Avonlea, Saskatchewan


Avonlea is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of Elmsthorpe No. 100 and Census Division No. 2. The village is approximately southwest of the City of Regina.

History

Avonlea incorporated as a village on February 10, 1912. The village was named after the fictional town of Avonlea, Prince Edward Island in Lucy Maud Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables. The television series Road to Avonlea is based on the book.

Demographics

In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Village of Avonlea recorded a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016.
In the 2011 Census of Population, the Village of Avonlea recorded a population of, a change from its 2006 population of. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011.

Attractions

Avonlea Heritage Museum houses many artifacts from the area in the train station, and contains an indoor Main Street, agricultural displays as well as murals by accomplished local artist Paul Geraghty.
A local creek of the same name flows past the village on the east side, heading north, and joins the Moose Jaw River near Rouleau. The picturesque Dirt Hills to the west are home to natural flora and fauna.
Avonlea Dam was built on Avonlea Creek east of the village in 1963, which created Reg Watson Reservoir. The reservoir is the village's only water source.
Dunnet Regional Park was built and opened on the west side of the reservoir in 1967. The park provides RV parks, camping, fishing, boating, a swimming pool, eight baseball fields and a golf course. Fish species in the lake include walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and burbot. Walleye are liberally stocked.
The Southern Rails Cooperative maintains its head office in the village.