Wawota is a town of 543 people along Highway 48 in the southeast part of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Established in 1905, its name is from Dakota "wa ota", which means "much snow". Wa means 'snow', oda or ota means 'much'. It is sometimes mistakenly said to mean 'deep snow'.

History

The town's motto, "Progress Through Perseverance", is fitting, as Wawota has made a concerted effort in the last few decades to remain a vibrant community for people of all ages, despite the ongoing challenges faced by nearly all rural towns in the province. The loss of the local railway, the so-called Peanut Line, in August, 1961 is often cited as a galvanizing moment for the community, and the dawn of the town's progressive spirit.

Regionally, Wawota is perhaps best known for its long history of successful sports teams, most notably in hockey and baseball, as well as its unusual collection of fire hydrants, painted to resemble various people and cartoon characters. Wawota is also noteworthy as the 'twin capital', due to the large number of twin births recorded in the community, particularly throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wawota had a population of 555 living in 245 of its 287 total private dwellings, a change of 2.2% from its 2016 population of 543. With a land area of 1.28 km (0.49 sq mi), it had a population density of 433.6/km (1,123.0/sq mi) in 2021.

Parks and recreation

Sports facilities include Lyle's Ball Park for baseball, Wawota Forum for hockey, Wawota Curling Rink, and a soccer pitch. The Wawota Flyers senior men's hockey team of the Big 6 Hockey League plays at the Forum and the Wawota Pats senior men's baseball team of the Saskota Baseball League plays at Lyle's Ball Park.

Notable people

• Former NHL player Brooks Laich

See also

• List of communities in Saskatchewan
• List of towns in Saskatchewan
• List of place names in Canada of Indigenous origin
• Rural Municipality of Wawken No. 93