WAKAW — The Wheatland Express Museum is hosting its first annual fundraiser golf tournament and barbecue on Saturday, June 13, at the Wakaw Lake Regional Golf Course.
The day will include both ladies’ and men’s longest drive, longest putt, best poker hand and four closest-to-the-pin holes. The entry deadline has been extended to June 8.
The format of the tournament will be Texas Scramble with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. The day will end with a barbecue at Wheatland Express’ Little Big Town in Wakaw, a silent auction, entertainment and a 50/50 draw. Funds raised through this year’s tournament will go toward paying for moving the little chapel currently located in the regional park.
The small church in WLRP sits, for the most part, unused, and the decision was made to donate the building to the Wheatland Express Museum, with the understanding that the museum would pay for the move. Museum manager, Lori Kobialko, said she is excited about the opportunity presented to the museum and hopes that they can soon raise enough money to facilitate the little church’s move from the Regional Park to Little Big Town, where it will add a missing component to Little Big Town’s infrastructure.
The Wheatland Express Museum and Ticket Station opened in 2025 with a 1920s-period theme. Artifacts on loan from the now-closed Wakaw Heritage Museum help set the scene. It has also dedicated a space to honour individuals who have contributed to the operation and maintenance of the provincial rail system, both in the past and present.
Wheatland Rail Inc., based in Wakaw, owns and operates the short-line railroad known as the Cudworth Subdivision. This line spans just over 75 kilometres between St. Louis and Totzke Junction, where it connects with a CN-operated rail track.
In 2017, Wheatland Express Inc., a not-for-profit organization, was established with the goal of generating tourism, economic, and employment opportunities in the local community while providing outstanding experiences and events for domestic and international visitors to Saskatchewan. Wheatland Express Inc. supports non-profits and charitable groups, in part through the Excursion Train’s Train Heists. In 2021, the organization donated $5,000 to Saskatoon City Hospital, $2,713 to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, and an additional $4,982.32 to the Saskatoon City Hospital Foundation in 2024. Other beneficiaries include Family Services Saskatoon, New Hope Dog Rescue, Saskatchewan Railway Museum, Prud’homme Fire and Rescue, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Melfort Kinettes Curling, Cudworth Lions Club and Verba Ukrainian Dance Club, among others.
Following the Saskatchewan Regional Parks Association (SRPA) establishment in February 1962, the Town of Wakaw began discussions with nearby villages and municipalities, leading to the establishment of the Wakaw Lake Regional Park (WLRP) Authority. With the support of dozens of volunteers, efforts were made to clear acres of bushland for the upcoming park. Wakaw Lake Regional Park was founded in 1965 and is supported by six local municipalities: the Town of Wakaw, the Town of Cudworth, and the Rural Municipalities (RMs) of Hoodoo, Fish Creek, St. Louis, and Invergordon. The park is officially recognized as an accredited Regional Park. Accreditation means the park has met or exceeded the established minimum standards for facilities and maintenance that the SRPA have set.
The Wheatland Express Museum and ticket station are open weekly from Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about the tournament or to register, contact Lori at the museum or by calling 306-577-1741.
