ASSINIBOIA - The annual Old Wives Lake Festival will be hosted in the Town of Mossbank on Friday to Sunday, July 15 to 17.
This event will include a variety of children and family activities, swimming, market, food truck wars, show ‘n shine, blacksmithing, museum tours. Best of all is the street dance featuring live music.
For those who enjoy history, a shuttle bus tour with a local historian will begin at the museum to take people to the former site of the Bishopric salt plant, the former site of the RCAF No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School, and the Ardill Hotel.
The wonderful community of Mossbank is located 40 minutes south of Moose Jaw on Highway 2. Mossbank is rich with history, having a Provincial Heritage Site - the Mossbank and District Museum, home of the Ambroz Blacksmith Shop and house.
Blacksmithing was perhaps the most vital industry in small prairie towns during the first half of the 20th century and Ambroz Blacksmith Shop is one of the last businesses of this type to operate in western Canada. Live demonstrations are performed throughout the summer as well as during trade fairs and blacksmith training sessions.
The Mossbank area was home to the RCAF No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery Station. It was situated south of the current Mossbank Golf Course and was one of the most important training sites for Commonwealth pilots in Second World War.
The Mossbank and District Museum has many artifacts from the Bombing and Gunnery School which operated in the Mossbank area from 1940-1944. The last remaining building at the former site (the site is now the Mossbank Golf Club) has been renovated and now stands to commemorate the former base and the massive contributions of the soldiers who were trained there.
In total, 2,539 air bombers and 3,702 air gunners from all over the Commonwealth were trained at the base. The scale of the former base show signs that are visible from the air - the concrete and runway remain, and evidence of bombing conducted over Old Wives Lake is evident.
This vicinity is ready for self-guided tours with information signs around the area. For more information on this site, please contact the local museum.
Old Wives Lake, a national bird sanctuary and a birdwatcher’s paradise, is located only five minutes north of the community. It can be reached by driving directly north of Mossbank following the signs, and was set up as a recreational area for people to enjoy the natural prairie surroundings around the lake while learning about the wildlife and history of it.
It is the perfect place for nature and bird enthusiasts to spend the day. Old Wives Lake Nature Area is complete with walking trails, interpretive signage, a viewing deck and gazebo.
Local residents can visit www.mossbank.ca or follow Mossbank’s Old Wives Lake Festival facebook page for up-to-date details.
