Arlington Beach sits on the eastern shore of Last Mountain Lake, north-west of Regina. Its story begins in 1910, when the Arlington Beach House was built as the centre of activity for the William Pearson Land Company. Early steamships carried customers from all over the lake before the railroad reached the region in the early 20th century. The Welcome began running on the lake in 1905, and from 1907 to 1913 the steamer Qu'Appelle, with eight crew and room for 200 passengers, made the run up and down the lake.
The hotel was soon declared by visitors to be one of the coziest resort hotels in Saskatchewan, and Arlington Beach became known as a great place to swim, fish and boat. As the area filled in during the 1920s and 1930s, it became a favourite spot for community picnics and activities.
With the CP Railway changing transportation patterns across the region, the Canadian Sunday School Mission bought Arlington Beach in 1942. Buildings were converted into dorms and a large tabernacle was built. In 1960 the Free Methodist Church in Canada bought the Beach House for $14,000. Over the years a tabernacle from the Moose Jaw Camp Grounds was moved in, Cymric United Church was bought for $100 and relocated here, and the Kinney Memorial Lodge opened in 1975 and 1976. A marina followed in 1983.
Today Arlington Beach is home to a large camp and conference centre that hosts groups from all over Western Canada, and the historic Arlington Beach House still stands beside the mini-golf course and marina.
Written from Wikipedia’s article “Arlington Beach, Saskatchewan” (CC BY-SA 4.0), and shared under the same licence.