Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park
Encyclopedia
Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park is a provincial park
located in Manitoba
, Canada
.
Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park comprises Hecla Island, Grindstone (the area located on the mainland peninsula along the west shore of Lake Winnipeg
), Black Island and a number of other small islands. Hecla Island is approximately 1084 square km and is surrounded by Lake Winnipeg, one of the largest freshwater
lakes in the world.
The island was settled by the second wave of Iceland
ic immigrants in 1876. The population thrived for a number of years until faced with the hardships of winters, disease and poor economic outlook for commercial fishing and farming. The only school on the island closed in 1970. The Provincial government established the island as a provincial park
in 1969 and encompased Grindstone to create Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park in 1997.
Landscapes are varied, and include areas of coniferous and mixed forests, limestone
cliffs and silica sand beaches, as well as marshes, bogs, fens and wet meadows. Classified as a Natural Park, its purpose is to preserve areas that are representative of the Mid Boreal Lowland portion of the Manitoba Lowlands Natural Region; and accommodate a diversity of recreational opportunities and resource uses.
Currently, Hecla Island boasts a number of tourist attractions from a campground, resort hotel (formerly known as Gull Harbour, renovated and reopened as Radisson Hecla Oasis Resort), sandy beaches, summer homes, a full-service marina and world class 18-hole golf course. The golf course and marina are operated privately and are independent of the provincial park.
and functional commercial fishing operation at the Hecla Fish Station adjacent to the dock; the Tommasson Boarding House; the Community Hall; the Hecla School consisting of a replica classroom in one room and a park interpretive center in the other classroom; the Heritage House Museum, furnished as an Icelandic family house in 1920s to 1940s style, which is operated by the Descendants and Friends of Hecla; the General Store open from May to September; the log house; the Ice House Museum containing carpentry & fishing tools and sawmill artifacts; the Hecla Church featuring non-denominational services and special musical events during July & August; a bed & breakfast in a restored historic Icelandic home owned and operated by commercial fishers; and numerous privately owned cottages.
, moose
, fox
, beaver
; birds that can be seen are the bald eagle
, loon
, pelican
, hawk
, hummingbird
, woodpeckers and owls
.
Provincial park
A provincial park is a park under the management of a provincial or territorial government in Canada.While provincial parks are not the same as national parks, their workings are very similar...
located in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park comprises Hecla Island, Grindstone (the area located on the mainland peninsula along the west shore of Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
), Black Island and a number of other small islands. Hecla Island is approximately 1084 square km and is surrounded by Lake Winnipeg, one of the largest freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
lakes in the world.
The island was settled by the second wave of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic immigrants in 1876. The population thrived for a number of years until faced with the hardships of winters, disease and poor economic outlook for commercial fishing and farming. The only school on the island closed in 1970. The Provincial government established the island as a provincial park
Provincial park
A provincial park is a park under the management of a provincial or territorial government in Canada.While provincial parks are not the same as national parks, their workings are very similar...
in 1969 and encompased Grindstone to create Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park in 1997.
Landscapes are varied, and include areas of coniferous and mixed forests, limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
cliffs and silica sand beaches, as well as marshes, bogs, fens and wet meadows. Classified as a Natural Park, its purpose is to preserve areas that are representative of the Mid Boreal Lowland portion of the Manitoba Lowlands Natural Region; and accommodate a diversity of recreational opportunities and resource uses.
Currently, Hecla Island boasts a number of tourist attractions from a campground, resort hotel (formerly known as Gull Harbour, renovated and reopened as Radisson Hecla Oasis Resort), sandy beaches, summer homes, a full-service marina and world class 18-hole golf course. The golf course and marina are operated privately and are independent of the provincial park.
Hecla Village
Hecla Village is a historic village consisting of: a fishing museumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
and functional commercial fishing operation at the Hecla Fish Station adjacent to the dock; the Tommasson Boarding House; the Community Hall; the Hecla School consisting of a replica classroom in one room and a park interpretive center in the other classroom; the Heritage House Museum, furnished as an Icelandic family house in 1920s to 1940s style, which is operated by the Descendants and Friends of Hecla; the General Store open from May to September; the log house; the Ice House Museum containing carpentry & fishing tools and sawmill artifacts; the Hecla Church featuring non-denominational services and special musical events during July & August; a bed & breakfast in a restored historic Icelandic home owned and operated by commercial fishers; and numerous privately owned cottages.
Grindstone
Grindstone is a long peninsula approximately equal in size to Hecla Island. Grindstone has more than 350 privately owned cottages, a general store and sandy beaches. The residents hold an Annual Grindstone Days in early August with family activities. Wildlife in the park includes the black bearAmerican black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
; birds that can be seen are the bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, loon
Loon
The loons or divers are a group of aquatic birds found in many parts of North America and northern Eurasia...
, pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
, hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
, hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
, woodpeckers and owls
OWLS
OWLS is a mnemonic used by general aviation airplane pilots to assess an unprepared surface for a precautionary landing.Like all mnemonics this check has become part of aviation culture and folklore.OWLS:* Obstacles* Wind direction...
.