Memories of Turtle Lake and the Story of Sunset View Beach tells the story of an idyllic community in Northwest Saskatchewan from its first wave of doomed homesteaders in the early 1900s through to its success as a residential lake community today. In particular, author Kevin Hope details the period from the 1950s onward when area newcomers realized years before the market did that their remote community had the potential to become prime recreational property. Recalling memories from his childhood and teen years, then with his wife and sons, through his experiences as a property owner and full-time resident at Sunset View Beach, Hope paints a vivid picture of the community and shares stories of the interesting people who have lived there.
This cast of characters includes Gord, both wily and endearing, who somehow managed to kickstart the recreational era of the community using other people's money; Bud, the cheerful, backwoods moonshiner; and members of the author's own family, including his wife, Fay, who had a rather unique encounter with a badger in an outhouse at the lake.
Part personal memoir, part historic record, and wholly entertaining, Memories of Turtle Lake has something for anyone with an interest in local history, a connection to the area, or who just enjoys good storytelling.
