The community was established in 1884, and moved to its current location at the lake's north side in 1885 to coincide with the building of the Manitoba & Northwestern Railroad (now CPR).

[5] The community incorporated as a village on January 12, 1909, and then changed to town status on October 10, 1997.

With a length of 9 km (5.6 mi) and a stock of walleye and northern pike, the lake is a destination for boating and fishing.

[2] The community has a nine-hole golf course and hosts facilities for baseball, ice hockey, curling, and pickle-ball.

It is home to the province's official museum to the North-West Mounted Police, which was built in 1984 to replicate barracks established at the south end of the lake in 1875.