Roche Percee
{{Short description|Village in Saskatchewan, Canada}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=October 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Roche Percee
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| settlement_type = Village
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| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Saskatchewan#Canada
| pushpin_label_position = top
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Roche Percee
| coordinates = {{coord|49.040731|-102.480451|region:CA-SK|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = Canada
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Saskatchewan
| subdivision_type2 = Region
| subdivision_name2 = Southeast
| subdivision_type3 = Census division
| subdivision_name3 = Division No. 1
| subdivision_type4 = Rural Municipality
| subdivision_name4 = Coalfields No. 4
| established_title = Post Office Established
| established_date = August 1, 1890
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| population_total = 75
| population_as_of = 2021
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| timezone = CST
| utc_offset = −6
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| postal_code_type = Postal code
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| area_code = 306
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}}
Roche Percee {{IPAc-en|r|ɒ|ʃ|_|p|ər|ˈ|s|eɪ}} (2021 population: {{nts|75}}) is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the RM of Coalfields No. 4 and Census Division No. 1. The village is near the Canada–United States border, just off Highway 39. Roche Percee is about {{convert|20|km}} east of Estevan in the Souris River valley.[https://m.facebook.com/rocheperceevillage Village of Roche Percee – Official Site.][http://www.mds.gov.sk.ca/apps/Pub/MDS/muniDetails.aspx?cat=3&mun=2183 Government of Saskatchewan Municipality Details: Roche Percee.]
History
= Early settlement =
File:In_the_park,_Roche_Perce.jpg, c. 1910 to 1925]]
In 1872, the Boundary Commission travelled through this area while surveying the Canada–United States border between Canada and the United States. During the 1874 March West trek of the North-West Mounted Police, the force established its first camp (called Short Creek Camp) at this location. Short Creek{{cite web |title=Short Creek |url=https://toponymes.rncan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique/HAIEJ|website=Canadian Geographical Names Database |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=28 December 2023}} is a tributary of the Souris River and it meets the river on the west side of Roche Percee.
In 1890, the federal government opened a post office serving the Roche Percee area, under the name of "Coalfields". Renamed "Roche Percée" in 1896, it closed in 1897, but re-opened in 1905. It permanently closed in 1970.{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/post-offices/001001-119.01-e.php?&isn_id_nbr=10889&interval=24&&PHPSESSID=11dv216gcfo7r90klrooq07eq7|work=Post Offices and Postmasters|title=Roche Percée|publisher=Library and Archives Canada|date=January 31, 2007|access-date=June 21, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015074747/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/post-offices/001001-119.01-e.php?&isn_id_nbr=10889&interval=24&&PHPSESSID=11dv216gcfo7r90klrooq07eq7|archive-date=October 15, 2012}}
The community began being served by the Soo Line in 1893, permitting the coal mines in the region to become operational. Roche Percee incorporated as a village on January 12, 1909.{{cite web | url=http://municipal.gov.sk.ca/Municipal-History/Urban-Incorporated-Dates | title=Urban Municipality Incorporations | publisher=Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations | access-date=June 1, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015042810/http://municipal.gov.sk.ca/Municipal-History/Urban-Incorporated-Dates | archive-date=October 15, 2014}}
= Rock formations =
La Roche Percee Provincial Historic Site is located nearby. Referred to by local residents as "the Rocks", it has large sandstone deposits in which some caves have formed. The name of the village comes from the Métis French name of the rock formations.{{cite web|title=La Roche Percee Provincial Historic Site & Short Creek Cairn|url=https://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/listings/1009/la-roche-percee-provincial-historic-site--short-creek-cairn|publisher=Tourism Saskatchewan|access-date=October 26, 2023}}{{cite web|url=http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/roche_percee.html|title=Roche Percée|last=McLennan|first=David|work=Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan|publisher=Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina|access-date=June 21, 2011}} Another similar formation Percé Rock is in Quebec.
In 2010, the provincial government signed an agreement with Southeast Tour & Trails Inc. to restore Roche Percee Park after being closed for over a decade.{{cite news|url=http://www.estevanmercury.ca/article/20100526/ESTMERCURY0101/305269989/roche-percee-park-plans-moving-forward|title=Roche Percée Park plans moving forward|last=Saxon|first=Chad|work=Estevan Mercury|publisher=Glacier Media Group|date=May 26, 2010|access-date=June 21, 2011}}
= 2011 Flood =
In 2011, flooding on the Souris River inundated the village, forcing its residents to evacuate.{{cite news|url=http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/storm_watch_stories3&stormfile=village_underwater_in_saskat_190611|title=Village underwater in Saskatchewan|last=Varano|first=Lisa|publisher=The Weather Network|date=June 19, 2011|access-date=June 20, 2011}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/tiny-town-submerged-by-saskatchewan-flood-1.1080055|title=Tiny town submerged by Saskatchewan flood|publisher=CBC News|date=June 21, 2011|access-date=June 21, 2011}} Of the 64 homes in Roche Percee, 28 were damaged beyond repair, and had to be demolished.{{cite news|url=https://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/five-years-after-roche-percees-epic-flood-the-village-is-looking-to-the-future|title= Five years after Roche Percee's epic flood, the village is looking to the future|publisher=Regina Leader-Post|date=July 18, 2016|access-date=July 28, 2019}}
Demographics
{{stack|
{{Historical populations
| title = Population history
(1981–2016)
| type = Canada
| align = right
| footnote = Source: Statistics Canada via Saskatchewan Bureau of Statistics{{cite web | url=http://www.stats.gov.sk.ca/stats/population/SaskCensusPopulation8106.pdf | title=Saskatchewan Census Population | publisher=Saskatchewan Bureau of Statistics | access-date=May 31, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924105944/http://www.stats.gov.sk.ca/stats/population/SaskCensusPopulation8106.pdf | archive-date=September 24, 2015 | url-status=dead}}{{cite web | url=https://publications.saskatchewan.ca/api/v1/products/86690/formats/100724/download | title=Saskatchewan Census Population | publisher=Saskatchewan Bureau of Statistics | access-date=May 31, 2020}}
|1981|142
|1986|159
|1991|154
|1996|149
|2001|162
|2006|149
|2011|153
|2016|110
}}
}}
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Roche Percee had a population of {{val|75|fmt=commas}} living in {{val|36|fmt=commas}} of its {{val|48|fmt=commas}} total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:75-110}}|110|1}} from its 2016 population of {{val|110|fmt=commas}}. With a land area of {{convert|2.87|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|75|2.87|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810000203&geocode=A000247 | title=Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Saskatchewan | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 9, 2022 | accessdate=April 1, 2022}}
In the 2016 Census of Population, the Village of Roche Percee recorded a population of {{nts|110}} living in {{nts|45}} of its {{nts|50}} total private dwellings, a {{percentage|{{#expr:110-153}}|110|1}} change from its 2011 population of {{nts|153}}. With a land area of {{convert|2.83|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|110|2.83|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2016.{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&T=302&SR=1&S=86&O=A&RPP=9999&PR=47 | title=Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Saskatchewan) | publisher=Statistics Canada | date=February 8, 2017 | access-date=May 30, 2020}}
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Gallery
File:Plaque at Roche Percee Saskatchewan.jpg|Plaque at Roche Percee
File:Entry at Roche Percee Saskatchewan.jpg|Entry at Roche Percee
File:Cave at Roche Percee Saskatchewan.jpg|Cave at Roche Percee
File:View from the top at Roche Percee Saskatchewan.jpg|View from the top at Roche Percee
File:Roche Percee winter.jpg|The rocks of Roche Percee in winter
See also
References
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External links
{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Subdivisions of Saskatchewan|villages=yes}}
{{SKDivision1}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Villages in Saskatchewan
Category:Coalfields No. 4, Saskatchewan