By John B. Pluck
It is hard for the average city resident to understand why persons would choose to live in a small rural community.
Anyone who has spent at least a day in a small rural community like Mortlach, nestled off the highway about an hour’s drive from Regina, would gain an appreciation for the reasons people call Mortlach home.
Rose Ward is the owner of Rose’s Nail Spa in Mortlach. Her connection to Mortlach began 10 years ago when her husband, a retired trucker decided to make Mortlach his home.
Over the years Ward has involved herself in community activities by cooking for three events which she looks forward to every year. The first is the Saskatoonberry Festival, which Ward describes as a”super festival.” It is held in the first week of July each year.
The second event is the Christmas Train or, as Ward fondly refers to the event, ”my train”, which stops in Mortlach each year, during the Christmas season to perform plays and play music. This year the train will be stopping in Mortlach on Dec.7 and to mark the half -hour stop Ward will be cooking pancakes, bacon, sausages and quiche as part of a community’s breakfast event. She does much more cooking for the Christmas Train event than for the Saskatoonberry Festival.
The third event which Ward looks forward to attending is Sparkelup, which takes place the first week in December and helps to raise funds for the food bank. Ward’s involvement in community activities has deepened her connection to Mortlach. But, what keeps her most connected to Mortlach is the “genuine” people, said Ward.
When she thinks of Mortlach her mental images are of Lois, owner of Hollyhock Market, and her chickens.
“I think they are neat, Sue and her tea house, Ken and his rock shop and I like Holly and her store,” said Ward.
The physical beauty of Mortlach and its surrounding environment is another reason Ward chooses to call Mortlach home. "The countryside is beautiful, the hills are just gorgeous especially if you head north and then going south it’s a totally different type of scenery,” she said, noting the variety of crops such as wheat, flacks, barley and oats.
Lois Jack and her husband are the owners of Hollyhock Market. She is originally from Tisdale. After living in Regina for a few years she and her husband decided they needed a slower pace of life. They became interested in Mortlach because it provided an environment for them to live their dream of opening a business and living a more simple life in a smaller community, explained Jack. Running a business in a small community is “great,” she added.
The business has only been open for a few months. It is not making a lot of money and it may never, said Jack. “It’s about a lifestyle for us; it’s kind of a dream come true, we don’t have to go to a job every day and we have our chickens and goats in the back yard,” added Jack.
When Jack thinks about Mortlach, images of the old grain elevator with its red roof comes to mind and the many heritage sites. The building housing the Hollyhock Market for example, will be a 100 years old next year. Originally it was “built as a butcher shop,” said Jack.
For Lois Jack, Mortlach is the ideal place to live her dream. It her own piece of paradise.
For Susan Franklyn, owner of Country Garden Café, her connection to Mortlach started over three years ago when she and her husband moved to Mortlach to retire. They decided on Mortlach “because of the trees,” which reminded her of Britain, where she is from originally. ”I just love the countryside,” she said.
The reason she enjoys living in Mortlach has a lot to do with the people, Franklyn said. She would describe her connection to Mortlach as “very good” because “people rally round you” in difficult times. After a car accident a few years ago, residents brought her things while she was recovering, Franklyn said.”If there is something wrong they will stick behind you and they will help you as much as they can,” she added. This is the connection she likes with Mortlach.
What makes Mortlach a nice place to live is that, it is “an old fashioned town” Where many of the buildings are over 100 years old, said Franklyn. Mortlach” is not like Moose Jaw now (where) all the houses are the same,” she added.
Everyone has a different story of what brought them to Mortlach but “it’s just the feel of the place” that makes you know Mortlach is right, concluded Franklyn.