Colonsay sits on Highway 16, the Yellowhead part of the Trans-Canada Highway, in central Saskatchewan near where it meets Highway 2. The town takes its name from the island of Colonsay in Scotland's Inner Hebrides, and the streets follow the same theme, each one named for an island off Scotland's west coast.
Farming has long been the main economy of the area. Local fields produce wheat, canola, barley, oats and rye, along with lentils and peas, and cattle, hogs, sheep and buffalo are raised nearby. The potash mine began as Noranda Mines Potash Division, then became Central Canada Potash. It later passed through IMC and the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and is now Mosaic Potash Colonsay. The mine is even honoured in a ship's name, the U-Sea Colonsay.
The town has its share of local lore. In 1978 it recorded a record 167-day frost-free period, which, to some residents' dismay, still wasn't long enough to grow yams or sweet potatoes. The Colonsay & District Sports Centre, built in 1978, closed in 2004 over safety concerns with its refrigeration system and reopened in 2006 after community fundraising and grant support. Earlier, the Colonsay Monarchs played in the Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League in 1951.
Written from Wikipedia’s article “Colonsay, Saskatchewan” (CC BY-SA 4.0), and shared under the same licence.