The Modern Town 1947-1979

1947

The Devonshire Collegiate building became an elementary school

1948

The original Garry Theatre was built by Rothstein Theatres Ltd

1948

A 40,000-bushel wooden grain elevator was built by Manitoba Pool Elevators

1949

A new Selkirk Co-operative owned grain elevator was opened

1949

Memorial Hall was built and the Selkirk Arena was rebuilt after collapsing

September 24, 1949

The first ice-free event took place in the new Selkirk Arena

December 9, 1949

Official opening of Selkirk Arena hosted by the Kinsmen Club of Selkirk. The first hockey game was played at the arena the following day on December 10th

1950

Fifteen people were employed at the new Coca-Cola bottling plant

1950

There was widespread flooding in April and May due to heavy snowfall in the winter and 2 x the normal rainfall in the spring

1951

Daerwood school was built to replace South-Ward School.  The school division turned to its pupils to pick a name for the new school. The winning essay came from 10-year-old Barry Gordon, son of mayor William E. Gordon

1951

The Dinette opens on Manitoba Avenue

1951

The Manitoba Rolling Mills began a $1,000,000 expansion that created work for another 100 people

1951

6,218 people resided in Selkirk

September 21, 1951

Memorial Hall‘s sod turning ceremony with W.E. Gordon given the honour of breaking ground first

December 31, 1951

Memorial Hall’s first event, a New Years Eve Dance

January 17, 1952

Official opening of Selkirk Memorial Hall

1952

First Nations people were granted the right to vote in Manitoba provincial elections

1952

The Robert Smith Memorial Scholarship is presented for the first time 

1953

Bethel Church began construction

1953

The Infirmary Unit opens at the Selkirk Hospital for Mental Diseases

November 29, 1953

The first Robert Smith Memorial Scholarship is awarded to grade 11 student, Roman Strawa 

1954

The Garry Theatre suffered from a major fire in January. A new theatre was built and opened in April

1954

The Selkirk Fair was “revitalized” after the war and in 1954, it boasted the largest dairy cattle exhibition in the entire west and the participation of more than 400 4-H clubs

1954

258 leucotomies have been performed at the Selkirk Hospital for Mental Diseases

1955

Approximately 5,000 people attended the opening of the new hospital

1955

E. R. Gardner’s Selkirk Silica Company Limited was organized

1955

The Dyson Pickle Plant began operation

1956

This is a black and white photo of Hon. W. C. Miller cutting the ribbon at th Selkirk Collegiate Institute opening in 1956., alongside Mayor S. Oliver.

Selkirk Collegiate Institute was built

1956

The Grace Baptist Church was organized

1957

This is a black and white photo of a group of women from Selkirk's 75 Anniversary. The women are wearing skirts and a white top with a hat and a sash that says "Selkirk 75 Anniversary".

Selkirk celebrates its 75 anniversary and publishes a history book

1957

The post office moved to a new location a few blocks south on Main St

1957

A new building opened for the Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church. It was funded by a procession of 300 people from the old Greek Ukrainian Catholic Church and was built mostly from volunteer labour

1957

1200 patients resided at the “Selkirk Hospital for Mental Diseases” (Now known as the Selkirk Mental Health Centre)

1958

Ruth Hooker School was built. The school was named after the Chair of the Selkirk School Board

1958

The first expansion to Gilbart Funeral Home was complete with a new chapel

June 28, 1958

The World War II and Korean War expansion was added to the monument at the Veteran Memorial Gardens

August 4, 1958

Rotary Lake opened to the public

1958

The present sanctuary of the Selkirk United Church was built

1959

A new school was built and was named after Robert Smith. He was Manager at the Rolling Mills, first Vice-President of the Selkirk General Hospital Board and a past Mayor of Selkirk

1959

This is a photo of the Lions Club logo. It is blue and yellow with the head of a lion of both sides. There is a capital letter L in the middle with the world Lion written above and the word International written underneath.

The Lions Club of Selkirk was initially chartered (Re-charted in 1979)

1959

The Carnegie Library was demolished for a new municipal office

1960

300 workers were laid off at the Rolling Mills due to fierce competition in the steel industry.  Negotiations with the Untied Steelworkers of America Local 5442, threatened to strike if a new contract was not in place by August.  The layoff of 120 more workers at the Rolling Mills triggered a 92-day strike

1960

First Nations people gained the right federally to vote without having to give up their status and treaty rights

1960

Rotary lake damaged due to spring flooding

1961

The Jemima Street Curling Rink was built

1961

The previously mentioned Steelworkers strike ends when most of the men were rehired to provide steel for the Manitoba Power Commissions hydro-electric project at Grand Rapids

1961

A new water tower was built replacing the old one built in 1909

1961

8,576 people resided in Selkirk

1961

The Selkirk Hospital for Mental Diseases opens a community clinic with teams working inside and outside the hospital

1962

The Selkirk Curling Club opened a new facility

1963

A multi-million dollar modernization of the steel plant commenced but resulted in few new jobs as the work was of an automated nature

1963

Photo of Selkirk Notre Dame Church. Photo shows off the front of the building that has an A-frame roof and pillars on either side of the front door. The sides if the church have pillars and windows between each window.

Notre Dame Catholic Church opened a new building on Jemima Avenue

1964

The Selkirk Psychiatric Institute (S.P.I.) opens at the Selkirk Hospital for Mental Diseases

1964

Gilbart Funeral Home saw another expansion, with the addition of an embalming room and a heated garage. A new Oldsmobile and a two-stretcher ambulance were added to the fleet

1965

This is a photo of the Paddlewheel Queen going down the river filled with passengers. The boat is white and red and has three levels.

The M.S. Paddlewheel Queen was constructed

1965

The S.S. Keenora was decommissioned

1965

The semi-pro rodeo was added to the Selkirk Fair and Rodeo program

1966

This is a photo of the Steelers Logo from 1966 to 1998. It was structural steel beam with the word Selkirk written across the top and Steelers written across the front.

The Selkirk Steelers Junior ‘A’ Hockey Club was founded when the modern-day Manitoba Junior Hockey League was formed

1967

This is a black and white photo of Captain Ritchie tying up the River Rouge ship in 1967. He is wearing a black suit with a white button up shirt and a tie. He has dark hair and a groomed moustache.

M.S. River Rouge was constructed

1967

This is a photo of different colored triangles put together to resemble the shape of a maple leaf.

Canada celebrated its 100 year anniversary and Centennial School was built

1967

Consolidated Plastics, with about a projected 30 workers was built in the Industrial Park

1967

Ruth Hooker School and Victoria School amalgamated becoming Victoria-Ruth Hooker School

1967

The Lord Selkirk School Division No. 11 was created

1967

Newly renovated Rotary Lake reopens

September 4th, 1967

1968

]This is a black and white photo of four men hammering a sign that says " Electro-Knit Fabrics (Canada) LTD." into the ground. they are wearing suits with button up shirts and ties.

A Montreal firm, “Electro-Knit” built a $2 million fabric manufacturing facility in the Industrial Park

1968

Futronics opened a facility to manufacture electronics circuitry

1968

The Red River Floodway is completed

1969

This is a black and white photo of the Lord Selkirk II launching in the river. There is a big white boat making a big spray and is strats out in the water.

The Lord Selkirk II is launched with a splash

1969

Narco Drugs opened a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in the Industrial Park

1970

The Adolescent Treatment Ward opens at the Selkirk Hospital for Mental Diseases and the Mobile Clinic services The Pas, Flin Flon, Leaf Rapids, Snow Lake, and Thompson

1971

Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School was built. The Selkirk Collegiate becomes Selkirk Jr. High

1971

The Victoria-Ruth Hooker School was renamed Ruth Hooker School

1972

The Marine Museum of Manitoba was established

1972

The annual Christmas dinner’s begun by Elsie Bear at her home were moved to the Selkirk Friendship Centre where over 300 people could be fed each year.

1972

The Adolescent Ward, B-Unit closes at the Selkirk Hospital for Mental Diseases when community-based treatment became more widespread

1973

A new $2 million laundry facility was constructed for the Mental Health Centre and Winnipeg’s three municipal hospitals

1973

The Selkirk Hospital for Mental Diseases changes its name to the Selkirk Mental Health Centre

1975

Gaynor Foods opened

1975

The Selkirk Friendship Centre began construction at the present location

1976

The Marine Museum purchased the C.G.S. Bradbury

 

1977

A new maximum-security federal prison was proposed for near the town. Due to vocal opposition to the proposal, the town council held a referendum on the issue with two to one being in favour of it

1978

The proposed prison was withdrawn due to a drastic restraint program

1978

The Main building at the Selkirk Mental Health Centre is demolished, marking a significant point in the Centre’s history

1979

The Old Post Office was condemned as unfit for human habitation