Victoria Beach, Manitoba
Encyclopedia
Victoria Beach is a rural municipality
located on the southeastern shores of Lake Winnipeg
. It is approximately 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) north of Winnipeg
, the provincial capital of Manitoba
, Canada
. Its land area is 20.279 km² (7.83 sq mi), making it the smallest rural municipality in Manitoba. It is slightly less than half the size of the next-smallest Rural Municipality of East St. Paul
. It lies on a small peninsula that extends into Lake Winnipeg, and is almost completely surrounded by the lake, but does share a small southern land border with the Rural Municipality of Alexander
. Elk Island Provincial Park lies on an island in the north end of the municipality.
The Rural Municipality (R.M.) of Victoria Beach is a so called "resort municipality". Some of the finest beaches in Manitoba are located within the boundaries of the municipality.
, Victoria Beach has a permanent population of 450 residents, but during the summer vacation season the population swells to about 16,000 people. Unlike other resort areas, (such as Grand Beach
) the municipality has no campgrounds, no picnic areas or tourist attractions. The community is operated by The Rural Municipality of Victoria Beach for the purpose of providing permanent residents and cottagers with a relaxed, private, enjoyable atmosphere, without excessive public traffic and commercialization.
, marina
with dock, baseball field
, tennis court
s and golf course
.
With several small beaches the cottages vary from large and bombastic mansions to small, almost historic cabins.
Victoria Beach used to be an island in the estuary of the Winnipeg River
, until it was connected to the mainland by the railroad dam.
The restricted area can only be used by pedestrians and cyclists during the summer months. From the week before Canada Day
until Labour Day
, all motor vehicles are banned and must be parked in the parking lot located at the main entrance to the community.
Victoria Beach hosts one of Manitoba's largest catamaran
sailing fleets, as well as other dinghies and a small number of keelboat
s. Located on the east side of Lake Winnipeg near the town of Victoria Beach, the Yacht Club offers both recreation and racing fun.
The first white people, the Voyageurs, to travel Lake Winnipeg knew what is now the peninsula of Victoria Beach as L'Île-à-la-Biche. What is now the remains of the old railway dam were portaged as a shortcut from the Winnipeg River Estuary to Lake Winnipeg.
In 1913, the assets of the Victoria Beach Investment Company were sold to the Victoria Beach Company. The new owners upheld the original goals, and continued to acquire land in the area. By 1915, the company had gained control of the land that now comprises the municipality. In the following years, the company sold numerous lots, and many campers had begun to construct cottages.
Because Victoria Beach was basically an island with only a narrow spit joining it to the mainland, there was no road access but in 1916 the railway was to arrive at Victoria Beach making it easier to bring in supplies to build cottages. After the war it was a constant desire of cottagers to have a road built to join Albert Beach to the rest of Victoria Beach and 1952 saw the completion of this road. By 1962 most people were arriving by car to their cabins and the railway was no longer required.
In 1921 the Victoria Beach Community Club was organized and in 1925 the Clubhouse was built which exists to this day. The Clubhouse was home to weekend dances and social events and is now the hub of summer activity for under 18'ers.
Einfeld Bakery was started in the 1930s and is still a viable operation to this day and still being run by the original family. Einfeld's Bakery is so well known that the Coast Guard have been known to boat over from Gimli in inclement weather just for dream cookies.
Because the area was mainly a summer resort, those who lived here full time had to be hardy outdoors people who relied on industries such as commercial fishing , trucking and the lumber industry in the off season. There were many mink ranches in Victoria Beach and Victoria Beach mink became unique and popular but with the advent of man-made materials which were lighter and the wearing of animal skins becoming distasteful, the last mink ranch pelted out in March 2003, marking the end of an era.
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...
located on the southeastern shores 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...
. It is approximately 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) north of Winnipeg
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...
, the provincial capital 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...
. Its land area is 20.279 km² (7.83 sq mi), making it the smallest rural municipality in Manitoba. It is slightly less than half the size of the next-smallest Rural Municipality of East St. Paul
East St. Paul, Manitoba
East St. Paul is a rural municipality in Manitoba, Canada. It is located north-east of and adjacent to the city of Winnipeg, and is part of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Area. The municipality encompasses and is bounded by the Red River to the west; the municipality of St. Clements to the north; the...
. It lies on a small peninsula that extends into Lake Winnipeg, and is almost completely surrounded by the lake, but does share a small southern land border with the Rural Municipality of Alexander
Alexander, Manitoba
Alexander is a rural municipality in Manitoba, Canada. According to the Canada 2006 Census, this rural municipality, for the first time, ranked above 1,000 in terms of population. The town of Powerview-Pine Falls lies adjacent to the municipality, as does the Fort Alexander First Nation Indian...
. Elk Island Provincial Park lies on an island in the north end of the municipality.
The Rural Municipality (R.M.) of Victoria Beach is a so called "resort municipality". Some of the finest beaches in Manitoba are located within the boundaries of the municipality.
, Victoria Beach has a permanent population of 450 residents, but during the summer vacation season the population swells to about 16,000 people. Unlike other resort areas, (such as Grand Beach
Grand Beach, Manitoba
Grand Beach is a freshwater beach on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. It is located on the northern edge of the town of Grand Marais.-History:...
) the municipality has no campgrounds, no picnic areas or tourist attractions. The community is operated by The Rural Municipality of Victoria Beach for the purpose of providing permanent residents and cottagers with a relaxed, private, enjoyable atmosphere, without excessive public traffic and commercialization.
Victoria Beach today
Victoria Beach with its restricted area is one of the more exclusive places to own a cottage, with its own sailing clubYacht club
A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to sailing and yachting.-Description:Yacht Clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there are some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations...
, marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
with dock, baseball field
Baseball field
A baseball field, also called a ball field or a baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The terms "baseball field" and "ball field" are also often used as synonyms for ballpark.-Specifications:...
, tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s and golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
.
With several small beaches the cottages vary from large and bombastic mansions to small, almost historic cabins.
Victoria Beach used to be an island in the estuary of the Winnipeg River
Winnipeg River
The Winnipeg River is a Canadian river which flows from Lake of the Woods in the province of Ontario to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. This river is long from the Norman Dam in Kenora to its mouth at Lake Winnipeg. Its watershed is in area, mainly in Canada. About of this area is in northern...
, until it was connected to the mainland by the railroad dam.
The restricted area can only be used by pedestrians and cyclists during the summer months. From the week before Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
until Labour Day
Labour Day
Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for...
, all motor vehicles are banned and must be parked in the parking lot located at the main entrance to the community.
Victoria Beach hosts one of Manitoba's largest catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
sailing fleets, as well as other dinghies and a small number of keelboat
Keelboat
Keelboat has two distinct meanings related to two different types of boats: one a riverine cargo-capable working boat, and the other a classification for small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yachts.-Historical keel-boats:...
s. Located on the east side of Lake Winnipeg near the town of Victoria Beach, the Yacht Club offers both recreation and racing fun.
Île-à-la-Biche
The first white people, the Voyageurs, to travel Lake Winnipeg knew what is now the peninsula of Victoria Beach as L'Île-à-la-Biche. What is now the remains of the old railway dam were portaged as a shortcut from the Winnipeg River Estuary to Lake Winnipeg.
Founding
In April 1910 the Victoria Beach Investment Company was founded by C.W.N. Kennedy, having a President and 4 Directors. The aim of the Company was to " lay out, improve, sell and dispose of its lands to be used primarily as a summer resort." Any person desirous of running a business had to get the approval of the VB Company.In 1913, the assets of the Victoria Beach Investment Company were sold to the Victoria Beach Company. The new owners upheld the original goals, and continued to acquire land in the area. By 1915, the company had gained control of the land that now comprises the municipality. In the following years, the company sold numerous lots, and many campers had begun to construct cottages.
Incorporation
On August 6, 1919, after negotiations with the province, the Municipality of Victoria Beach was incorporated.Because Victoria Beach was basically an island with only a narrow spit joining it to the mainland, there was no road access but in 1916 the railway was to arrive at Victoria Beach making it easier to bring in supplies to build cottages. After the war it was a constant desire of cottagers to have a road built to join Albert Beach to the rest of Victoria Beach and 1952 saw the completion of this road. By 1962 most people were arriving by car to their cabins and the railway was no longer required.
In 1921 the Victoria Beach Community Club was organized and in 1925 the Clubhouse was built which exists to this day. The Clubhouse was home to weekend dances and social events and is now the hub of summer activity for under 18'ers.
A golf course was built in 1923 and a tennis court in 1924
Both amenities exist to this day with the tennis court now being close to the General Store.Einfeld Bakery was started in the 1930s and is still a viable operation to this day and still being run by the original family. Einfeld's Bakery is so well known that the Coast Guard have been known to boat over from Gimli in inclement weather just for dream cookies.
On June 15, 1926 the Victoria Beach News started publishing
Today it is run by Nancy and Reg Johnson under the name of the Victoria Beach Herald, now published only in the summer months.Because the area was mainly a summer resort, those who lived here full time had to be hardy outdoors people who relied on industries such as commercial fishing , trucking and the lumber industry in the off season. There were many mink ranches in Victoria Beach and Victoria Beach mink became unique and popular but with the advent of man-made materials which were lighter and the wearing of animal skins becoming distasteful, the last mink ranch pelted out in March 2003, marking the end of an era.
1935 gave rise to both the Royal Canadian Legion and the Alex Anderson Memorial Community Club
The Community Club is now a skating rink, curling club and social hall. Other amenities of the area include a marina, swimming docks for swimming lessons, a sailing club, Moonlight Inn Restaurant, a library, childrens playground and 12 of the best beaches in North America sporting very fine and soft white sand. Baseball was very popular and Victoria Beach teams were hugely successful in tournaments throughout the summer.Hydro Services arrive in 1954
1954 saw Manitoba Hydro service provided to the permanent residents and in 1956 hydro was extended for use by the cottage community.External links
- Victoria Beach Community New, Information and Events Portal
- R.M.V.B. - Rural Municipality of Victoria Beach
- Manitoba Community Profiles - RM of Victoria Beach
- Website of the Victoria Beach Police
- Website of the Victoria Beach Fire Department
- Victoria Beach Emergency Management
- More Information on Victoria Beach and the Eastern Beaches Area
- Map of Victoria Beach R.M. at Statcan