The Beaches

1. The Beaches

2. Where are the Beaches? The Beaches are by Lake Winnipeg. Patricia Beach Beaconia They are at the northern tip of the St. Clements municipality. Grand Marais Grand Beach Balsam Bay Sunset Beach Lakeshore Heights

3. The First Settlers • First Nations peoples were the first to live here. Why Did They Choose To Live Here? There were a lot of fish in the muddy waters. The sandy beaches made it easy to land canoes.

4. European Explorers La Verendrye was the first European explorer to come here. The path he made while exploring was named the La Verendrye Trail. The Beaches are along the La Verendrye Trail. How did it get its name? The name for the beaches came from La Vérendrye. He called the beaches Grand Marais, which means “Big Marsh” in French.

5. The next group of people that came to the beaches were the Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian families. Then Hudson’s Bay Company men moved to the area with their Native wives and children and built homes. They were called the Métis people. Immigration – Who Else Came to Live Here?

6. They made money by fishing and lumbering. How Did They Make Money? First Buildings • In 1896 St. Jude’s Anglican Church was built. St. Jude’s Anglican Church

7. Grand Beach became famous because of the Canadian National Railway. In 1916 a train track was made from Winnipeg to Grand Beach. They built a large Dance Pavilion along the shore. Dancing and partying went on every night. Grand Beach Grand Beach Dance Pavilion Grand Beach Train Station

8. Grand Beach • Many people built stores to sell hotdogs, drinks, and bathing suits. Local Store In Grand Marais • There was even an adult size carousel to ride on. • In 1950 the Dance Pavilion burned down.

9. Balsam Bay • Balsam Bay is just south of Grand Beach. • Balsam Bay Church was built in 1920 ~ its name became St. Luke’s.

10. The first schoolhouse was built in 1895. This schoolhouse burned down. The second schoolhouse burned down too. A third building was used from 1940 to 1960. After that, children were bussed to Walter Whyte Collegiate. Balsam Bay… Balsam Bay School

11. Patricia Beach and Beaconia • Patricia Beach and Beaconia are south of Grand Beach. • They are separated by a water channel. How did Beaconia get its name? The name Beaconia came from a man named H. August Larson, a.k.a. “The Little Dane.” He came to Beaconia in 1910. He made money moving wood to Selkirk on his barge. He often came home at night and found it difficult to see the shore. He decided to build a beacon of light in the harbour to help him find his way home, and Beaconia became it’s name.

12. Patricia Beach and Beaconia… • Stony Point School was built here but by 2002 it was considered a fire hazard and was burned down.

13. The Beaches Today… • Many tourists come to the beaches every year. • Because the government wanted to protect the beaches, they made them into a provincial park. • Grand Beach Provincial Park is separated into the east and west beach. • There is a campground near the east beach and play structures and stores by the west beach. • In the winter, visitors enjoy cross-country skiing, curling, skating, ice fishing, and snowmobiling.

14. The End This presentation brought to you by the St. Clements Heritage Advisory Committee! • “preserving our community’s heritage one story at a time” - Presentation Created by Jared Laberge Information Compiled by Donna Sutherland