Throwback to Early Snow Removal in Kindersley
This photograph, archived at the Kindersley Museum & Tourism Centre, captures a moment in Kindersley’s winter history. It showcases our community’s early efforts in snow removal, highlighting the equipment and methods employed to keep our town’s streets navigable during harsh winters. Something we know all too well!
Here we see a snow blower and truck combination, a method used for decades to clear streets efficiently. The process involves a massive auger scooping up the accumulated snow and propelling it into a waiting truck, which then hauls it away.
In the mid-20th century, Saskatchewan communities like ours faced significant challenges during the winter months. Early snow removal techniques were labor intensive, often relying on horse-drawn plows and manual shoveling (something again, we know all too well). As technology advanced, motorized snowplows became more common, improving efficiency and safety on the roads. By 1963, for example, some regions had fleets consisting of road graders equipped with plows and dedicated snowplow trucks.
Today, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways operates over 300 snowplows stationed at about 75 to 85 maintenance sections across a highway network of over 26,000 kilometers, typically from November to April.
If you are looking to delve a little deeper into our town’s history, along with other towns in the surrounding area,the Kindersley Museum & Tourism Centre houses a huge collection of artifacts and photographs that chronicle our town’s past. While the tourism season officially begins in May, the museum can accommodate visitors by appointment during the off-season. To arrange a visit, call 306-463-6620.
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