Sask. man turning small hamlet into tourist destination
One Saskatchewan man is striving to keep his small town alive by turning it into a tourist destination for people across Canada and the USA.
The hamlet of Clair, located two and a half hours north of Regina, is home to nine people, according to resident Randy Woolrich.
“When you live in a small town, you get that comfort of quiet,” he said.
The population of Clair used to be in the hundreds but as the years went on, the town started down sizing.
Woolrich decided to revive his hometown by transforming it into a hunting outfitter. He bought 80 per cent of the houses in the community and turned them into lodges.
“I started buying up the houses to accommodate my hunters and it started working really well that way. They like the houses, it’s like their own little timeshare,” he said.
Ace Outfitters has accommodated six US Senators, Peter Folger of Folgers coffee, and various Americans from states like California and Florida.
“It’s a lot of tourism dollars from out of the country that we try spend back into small towns,” he said.
Woolrich said he takes his guests to the local businesses in the neighbouring towns and often hears compliments on the small town hospitality.
He said guests come for the small town experience. They stay at the lodges in Clair and during the day, hunt birds on farmland in the area.
To thank the farmers for letting him hunt on their land, Woolrich hosts an appreciation supper each year. The fall supper is held in the 100-year-old community hall, with more than 100 people in attendance.
“Having over 100 people in Clair is kind of a big deal,” Clair resident Natalie Young said.
The supper held on Sunday night had 17 courses of wild meat including sand hill crane soup, pheasant pot pie, and blueberry goose sauce.
“These people just love it. We’ve had so many compliments and it makes us feel good,” Margaret Bowman, who helped cook the meal, said.
Clair is named after the train conductor’s daughter, and now one of the local farmers named their daughter after the town.
“My name is on the elevator and I get to see it everyday,” Claire Kapeluck, 9, said.
The town is a special place for both young and old.
“It means a lot to me, its home,” Jack Evans, who lived in Clair for 70 years, said.
While the population is under 10 people, Woolrich said Clair is like a second home for many.
“I’ve been all over the place,”Woolrich said. “But when you come home, it’s the same as when you left it.”
He hopes his children will one day take over the family business and keep the spirit of Clair alive.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.