In September of 1906, Selkirk ratepayers voted in favour of allowing its municipal government to borrow up to $150,000 to install a waterworks and sewer system for the town. The waterworks would distribute a pressurized, filtered water supply to a network of businesses, homes, and fire hydrants. Prior to this, residents relied on their own…
Selkirk’s first indoor arena was established in 1907. John W. Jones purchased the outdoor rink used by the Selkirk Skating Club on Fox Avenue near Main Street. Over it, he constructed what one account describes as a “concave-shaped, tin-covered monster” and christened it ‘Alexandra’, after his daughter. The Alexandra Rink, Date Unknown – Selkirk Enterprise…
In February 1946, a group of people (representing more than two dozen community organizations) came together under the chairmanship of Louis G. Howard to form the Selkirk and District Memorial Committee. Their objective was to decide on a suitable memorial to the servicemen and women of the region who died in the Boer War, First…
202 Christie Avenue Prior to 2020 a lonely and seemingly out of place house at 202 Christie Avenue was home to the same family for a century. Frederick (Fred) Charles Barnard was born in England in 1883 and moved to Selkirk around 1908. Annie Harris Wilson was born in Canterbury, England and came to Canada…
Library and Reading Room A citizens group called the Selkirk Literary Association was established around 1879, primarily to bring speakers to the town and to host debates. One topic in August 1879 was ‘…be it resolved that Canada is a better field for immigrants than the United States.’. The society is mentioned sporadically through the…
After a few false starts, Selkirk established its curling club in 1893. On Christmas Eve 1893, the Manitoba Chapter of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club (the registry body for curling clubs in the province) met to discuss the creation of a curling club in Selkirk. They announced that; “D. Fromer, secretary of the Selkirk Curling…
Curling’s popularity continued to grow after the Second World War, and several new rinks were built in the region including Winnipeg Beach in 1952 and Gimli in 1953. Selkirk also wanted to replace its ageing building but would have to wait a few more years. The Selkirk Curling Club formed a building committee on March…
East End of Dorchester Avenue Little Lake Park was officially opened in 1991, but its roots date back to a much earlier greenspace called Daerwood Park. Located near the southern boundary of the former St. Peter’s Reserve, this land was going to be the site of a summer cottage subdivision, planned in the early 1900s…
301 Queen Avenue Murray Sinclair Park was one of a pair of playgrounds built by the Kinsmen Club of Selkirk in the mid-1950s. It was part of a national Kinsmen program to provide improved play opportunities for the new wave of children born immediately after the war. Kinsmen South Playground on Main Street at Dorchester…
486 Eveline StOn the morning of July 1, 1905, 1,200 members of the International Order of Oddfellows left Winnipeg for Selkirk aboard steam trains operated by the Winnipeg Selkirk and Lake Winnipeg Railway (WS & LW). They were greeted by Selkirk’s Oddfellows before walking a couple of kilometres to what was formerly Red River Park…