Swan River, Manitoba
Encyclopedia
Economy
The economic base of the town lies in agriculture and forestry along with support industries for same.Almost fifty percent of the surrounding area is under cultivation, most of which is seeded to cereal grain, oilseeds, and other specialty crops. Wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, rye
Rye
Rye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, oats
OATS
OATS - Open Source Assistive Technology Software - is a source code repository or "forge" for assistive technology software. It was launched in 2006 with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive...
, flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
, and canola
Canola
Canola refers to a cultivar of either Rapeseed or Field Mustard . Its seeds are used to produce edible oil suitable for consumption by humans and livestock. The oil is also suitable for use as biodiesel.Originally, Canola was bred naturally from rapeseed in Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur R...
are the primary grain crops, while other commercial crops include potatoes and strawberries. There are also many mixed farms producing cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, pigs
PIGS
PIGS is a four letter acronym that can stand for:* PIGS , Phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class S, a human gene* PIGS , the economies of Portugal, Italy , Greece and Spain...
, and farm-raised wild animals.
Softwood lumber trees (primarily white spruce
White Spruce
Picea glauca is a species of spruce native to boreal forests in the north of North America, from central Alaska east to Newfoundland, and south to northern Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine; there is also an isolated population in the...
) are cut from the surrounding forests, and milled at Spruce Products Ltd. Also, east of Swan River in the Rural Municipality of Minitonas, is located a mill specializing in the production of oriented strand board
Oriented strand board
Oriented strand board, also known as OSB and SmartPly , is an engineered wood product formed by layering strands of wood in specific orientations. In appearance, it may have a rough and variegated surface with the individual strips Oriented strand board, also known as OSB (UK) and SmartPly (UK &...
from aspen
Populus tremuloides
Populus tremuloides is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, commonly called quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, and Quakies,. The trees have tall trunks, up to 25 metres, with smooth pale bark, scarred with black. The glossy green leaves, dull beneath, become golden...
and balsam poplar
Balsam poplar
The balsam poplars — also known as Populus sect. Tacamahaca — are a group of about 10 species of poplars, indigenous to North America and eastern Asia, distinguished by the balsam scent of their buds, the whitish undersides of their leaves, and the leaf petiole being round in cross-section...
. It is owned by Louisiana-Pacific
Louisiana-Pacific
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation , commonly known as "LP", is a United States building materials manufacturer. It was founded in 1973 and is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. LP pioneered the U.S. production of oriented strand board panels. Today, LP is the world’s largest producer of OSB, and...
.
Other major industries of the town are health care, retail services, manufacturing, and tourism.
Highways
The town is served by provincial highways 10, 10A, 83, and 83A. Until recently, Provincial Highway 83 started near Swan River's southwest corner. The completion of a new bypass changed the highway to start on the east side of Swan River. The highway continues south to the American border near Westhope, NDWesthope, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 533 people, 228 households, and 134 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,663.5 people per square mile . There were 268 housing units at an average density of 836.5 per square mile...
. It then continues south as U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83 is one of the longest north–south U.S. Highways in the United States, at . Only four other north–south routes are longer: U.S. Routes 1, 41, 59 and 87. The highway's northern terminus is north of Westhope, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as...
to the Mexican border
United States–Mexico border
The United States–Mexico border is the international border between the United States and Mexico. It runs from Imperial Beach, California, and Tijuana, Baja California, in the west to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, in the east, and traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from major...
near Brownsville, TX
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
.
The Saskatchewan Transportation Company
Saskatchewan Transportation Company
The Saskatchewan Transportation Company is a Crown Corporation of the Government of Saskatchewan, created in 1946 by an Order in Council....
provides inter-city bus service to community of Swan River.
Airport
Swan River AirportSwan River Airport
Swan River Airport, , is located adjacent to Swan River, Manitoba, Canada.Scheduled flights to Winnipeg were formerly provided by Keystone Air Service, which discontinued service sometime between 2004 and 2005....
has no scheduled flights and is used by charter services, emergency flights and private pilots. Beginning September 2, 2011 Perimeter Aviation
Perimeter Aviation
Perimeter Aviation LP is an airline based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Perimeter Aviation operates 35 aircraft on scheduled, charter, and medevac service. It also operates four aircraft on charter service. It was established and started operations in 1960...
will commence daily (Monday-Friday) flights to Swan River from Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport .
Local media
Newspaper- Swan Valley Star and Times http://www.starandtimes.ca/
Radio
- CFGW-FM-1 95.3, (rebroadcast of CFGW-FMCFGW-FMCFGW-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format, at 94.1 FM in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. The station is owned by Harvard Broadcasting, and branded as Fox FM. It has a sister station, CJGX...
Yorkton, SK) - CJSBCJSB-FMCJSB-FM is an adult contemporary and country formatted broadcast radio station licensed to and serving Swan River, Manitoba, Canada. CJSB-FM is currently owned and operated by Stillwater Broadcasting Limited...
104.5, Adult Contemporary, CountryCountryA country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...
, Community Information
Public Schools
Public schools in Swan River are governed by the Swan Valley School Division #35. There are nine public schools in the Swan Valley, four of which are in the town of Swan River.- Benito School (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, ~93 Students)
- Birch River School (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, ~74 Students)
- Bowsman School (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, ~105 Students)
- École Swan River South School (Kindergarten to Grade 8 French Immersion, Grade 6 to Grade 8 English ~245 Students)
- Heyes School (Kindergarten to Grade 6, ~126 Students)
- Minitonas Early Years School (Kindergarten to Grade 4, ~85 Students)
- Minitonas Middle Years School (Grade 5 to Grade 9, ~107 Students)
- Swan Valley Regional Secondary School (Grade 9 to Grade 12, ~565 Students)
- Taylor School (Kindergarten to Grade 5, ~227 Students)
Post Secondary
Campus ManitobaCampus Manitoba
Campus Manitoba is a consortium of Manitoba's public post-secondary institutions intended to reduce barriers and enable the achievement of educational goals....
, 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...
, and University College of the North
University College of the North
University College of the North is a post-secondary institution located in Northern Manitoba, Canada.UCN has a student body of approximately 2,700 annually, and a staff of approximately 400...
offer a variety of courses and programs in Swan River.
Sports
Swan River is home to the Swan Valley StampedersSwan Valley Stampeders
The Swan Valley Stampeders are a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey team from Swan River, Manitoba, Canada. They are members of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, a part of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League and Hockey Canada.-Season-by-Season record:...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team, who play in 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 ....
. They play their games in the Swan River Centennial Arena. There is also a six sheet curling rink, and an outdoor pool. A proposal exists to build a new indoor pool and walking track, similar to facilities found in Dauphin
Dauphin, Manitoba
Dauphin is a small city in Manitoba, Canada, with a population of 7,906 as of 2006. The nearby lake was given the name "Dauphin" by the explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye in 1741 in honour of the heir to the French throne...
or Yorkton. Nearby is a golf course which was recently expanded from 9 to 18 holes. Swan River is also the home of The Brent Scales 2004 Manitoba Curling Championship Team. Stock car racing can be found at the quarter-mile clay oval Swan Valley Speedway.
Events
Swan River hosts the annual Northwest Round-up and Exhibition on the last weekend of July. The Northwest Round-up and Exhibition, which is hosted by the Agricultural Society, includes a paradeParade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
, chariot and chuck wagon races, heavy and light horse shows, talent stages, concerts, dances, home living and school work exhibits, a midway
Midway (fair)
A midway at a fair is the location where amusement rides, entertainment and fast food booths are concentrated....
, and the rodeo, which features events like the heavy horse pull, barrel racing, calf roping, and bull riding.
Centennial
Swan River began its year-long centennial celebration on January 1, 2008. The main highlight of the celebration was a homecomingHomecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
held on the first weekend of August, 2008.
Local awards and distinctions
- Designated as 'Forest Capital of Canada 1998'.
- In 2004, members of the Swan River Curling Club won the Safeway Select provincial curling finals and competed in the 2004 Nokia Brier2004 Nokia BrierThe 2004 Nokia Brier was held at Saskatchewan Place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, March 6 to March 14. The Nova Scotia team skipped by Mark Dacey defeated the Alberta team of Randy Ferbey in dramatic fashion in the final game played on March 14...
in Saskatoon, SK. - The current mayor, Glen McKenzie, was in CBCCanadian 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...
's Test the Nation on March 11, 2007 and was the only mayor from ManitobaManitobaManitoba 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...
. - The Swan Valley EnvirothonEnvirothonEnvirothon is an annual environmentally themed academic competition held by the United States and Canada on a regional, state, and national level. It is sponsored by Canon, conservation districts, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Association of Conservation Districts...
team represented Manitoba at the 2007 Canon Envirothon competition in Geneva, New YorkGeneva, New YorkGeneva is a city in Ontario and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 13,617 at the 2000 census. Some claim it is named after the city and canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Others believe the name came from confusion over the letters in the word "Seneca" written in cursive...
and placed 8th overall, and first in Canada.