Selkirk, Manitoba
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Selkirk is a city in the western Canadian province of Manitoba, located about 22 km northeast of the provincial capital Winnipeg on the Red River, near ( ) . As of the 2006 census, Selkirk had a decrease in population of 237 from the 2001 census. Tourism, the Gerdau AmeriSteel Steel Mill (MRM or "The Manitoba Rolling Mills"), and the Selkirk Mental Health Centre (SMHC) are the mainstays of the local economy. A vertical lift bridge over the Red River connects Selkirk with the smaller town of East Selkirk. The city is connected to Winnipeg via Highway 9 and is served by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Like all places in Manitoba, Selkirk has telephone Area code 204, and the city has the postal code prefix R1A.
The city was named in honour of Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk who obtained the grant to first establish a colony in the Red River area.
Selkirk is home to Chuck the Channel Cat, a 25-foot (7.5-metre) fiberglass channel catfish. The name Chuck was chosen to honour local sport fisherman Chuck Norquay, who drowned while doing what he loved best — fishing in the Red River. After Chuck was built in 1986, the town council decided to place Chuck in front of Smitty's Restaurant on Main Street.
Selkirk is advertised as the "Catfish Capital of the World", due to the large amounts of catfish in the Red River, which runs next to Selkirk. This was part of an advertising campaign to entice American anglers, who travel to Manitoba to fish for trophy-sized catfish.
Selkirk is also home to the Marine Museum of Manitoba, a collection of historical marine artifacts of Lake Winnipeg and the Red River area. Selkirk is also the site of a Canadian Coast Guard base.
[edit] Sports
Selkirk is home to the Selkirk Steelers ice hockey team who play in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. They play at the Selkirk Recreation Complex.
Selkirk is also home the to the Selkirk Fishermen Junior B hockey team who play in the Keystone Junior Hockey League.
The most recognized event Selkirk has hosted is most likely the 2007 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships (as co-host with Manitoba's provincial capital, Winnipeg). Canada's women failed to disappoint in the gold medal match, defeating the rival United States by a sound, convincing score of 5-1 on April 10 — albeit in the MTS Centre of Winnipeg.
[edit] See also
- Places
- Selkirk—Red River former federal electoral district
- Selkirk Water Aerodrome
- Selkirk Airport
- Red River Colony
- Red River Trails
- Fort Gibraltar fur-trading post destroyed by early Selkirk settlers
- Pembina Trail
- Fort Maurepas (Canada) fur trading post built 1734 near the present town
- People
- Bullet Joe Simpson Soldier, hockey player and coach
- Gregory Dewar Manitoba provincial politician
- David Bjornson, Member of Parliament 1988-1993
- Rich Chernomaz hockey player
- Ron Fewchuk Member of Parliament 1993-1997
- Alfie Michaud Hockey player (goaltender)
- The Farrell Bros. rockabilly (music) group
- John Tanner (narrator) explorer, guide, worked for the Selkirk colony
- Harry Oliver (ice hockey) hockey player
- Ed Helwer member of the Manitoba legislature 1988-2003
- Paul Goodman (ice hockey) hockey player
- Terry Ball hockey player
- Neil Wilkinson hockey player
- Kevin Patterson doctor, writer, grew up in Selkirk
- Howard Pawley, MLA Selkirk 1969-1988;Premier of Manitoba 1981-1988
- Sam Uskiw Manitoba politician, born in East Selkirk
- Jimmy Skinner hockey coach
- Sherisse Stevens singer and entertainer
- Paul Thorlakson Soldier, surgeon, Order of Canada, co-founder of the Winnipeg Clinic
- Canadian Scots people of Scots ancestry living in Canada
- Robert Atkinson Davis businessman and politician, supported running the railway through Winnipeg instead of Selkirk
- Hugh McFadyen, Manitoba politician, MLA
- Trevor Boris, comedian
- Things
- SS Keenora steamboat on display at the Maritime Museum
- North West Company Fur trading company that disputed the area with the Selkirk settlers
- Red River ox cart
- Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School
- CFQX radio station
- CICY radio station
- History of Manitoba
[edit] External links
- The Selkirk Fire Department Website
- The City of Selkirk website
- Manitoba Community Profiles - Community Profile:City of Selkirk
- Selkirk Gospel Chapel website
- Selkirk Jr. B Fishermen website
- Beaver Bus Lines - Selkirk Run
- FireworksCheckout.com - Western Canada's largest fireworks super-centre, based in Selkirk, Manitoba
- Tatz on the Red - Selkirk's finest tattooing and body piercing studio located right on Main St.
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Selkirk is also the home of the Selkirk Rivermen Hockey Club which plays in the SIHL
