamonds and soccer pitchs and Geransky multipurpose field), Kinsmen Park (tennis, skate park, walking trails, ball diamonds, tobogan hill), North Hills Park, Sport Centre (rink where the Marauders.^[21] play hockey and curling rink), aquatic facility and various neighbourhood parks.

Martensville also hosts the Martensville Mustangs, who are a part of the Martensville Minor Baseball Associaton (MMBA),^[22] as well as the Martensville Maddogs football team ^[23] and the high school team Martensville Royals.

The city used to have a small golf course, but in May 2008 it was demolished to make way for new houses and a public swimming pool. Martensville's bowling alley was also closed in 2008, and replaced by a gym in late 2009. In the summer of 2008, the former bowling alley was used as a filming location for the second season of the Canadian television show, Rabbit Falls.^[24]

[edit] Infrastructure

Several major trucking routes radiate north from Saskatoon; Idylwyld Drive North, Sk Hwy 11 Louis Riel Trail to Prince Albert via Warman, and Sk Hwy 12 to Blaine Lake via Martensville concurrency.

Martensville is located about 9 miles (14 km) from the Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport.^[10]

[edit] Media

Martensville is currently serviced by a recently launched weekly newspaper, The Martensville Messenger.^[25] Otherwise it shares other print, radio and television media with its neighbour, Saskatoon