St. James-Assiniboia
Encyclopedia
St. James-Assiniboia is a major district in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
. Located in the far western part of the city, it is bounded on the north by the Rural Municipality of Rosser
and the Canadian National Railway
's Oak Point line, on the south by the Assiniboine River
, on the west by the Rural Municipality of Headingley
, and on the east by the Canadian Pacific Railway
's La Riviere line.
.
It is primarily residential, and is mainly a middle class
area but there are poorer pockets in the eastern part of St. James, in Brooklands, and in St. Charles, and wealthier areas near the St. Charles Country Club
, and along the Assiniboine River. There is some industrial development in the Murray Industrial Park in the north central part of the neighbourhood and near the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport which is located in St. James. There is substantial commercial development along Portage Avenue, the area's main thoroughfare, and near the western edge of the community near the Perimeter Highway, where the Unicity Shopping Mall once stood. Although the Polo Park
area is not considered part of St. James-Assiniboia for census purposes, it is considered part of the district of St. James on many maps.
populated by an Anglo-Métis
, or mixed Scottish/English and aboriginal population, compared to the French-speaking Métis
people who settled further upriver at St. François Xavier, Manitoba
and along the east banks of the Red River
. The area eventually became the City of St. James, the RM of Assiniboia, and the Village of Brooklands. These communities' development as residential suburbs of Winnipeg began in the early 20th century and was greatly enhanced by the extension of streetcar service to Deer Lodge in 1903, the opening of Assiniboine Park
in 1904 and its location along Portage Avenue, and proximity to Downtown Winnipeg
. By 1920 the eastern area of St. James and the Deer Lodge area were fully developed. The area grew rapidly from 1945-1970 with the construction of the Silver Heights and Birchwood subdivisions in the 1940s and 1950s, and Westwood, Crestview, and St. Charles in the 1960s. The three communities, just outside the City of Winnipeg, joined together in the 1960s; Brooklands was amalgamated into St. James in 1967, then Assiniboia was merged with St James in 1969 to form the City of St. James-Assiniboia. In 1972, the City of St. James-Assiniboia formally joined Winnipeg in Unicity
.
As the community was developed as far as the Perimeter Highway
, Winnipeg's unofficial urban limit, by the early 1970s, St. James has seen very little development since that time. From 1971 to 2001 the population declined from 66,150 to 58,590 (source Statistics Canada). The population further declined to 57,855 as of the 2006 census.
* refers to championships won while playing in St. James
The St. James Civic Centre arena is one of the more prominent hockey venues in Winnipeg. With a seating capacity of 1,500, it is one of the larger arenas in the city. It is home to the Winnipeg Saints
of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League
, St. James Canucks of the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League
, and local minor hockey teams. The St. James Canadians
of the MJHL were a primary tenant of the Civic Centre arena, playing there from its opening in 1967 until they folded in 2004. The arena is also used for sledge hockey
and ringette
during the winter, as well as non-sporting activities during the summer.
The pool and leisure centre includes a 25 metre swimming pool and weight room. In addition, there is a 350-seat auditorium and two meeting rooms. The facilities are available to the public year round.
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, 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...
. Located in the far western part of the city, it is bounded on the north by the Rural Municipality of Rosser
Rosser, Manitoba
Rosser, Manitoba is a rural municipality lying adjacent to the northwest side of Winnipeg at . It is part of the Winnipeg Capital Region. Its population as of the 2001 census was 1,412....
and the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
's Oak Point line, on the south by the Assiniboine River
Assiniboine 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...
, on the west by the Rural Municipality of Headingley
Headingley, Manitoba
Headingley is a rural municipality in Manitoba, Canada. It is located directly west of Winnipeg and has a population of 2,726 people as of the 2006 census. The Trans-Canada Highway and the Assiniboine River run through the municipality. The portion located on the south bank of the Assiniboine is...
, and on the east by the 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...
's La Riviere line.
Geography
St. James-Assiniboia is a large community in the western section of Winnipeg. It is most often referred to as simply "St. James" and consists of the neighbourhoods of Old St. James, Deer Lodge, Silver Heights, Birchwood, Sturgeon Creek, Woodhaven, Heritage Park, Kirkfield Park, Westwood, Crestview, St. Charles, and Brooklands. Although Brooklands is legally a part of St. James, it is normally considered part of the West EndWest End, Winnipeg
The West End of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is a mostly residential area just west of Downtown Winnipeg. It is bordered by Route 62 on the east and stretches as far west as St. James Street, the boundary between the old City of Winnipeg and St. James-Assiniboia...
.
It is primarily residential, and is mainly a middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
area but there are poorer pockets in the eastern part of St. James, in Brooklands, and in St. Charles, and wealthier areas near the St. Charles Country Club
St. Charles Country Club
St. Charles Country Club is a private country club in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It features three nine hole golf courses, each with a distinct style that reflects the golf course designer responsible for it.- History :...
, and along the Assiniboine River. There is some industrial development in the Murray Industrial Park in the north central part of the neighbourhood and near the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport which is located in St. James. There is substantial commercial development along Portage Avenue, the area's main thoroughfare, and near the western edge of the community near the Perimeter Highway, where the Unicity Shopping Mall once stood. Although the Polo Park
Polo Park
Polo Park is Winnipeg's largest retail and entertainment district. It is the largest mall out of the eight malls in the city. Situated on the former Polo Park Racetrack, the Polo Park Mall was built in 1959. It was the first enclosed shopping mall in Winnipeg when a roof was added in 1963...
area is not considered part of St. James-Assiniboia for census purposes, it is considered part of the district of St. James on many maps.
History
Historically, the area was a farming community along the north bank of 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...
populated by an Anglo-Métis
Anglo-Métis
A 19th-century community of the Métis people of Canada, the Anglo-Métis, more commonly known as Countryborn, were children of fur traders; they typically had Orcadian, Scottish, or English fathers and Aboriginal mothers. Their first languages were generally those of their mothers: Cree, Saulteaux,...
, or mixed Scottish/English and aboriginal population, compared to the French-speaking Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
people who settled further upriver at St. François Xavier, Manitoba
St. François Xavier, Manitoba
St. François Xavier is a rural municipality lying west-northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is part of the Winnipeg Capital Region and had a 2001 census population of 1,024....
and along the east banks of the Red River
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
. The area eventually became the City of St. James, the RM of Assiniboia, and the Village of Brooklands. These communities' development as residential suburbs of Winnipeg began in the early 20th century and was greatly enhanced by the extension of streetcar service to Deer Lodge in 1903, the opening of Assiniboine Park
Assiniboine Park
Assiniboine Park is a park in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It was established in 1904 and is located north of the Assiniboine Forest. Today, it covers , of these are designed in the English landscape style....
in 1904 and its location along Portage Avenue, and proximity to Downtown Winnipeg
Downtown Winnipeg
Downtown Winnipeg is centred around Portage Avenue and Main Street, and is bounded by the Assiniboine River on the south, Colony and Balmoral Streets on the west, Notre Dame Avenue, Princess Street, and Logan Avenue on the north, and the Red River on the east. It includes the Exchange District,...
. By 1920 the eastern area of St. James and the Deer Lodge area were fully developed. The area grew rapidly from 1945-1970 with the construction of the Silver Heights and Birchwood subdivisions in the 1940s and 1950s, and Westwood, Crestview, and St. Charles in the 1960s. The three communities, just outside the City of Winnipeg, joined together in the 1960s; Brooklands was amalgamated into St. James in 1967, then Assiniboia was merged with St James in 1969 to form the City of St. James-Assiniboia. In 1972, the City of St. James-Assiniboia formally joined Winnipeg in Unicity
Unicity
The term Unicity refers to reforms in the structure of the metropolitan government of Winnipeg in 1972. Unicity, an ambitious experiment in local government reform, established the City of Winnipeg as one unified city; until that point, the greater Winnipeg area had been composed of several...
.
As the community was developed as far as the Perimeter Highway
Perimeter Highway (Winnipeg)
Provincial Trunk Highways 100 and 101 form a beltway around Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Perimeter is approximately long...
, Winnipeg's unofficial urban limit, by the early 1970s, St. James has seen very little development since that time. From 1971 to 2001 the population declined from 66,150 to 58,590 (source Statistics Canada). The population further declined to 57,855 as of the 2006 census.
Junior hockey teams
| Team | Founded | League | Arena | Championships* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnipeg Saints Winnipeg Saints The Winnipeg Saints are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team playing out of the Centre. They played out of Dakota Community Centre in Winnipeg until the end of 2009-10 season. The team played out of St. Adolphe during the 2010-11 season, but played their home playoff games at the MTS Iceplex in... |
1956 | MJHL | St. James Civic Centre (2011-) | 0 |
| St. James Canucks | 1978 | MMJHL | St. James Civic Centre (1978-) | 1 |
| St. James Canadians St. James Canadians The St. James Canadians were a Canadian junior hockey team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League until 2003, folding officially in 2004. The Canadians played out of the St. James Civic Centre, in Winnipeg, Manitoba... (defunct) |
1956 | MJHL | St. James Civic Centre (1967-2004) | 3 |
* refers to championships won while playing in St. James
St. James Civic Centre
The St. James Civic Centre is a public recreation complex that serves the west end of Winnipeg. The complex, which was built in 1967, features an indoor ice hockey arena, swimming pool, and auditorium, and is owned and operated by the City of Winnipeg.The St. James Civic Centre arena is one of the more prominent hockey venues in Winnipeg. With a seating capacity of 1,500, it is one of the larger arenas in the city. It is home to the Winnipeg Saints
Winnipeg Saints
The Winnipeg Saints are a Manitoba Junior Hockey League team playing out of the Centre. They played out of Dakota Community Centre in Winnipeg until the end of 2009-10 season. The team played out of St. Adolphe during the 2010-11 season, but played their home playoff games at the MTS Iceplex in...
of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League
Manitoba Junior Hockey League
The Manitoba Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The MJHL is one of eleven Junior 'A' Hockey Leagues in Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League ....
, St. James Canucks of the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League
Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League
The Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League is a Junior ice hockey league in Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1970, the league is not a member of Hockey Canada and has operated privately since its inception on private funds and donations.-History:...
, and local minor hockey teams. The St. James Canadians
St. James Canadians
The St. James Canadians were a Canadian junior hockey team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League until 2003, folding officially in 2004. The Canadians played out of the St. James Civic Centre, in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
of the MJHL were a primary tenant of the Civic Centre arena, playing there from its opening in 1967 until they folded in 2004. The arena is also used for sledge hockey
Sledge hockey
Sledge hockey is a sport that was designed to allow participants who have a physical disability to play the game of ice hockey. Ice sledge hockey was invented in the early 1960s in Stockholm, Sweden at a rehabilitation center...
and ringette
Ringette
Ringette is a team sport played on an ice surface. Played primarily by females, Ringette requires the use of straight sticks to control a rubber ring; with the objective of the game being to score goals by shooting the ring into the opponent's net. It was introduced by Sam Jacks in North Bay,...
during the winter, as well as non-sporting activities during the summer.
The pool and leisure centre includes a 25 metre swimming pool and weight room. In addition, there is a 350-seat auditorium and two meeting rooms. The facilities are available to the public year round.