Oak Lake, Manitoba
Encyclopedia
Oak Lake, Manitoba is a town in the south-western "Westman
Westman Region, Manitoba
Westman is the name given to the Southwestern area of the province of Manitoba, Canada. The area's major service center is the city of Brandon, and to some extent, the city of Winnipeg. Winnipeg is not part of Westman, but is to the east, and is the provincial capital of Manitoba. The region...
region" of 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...
. It is located 52 km (32.3 mi) west of Brandon
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
along the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
.
The town is enclaved withiin the northern part of the Rural Municipality of Sifton
Sifton, Manitoba (rural municipality)
For the town found in the Dauphin area, go to Sifton, Manitoba.The Sifton rural municipality is located in the southwestern portion of the province of Manitoba, with a population of 766...
, while the lake after which it was named is in the R.M.'s western area.
During the late 19th century, the area around Oak Lake was a popular stopping point for fur traders and settlers due to the large number of big oak trees (revered for their strength) located around the lake that could be used to repair their wagons.
In the fall of 1881, work crews on the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
had reached Flat Creek to the east of the current townsite. In the spring they moved the camp west and built a siding and station (now long gone) where the town's flags and flower garden are now located.
Geography and climate
The area around Oak Lake is dominated by the Assiniboine riverAssiniboine River
The Assiniboine River is a river that runs through the prairies of Western Canada in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It is a tributary of the Red River. The Assiniboine is a typical meandering river with a single main channel embanked within a flat, shallow valley in some places and a steep valley in...
, the nearby lake by the same name, areas of flat farm land, and to the north, large, rolling hills left by receding glaciers. Oak Lake's location in the middle of the Canadian prairies
Canadian Prairies
The Canadian Prairies is a region of Canada, specifically in western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions, natural or political. Notably, the Prairie provinces or simply the Prairies comprise the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as they are largely covered...
means that Oak Lake experiences an extreme continental climate
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
. The area is known for its long, cold winters owing to its northerly location. There is often much snowfall during the winter, with the possibility for blizzard
Blizzard
A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or...
s that can drop in excess of 35 cm (~14 inches) of snow at once, which can be blown into drifts that are much deeper. The town can be cut off for a day or more while snow is cleared from the highways.
Temperatures during the coldest winter months of December, January and February can reach -35°C (-31°F), though colder temperatures occasionally occur. Windchills during the winter can reach as cold as -45°C (-49°F), making outdoor activity difficult on those days. The average winter temperature is a more moderate -12°C (10.4°F). Winters are often characterized by extreme shifts in temperature with near 0°C (32°F) changing to frigid temperatures within the span of a few days. Summers are often very warm with the possibility of temperatures in excess of 35°C (95°F), though the average summer temperature is 26°C (78.8°F). Year round, Oak Lake has an abundance of clear, sunny skies.
Economy
The economy of the Oak Lake area is dominated by farming, although nearby VirdenVirden, Manitoba
Virden, Manitoba is a town in southwestern Manitoba. Oil was first discovered in 1951, and Virden has since come to be known as the "Oil Capital of Manitoba"....
has a booming oil economy. The municipality
Rural municipality
A rural municipality, often abbreviated RM, is a form of municipality in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, perhaps best comparable to counties or townships in the western United States...
and town share an office and employ a handful of people to manage the running of public services
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
. Other employers include the town's gas station, Valleyview CO-OP grocery store, Golden Embers restaurant, Dandy's confectionery, Yate's Garage, Lewis Cattle Oilers Ltd., Kreutzer Garage and several smaller, personal businesses.
Basic groceries and household items can be purchased from the Co-op and the gas station. Other locations for shopping are Virden, 15 minutes away, Brandon, 30 minutes away, and for rare items, Winnipeg and Minot each 2½ hours away. Oak Lake has the seasonal Dandy's Drive In and Golden Embers. Virden and Brandon have a number of casual and fine dining restaurants as well.
Demographics
Oak Lake's population is mostly whiteWhite people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
, with few visible minorities
Visible minority
A visible minority is a person who is visibly not one of the majority race in a given population.The term is used as a demographic category by Statistics Canada in connection with that country's Employment Equity policies. The qualifier "visible" is important in the Canadian context where...
other than a small aboriginal population
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
. The nearby Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and Canupawakpa Dakota Nation are homes to a large community of First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
people.
Education
Oak Lake Community School is the only school in Oak Lake.http://flbsd.mb.ca/olcs/website/index.html It is part of the Fort La Bosse School Division, and has grades K-8. Students in their senior years (grades 9-12) take a daily 15 minute bus ride to nearby Virden Collegiate Institute in VirdenVirden, Manitoba
Virden, Manitoba is a town in southwestern Manitoba. Oil was first discovered in 1951, and Virden has since come to be known as the "Oil Capital of Manitoba"....
. The closest post secondary educational facilities are in Brandon
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
; Brandon University
Brandon University
Brandon University is a Canadian university located in the city of Brandon, Manitoba, with an enrolment of 3383 full-time and part-time students. The current location was founded on July 13, 1899, as Brandon College as a Baptist institution. It was chartered as a university by then President Dr....
(BU) and Assiniboine Community College
Assiniboine Community College
Assiniboine Community College is an accredited college with the Government of Manitoba Council on Post-Secondary Education. ACC offers over 30 programs in the fields of agriculture, environment, business, health and human services and trades and technology...
(ACC).
Transportation
The main method of transportation in Oak Lake is car. For people who live and work in town, walking or biking is common when the weather permits. Greyhound Canada has a scheduled stop in Oak Lake at the local gas station. The nearest domestic airport is Virden/R.J. (Bob) Andrew Field Regional Aerodrome, and the nearest one with scheduled service is Brandon AirportBrandon Airport
Brandon Airport or Brandon Municipal Airport , also known as McGill Field, is a municipal airport located north of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada....
. The closest international airport
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
is the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, although Regina International Airport
Regina International Airport
Regina International Airport is an international airport located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, located south-west and west south-west of the city centre. It is run by the Regina Airport Authority. It is, as of 2010, the second busiest airport in Saskatchewan Regina International Airport is...
in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
is only marginally further away. There is no commuter rail service to Oak Lake, although Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
has a stop in Brandon.
Sports and recreation
Oak Lake Golf Course is 9 holes long with cart and club rentals available. Camping is available in town at the Lion's Campground and D & G Campground can be found west along the Trans-Canada highway. Oak Lake Beach (Four Seasons Island Resort) is a short drive from town and offers cabins (both for rental and lease), camping, a beach, minigolf and other cottage attractions. During the winter, there are plenty of opportunities for snowmobiling, skating (including figure skating), skiing and ice fishing.Hockey
Hockey is the biggest sport in the community, with an active minor league program. The local arena and hockey program has greatly benefited from the installation of an ice plant. Ice rentals by teams from Brandon are common. Oxen Cart Bandits is the moniker used by teams in younger age groups. The Oak Lake Icemen participate in the Manitoba North Central Hockey LeagueHockey Manitoba
Hockey Manitoba is the governing body of all amateur ice hockey in Manitoba, Canada. Hockey Manitoba is a branch affiliate of Hockey Canada. Hockey Manitoba was founded in 1914 as the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association.-Leagues:...
senior level.http://www.crossroadsthisweek.com/nchl/team_rosters/oak_lake.htm There are junior hockey programs available in Virden and Souris
Souris, Manitoba
Souris is a town in the southwestern portion of the Canadian province of Manitoba, 2006 population 1,772, total including Glenwood Municipality is 2,412. It is located on the Souris River, from which it takes its name. The town is home to Canada's longest historic cable-stayed footbridge , known...
. Virden Collegiate has a male high school hockey program. http://flbsd.mb.ca/vci/website/sports.htm
The closest major hockey franchise is the Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
who play in the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
.http://www.wheatkings.com/ Since the demise of the Winnipeg Jets, the nearest Canadian NHL action is the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
and the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, although the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
are geographically closer.
Baseball
Oak Lake formerly had a vibrant baseball program, but it has seen decline in recent years. The closest active baseball program can be found in Virden. Virden Collegiate has male and female high school baseball programs. http://flbsd.mb.ca/vci/website/sports.htm The Winnipeg GoldeyesWinnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 1994 to 2010, the team was a member of the Northern League.The...
are the biggest baseball franchise in the province. http://www.goldeyes.com/
Soccer
Brandon's city soccer league is the only viable choice for soccer in the area. http://www.bysa.ca/Football
Brandon has a youth football team, while Virden Collegiate Institute's Golden Bears football team participates in the Rural Manitoba Football League.http://www.brandonsd.mb.ca/massey/athletics/Football/rural_manitoba_football_league.htm There is a summer and city league in Winnipeg. http://www.footballmanitoba.com The Winnipeg Blue BombersWinnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
are the closest CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
franchise. http://www.bluebombers.com/
Curling
There are several regional curling competitions in Oak Lake and surrounding towns. http://www.curlmanitoba.org/clubs.php Virden Collegiate also fields a curling team for high school competition.Volleyball
Volleyball is a school sport at both Oak Lake Community School (whose team name is the Oak Lake Raptors) and at Virden Collegiate. There is also a regional league for males and females. http://www.manitobavolleyball.com/index.aspBasketball
Basketball is a school sport at both Oak Lake Community School and Virden Collegiate.Television
Oak Lake is serviced by Persona Communications cable television, which offers 25 channels. Reception of satellite TV is excellent, due to the flat landscape devoid of large obstructions, therefore services such as Bell TV work for more channels. Over the air reception is available from the following stations:- Channel 2 - CKND-2 - GlobalGlobal Television NetworkGlobal Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
, a repeater of Global Winnipeg. - Channel 4 - CKYBCKY-TVCKY-DT is a television station based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and owned by Bell Media. It is part of the CTV Television Network....
- CTVCTV television networkCTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
, a repeater of CKY-TV Winnipeg. - Channel 21 - CBWFTCBWFTCBWFT is Radio-Canada's French language television station in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is broadcast locally on channel 3 cable 10, and on Bell TV channel 118.-History:...
- Societé Radio-CanadaCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
, a repeater of CBWFT Winnipeg.
Radio
- 91.5 CIWM - NCINative Communications IncNative Communications Inc. is a public radio network in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The network provides programming by and for Canadian First Nations....
- Native Communications Inc. (community/aboriginal) - 92.7 CBWSCBW-FMCBW-FM is the callsign of the CBC Radio 2 station in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The station broadcasts at 98.3 on the FM dial.-History:Winnipeg's second FM station launched on December 10, 1962 as a commercial classical music station with the call sign CFMW...
- CBC Radio 2 - classical music - 94.7 CKLF - Star FM - adult contemporary
- 96.1 CKX-FMCKX-FMCKX-FM is the call sign of a Canadian radio station operating in Brandon, Manitoba. CKX-FM operates at 96.1 FM, broadcasting a mainstream rock format under the brand name KX96.-History:...
- KX96 - active rockActive rockActive rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:... - 97.9 CBWVCBW (AM)CBW is the callsign of the CBC Radio One station in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The station broadcasts at AM 990, and this frequency functions as a Class A clear channel under former North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement allocations.-History:...
- CBC Radio OneCBC Radio OneCBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
- News/Information - 99.5 CKSB-8CKSB (AM)CKSB is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 1050 AM and 90.5 FM in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is an affiliate of Radio-Canada's Première Chaîne network.-History:...
- Première Chaîne - French News/Information - 101.1 CKXA - 101 The Farm - countryCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
- 106.5 CJJJCJJJ-FMCJJJ-FM is the call sign of a campus radio station operating in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. CJ 106 operates at 106.5 MHz FM with an effective radiated power of 930 watts. Although predominantly alternative, CJ 106 also features jazz, folk, classical, worldbeat, heavy metal, punk, Christian...
- CJ106 - Assiniboine Community CollegeAssiniboine Community CollegeAssiniboine Community College is an accredited college with the Government of Manitoba Council on Post-Secondary Education. ACC offers over 30 programs in the fields of agriculture, environment, business, health and human services and trades and technology...
campus radioCampus radioCampus radio is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively by students, or may include programmers from the wider community in which the radio station is based... - 880 CKLQ, country, official sportscast of the Brandon Wheat KingsBrandon Wheat KingsThe Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
Newspapers
The Oak Lake Town and Country News is the town's current paper detailing local happenings. The Brandon SunBrandon Sun
The Brandon Sun is a daily newspaper printed in Brandon, Manitoba. It is the primary newspaper of record for western Manitoba.It was founded by Will White, with the first edition being printed on January 19, 1882....
is the only home delivered regional, national and international newspaper in the area, while a variety of papers from Winnipeg can be found at the gas station. http://www.brandonsun.com/
Theatres
Virden's Aud theatre is the closest live performance theatre. Brandon also has a large number of theatres. Movie theatres can be found in Virden (Derrick Theare) and in Brandon (Capitol Theatre http://www.cinemaclock.com/aw/ctha.aw/p.clock/r.man/m.Brandon/j.e/k.Capitol_Brandon.html).Notable people
- Maurice StrongMaurice StrongMaurice F. Strong, PC, CC, OM, FRSC is a Canadian entrepreneur and a former under-secretary general of the United Nations. Strong's first name is pronounced "Mor'ris" with the accent on the first syllable....
(born April 29, 1929) - industrialist, heavily involved with the UNUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace... - Ted TaylorTed Taylor (ice hockey)Edward Wray Taylor is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 166 games in the National Hockey League and 421 games in the World Hockey Association...
(born February 25, 1942) - hockey player, played in the WHAWorld Hockey AssociationThe World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
and NHL - Don Larway (born February 12, 1954) - hockey player, played in the WHAWorld Hockey AssociationThe World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
, signed to NHL but never played