An interesting set of factual tidbits came my way recently, as I heard a presentation to the Rotary Club by Stan Runne on the history book that he compiled for the 100th anniversary of the Weyburn Golf Club.
In regard to the golf course, there were some interesting facts I had not really known before, or else had not thought about.
When the golf course was established in 1919, there was no such thing as Highway 39, and the only access was by going south on Highway 35 and then on a dirt road over to the golf course.
The Soo Line Highway, later known as Highway 39, was built in 1929 from Weyburn to Halbrite. As this was the year the stock market crashed, in October, and the Great Depression began, the request for funding for a bridge across the Souris for the golf course to have an access road wasn’t met with enthusiasm, as you might imagine, and a bridge wasn’t put in until three years later, 1932. The RM provided a large culvert, and the access road was able to open.
Did you know there were several small golf courses around Weyburn in the first half of the 20th century? There were two, possibly three, on South Hill, including one near what we know as Signal Hill (then known as the hospital), some of them only six-hole courses.
There was also one where today there are residential neighbourhoods, including Highfield Crescent, Ash Drive and Birch Drive. Apparently the teebox for the first hole was around where Highfield Crescent is, as there was no housing at all north of that point at the time.
Another one, the Jubilee Golf Course, was located east of where Haig School is, and they had competitions with the Weyburn Golf Club.
I’m wondering if that “Jubilee” name was borrowed for Jubilee Park, which also had a tie-in to Canada’s 100th birthday in 1967. I also learned that Ashford Street had a historical base also, as the Ashford Grove Tourist Camp was located in that area, near the golf course, as the land had been owned by Tom Ashford.
The tourist camp was set up as prior to the 1950s-60s, there were no motels, only hotels, and motorists could have a spot to stop and set up a tent.
There are many other stories related to the golf course, but you’ll have to read Stan’s book to see those.
