Grand Beach (Manitoba)

Grand Beach and Provincial Park in Lake Winnipeg in Fall 2009 Manitoba.

Grand Beach is a freshwater beach located within the Rural Municipality of St. Clements on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. It is located on the northern edge of the town of Grand Marais, Manitoba. Grand Beach is on the historic La Vérendrye Trail.

History

View of Grand Beach in 1920 by L.B. Foote showing the pier, dance hall, carousel, bath houses and boardwalk.

Founded by homesteaders, it was home to a substantial Metis community who were the only settlers until the Canadian Northern Railway built its line and set up the resort along the 'Grand' beach in 1917. After being made accessible by the railway it became a very popular resort for Manitobans.[1] In the early days the grandest of all buildings in the resort was the Dance Pavilion, rated by some as the largest dance hall of its time in the Commonwealth. It was destroyed in a fire in 1950. Along with the incredible beaches the dance hall made Grand Beach a very attractive day trip destination for Winnipeggers in the 1920s. This was made possible by regular train services to Winnipeg, with the last train leaving at midnight.[2]

Sites and attractions

Grand Beach is part of Grand Beach Provincial Park and features 3 km of fine, white sand and is backed by sand dunes that rise up to 12 meters above the beach. A boardwalk at the West end of the beach offers food and shopping. Change rooms and plumbed washrooms are available all along the beach.

Annual events

  • Canada Day Family Festival
  • Grand Marais Family Festival
  • Manitoba Summerfest
  • Beaches Half Marathon

References

  1. Selwood, John; Tonts, Matthew. "A home away from home at Grand Beach, Manitoba" (PDF). Prairie Perspectives. 6 (October 2003): 135–154. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  2. Lemoine, Susan; Barnfather, Tim (1978). Grand Beach: The Grand Old Days (PDF). Winnipeg, Manitoba: Parks Branch, Manitoba Department of Tourism, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. pp. 1–26. Retrieved 23 September 2017.

Coordinates: 50°33′15″N 96°38′00″W / 50.55417°N 96.63333°W / 50.55417; -96.63333

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