Site #29: Blaine Lake Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery
Located just north of the North Saskatchewan River, this cemetery is a vital link to the Eastern European heritage of the region. It highlights the “Galician” and “Bukovynian” pioneers who brought the Ukrainian Catholic faith to the district at the turn of the 20th century, settling on the high parkland overlooking the river valley.
Associated with Our Lady of Perpetual Help
This cemetery is historically tied to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Ukrainian Catholic Church in the town of Blaine Lake. According to the Riverlands Heritage Preservation Region archives, the parish served Ukrainian families who homesteaded the fertile sections surrounding the townsite. This site remains a beautifully maintained space with approximately 80 graves.
A Cultural Landscape
The markers in this cemetery are a lesson in migration history. Many headstones feature the distinctive three-barred Ukrainian Catholic cross and dual inscriptions in English and Cyrillic. As documented in Bridging the Years: Era of Blaine Lake and District 1790-1980, these settlers were essential to the agricultural development of the north side, often clearing thick aspen bluffs to establish their first homesteads.
Preserving Tradition
The cemetery remains a site of active tradition for local families. As noted in the Saskatchewan Register of Heritage Assets, sites like this are critical for maintaining the “living history” of the province. It stands as a silent but powerful tribute to the Ukrainian pioneers whose faith and hard work helped shape the modern Riverlands.