Stonewall, Manitoba

Stonewall is a town in the Canadian province of Manitoba with a population of 4,809 as of the 2016 census.[4] The town is situated approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of Winnipeg on PTH 67. It is known for its limestone quarries. The local festival is the Quarry Days which is usually held over three days in August on Main Street. The town is surrounded by the R.M. of Rockwood.

Stonewall, Manitoba
Town
Stonewall, Manitoba
Location of Stonewall in Manitoba
Coordinates: 50°08′04″N 97°19′34″W
Country Canada
Province Manitoba
RegionWinnipeg Metro Region
Rural MunicipalityRockwood
Established1878[1]
Incorporated (Village)1906[2]
Incorporated (Town)1908[2]
Government
 • MayorClive Hinds[3]
Area
 • Total5.99 km2 (2.31 sq mi)
Population
 (2016 Census)[4]
 • Total4,809
 • Density802.8/km2 (2,079/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Postal Code
R0C 2Z0
Area code(s)Area codes 204 and 431
Websitewww.stonewall.ca

History
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1901589—    
19111,005+70.6%
19211,112+10.6%
19311,031−7.3%
19411,020−1.1%
19511,040+2.0%
19611,420+36.5%
19963,689+159.8%
20014,012+8.8%
20064,376+9.1%
20114,536+3.7%
20164,809+6.0%
[5][6][7][4]

When the last ice age retreated, as well as the prairies, escarpments such as Riding Mountain were left behind. In addition to these, smaller elevations were left behind such as Stony Mountain and Stonewall. It is believed that these escarpments were used as look-outs by early hunters approximately 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. These formations were later used as buffalo jumps by the indigenous populations.[8]

Stonewall was founded by Samuel Jacob Jackson in 1878, after he acquired the land the town is built upon in 1875. However, Jackson did not move to Stonewall himself until 1881.[1]

In the early 1880s, the quarry opened with the focus of their operation being the production of quicklime.[9] During the peak times of the quarry, large amounts of dynamite was used for blasting the rock. The dynamite was kept in the powder magazine which has since been rebuilt near the entrance to Stonewall Quarry Park.[10]

On June 30, 1880, the railway line between Winnipeg and Victoria Junction, 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Stonewall, was completed. The construction of the line continued west passing through Stonewall, Hanlan and Meadow Lea before turning south-west towards Portage la Prairie during the summer of 1880. The transcontinental line was originally planned to pass through Selkirk, but was actually built through Winnipeg following heavy lobbying from the city. The line west of Stonewall was therefore rebuilt through Rosser. The line north-west from Stonewall was subsequently extended through Teulon, Komarno before eventually reaching Arborg in 1910.[11] In 2008, the RM of Rockwood decided that there was no purpose left with the line. With the city of Winnipeg's help the line was taken out.

The present town hall was built in 1912 using local limestone.[12]

Following the closure of the quarry, Kinsmen Lake was developed on the site and opened to the public on August 10, 1956. The lake has become a popular location for locals and visitors to the town.[13] In 1983, the town council initiated a project to develop the former quarry site around Kinsmen Lake into a historical site and natural area.[8]

Education

Stonewall is situated in the Interlake school division and is served by three schools:

  • École R. W. Bobby Bend School offers a dual-track (French Immersion and English)kindergarten to grade 4 students;
  • École Stonewall Centennial School offers a dual-track program for grade 5 to 8 students; and
  • Stonewall Collegiate Institute offers classes for grades 9-12.

Government

Municipal

Stonewall is represented by a Head of Council (Mayor), a Deputy Mayor and three councillors. The current incumbents of the positions are:

  • Mayor: Clive Hinds[14]
  • Council: Peter Bullivant, Blair Good, Walter Badger, Jackie Luellman[14]

The percentage of voter turnout was 33.34% (1201 of 3602 voters) for the Municipal election held on Wednesday, October 22, 2014. The turnout was higher in the 2018 Municipal election with a turnout in the Mayoral votes estimated at 41.8%.

Provincial

Stonewall is located in the Riding of Lakeside of Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and is currently represented by Ralph Eichler of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba.

Federal

Stonewall is located in the Selkirk—Interlake electoral district which returns one Member of Parliament who currently is James Bezan of the Conservative Party of Canada.

The Winnipeg-Interlake division of the Senate is represented by Janis Johnson who was appointed by Brian Mulroney and who is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Climate

Stonewall experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb[15]) with warm to hot summers and cold winters

Climate data for Stonewall
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 6
(43)		 6.7
(44.1)		 18.3
(64.9)		 35.5
(95.9)		 38.5
(101.3)		 37.2
(99.0)		 37.8
(100.0)		 38.5
(101.3)		 39
(102)		 28.9
(84.0)		 24.4
(75.9)		 8.9
(48.0)		 39
(102)
Average high °C (°F) −13.1
(8.4)		 −9
(16)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 10.3
(50.5)		 19.7
(67.5)		 23.6
(74.5)		 26
(79)		 24.9
(76.8)		 18.7
(65.7)		 10.8
(51.4)		 −0.9
(30.4)		 −10.3
(13.5)		 8.3
(46.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) −18.4
(−1.1)		 −14.4
(6.1)		 −6.8
(19.8)		 4.1
(39.4)		 12.5
(54.5)		 16.9
(62.4)		 19.3
(66.7)		 18.1
(64.6)		 12.3
(54.1)		 5.2
(41.4)		 −5.2
(22.6)		 −15.3
(4.5)		 2.4
(36.3)
Average low °C (°F) −23.5
(−10.3)		 −19.9
(−3.8)		 −12
(10)		 −2.2
(28.0)		 5.2
(41.4)		 10.3
(50.5)		 12.6
(54.7)		 11.2
(52.2)		 5.9
(42.6)		 −0.4
(31.3)		 −9.5
(14.9)		 −20.4
(−4.7)		 −3.6
(25.5)
Record low °C (°F) −41.7
(−43.1)		 −42.8
(−45.0)		 −41.1
(−42.0)		 −26.3
(−15.3)		 −13.3
(8.1)		 −2.5
(27.5)		 2.2
(36.0)		 −2.8
(27.0)		 −7.8
(18.0)		 −20
(−4)		 −37.5
(−35.5)		 −38
(−36)		 −42.8
(−45.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 24
(0.9)		 17.6
(0.69)		 24.3
(0.96)		 32
(1.3)		 55.3
(2.18)		 93.7
(3.69)		 67.9
(2.67)		 64.8
(2.55)		 55.1
(2.17)		 41.7
(1.64)		 24.2
(0.95)		 18.9
(0.74)		 519.6
(20.46)
Source: Environment Canada[16]

Sports

Stonewall is home to the Stonewall Jets of the MMJHL and the Stonewall Rams of the WHSHL.

Stonewall has two Hockey rinks: the Stonewall Arena (Ice Palace) and the Veterans Memorial Sports Complex. The only curling rink is the Sunova Credit Union Curling Rink.

Stonewall has a senior baseball team named the Stonewall Blue Jays.

Attractions

Stonewall Quarry Park
Main article: Stonewall Quarry Park
Old Quarry Park Interpretive Centre (as seen 3 months before it burned down). A new one was opened on the fourth anniversary of the fire

The Stonewall Quarry Park has been maintained as a natural area on the edge of town and provides picnic facilities and walking trails for visitors and residents alike. The nine baseball diamonds are available for hire and have been used for the Blue Jays Cups in 1997 and 1998, the Pan Am Games in 1999 and the Western Canada Summer Games in 2003. There is also a campsite and swimming available in Kinsmen Lake. Stonewall Quarry Park also displays the many aspects of limestone production. There was a museum and visitor centre, however these were destroyed by fire in the early hours of November 11, 2007. The new interpretive centre was opened in fall 2011.[17]

Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre

Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre is a 36 km2 (14 sq mi) restored prairie marsh featuring artesian springs, aspen-oak bluff, waterfowl lure crop, tall-grass prairie and 30 kilometres (19 mi) of trails. The marsh is home to mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and invertebrates. During the migration season, the number of waterfowl using the marsh can exceed 400,000 a day.[18]

The Stonewall Post Office

The Stonewall Post Office is an example of the prairie style of architecture which was popular between late 19th and early 20th century. It was built in 1914 using local limestone and used as a post office until 1979.[19] The Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association was founded at the previous Stonewall post office in 1902.[20]

Notable people
  • Alan Arnett McLeod - Stonewall born recipient of the Victoria Cross for actions performed in the skies above the town of Albert, France during the First World War
  • William Kurelek, painter, Member of the Order of Canada, raised on a farm near Stonewall
  • Eva Paulsen - 107 years old - mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great Grandmother
  • Holly Letkeman Professional wrestler signed to Impact! Wrestling under the ring-name Rosemary
  • Joey Dandeneau Drummer in Canadian rock band Theory of a Deadman

See also

References
  1. Town of Stonewall (2004). "Town Founder". stonewall.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-30.
  2. Rural Municipality of Rockwood. "History of Rockwood". rockwood.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-30.
  3. https://mbvotes.ca/
  4. "Census Profile". 2016 Census. Statistics Canada.
  5. , Censuses 1871-1931
  6. , Census 1941-1951
  7. , Census 1961
  8. Robert Coutts (1985). "The Quarry Park at Stonewall, Manitoba". Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  9. Town of Stonewall (2004). "The Quarries". stonewall.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  10. Town of Stonewall (2004). "The Powder Magazine". stonewall.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  11. Town of Stonewall (2004). "The Railroad". stonewall.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  12. Town of Stonewall (2004). "The Town Hall". stonewall.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  13. Town of Stonewall (2004). "Kinsmen Lake". stonewall.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  14. "2018 Manitoba Municipal Elections". mbvotes.ca. Retrieved 2018-10-25.
  15. "Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification" (PDF). University of Melbourne. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  16. Environment Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 3 June 2010
  17. "Fire destroys Stonewall landmark, artifacts". CBC. November 12, 2007. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
  18. Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre (2007). "About Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre". oakhammockmarsh.ca. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  19. Travel Manitoba (2007). "Stonewall Post Office (PHS)". travelmanitoba.com. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  20. "About us". CPAA. Archived from the original on 2010-11-30. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
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