Halfway located
Met a farmer-radio broadcaster recently who claims to have a location that is exactly half-way between Regina and Saskatoon.
Rod Parker’s farm is located near Simpson, Sask. Taking into account the curvature of the earth, he may be right, although if you lay a ruler on a road map the centre point is some distance southwest of Simpson.
Everybody needs to be famous for something. The town of Davidson, on the main connecting road between Regina and Saskatoon, has claimed for some years that it is the halfway point. As a result it has developed roadside restaurants and gas stations to serve those who can pass anything on the road but a restroom and a gas pump.
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I don’t expect Parker’s claim is going to cause these businesses to suddenly switch location to Simpson on two-lane Highway 2 from the four-lane Highway 11. The ramifications would ramify too many stakeholders, including some elected ones.
Besides that, it seems to get more important every year that we go from Point A to Point B 10 kilometres per hour faster than the last time, and divided highways make for speed.
I don’t know how we ever managed to conduct a country when we did most of our travel by train or pounded along at 50 miles an hour on gravel roads. With today’s speed we have so much more time for afternoon soaps and evening sitcoms.
You can put up a cairn if you like, Rod, but you’ll get more attention by erecting a 10-foot high statue of Homer Simpson on the roadway near your home town. It could become as famous as Vegreville’s Easter egg.
