Parks 50th Celebration

1877
Work in Manitoba began on two sections of what became the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), including the part through the Whiteshell.

1883
The rail line between Winnipeg and Fort William was fully operational.

1895
A federal forest reserve was created at the modern day location of Spruce Woods to conserve the land.

1906
Pinawa Dam produced the first year-round electricity in Manitoba.

1914 -1915
The Canadian Northern Railway opened up Grand Beach for recreation.

1920
The first summer cottages in the Whiteshell were built in Brereton, Nora, Florence, West Hawk and Falcon along rail lines.

1930
Jurisdiction over the province natural resources was transferred from the Dominion of Canada to Manitoba. Single Men’s Relief Fund built roads in the Whiteshell, Turtle Mountain and Duck Mountain areas.

1937
First step made by province in park development - establishment of the Whiteshell Forest Reserve.

1958
(July 19) - The Honourable Duff Roblin, Premier of the Province at that time, officially opened the Falcon Lake Townsite, including the first 9 holes of the golf course.

Rat River Dam was built by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration to create the St. Malo reservoir.

1960
March 26 – Proclamation of Manitoba’s first Provincial Parks Act.

1961
January 1 – The first four provincial parks were designated.

• Duck Mountain
• Grand Beach
• Turtle Mountain
• Whiteshell

Later that year several other provincial parks followed

• Bakers Narrows
• Beaver Creek
• Birch Point
• Burge Lake
• Grand Valley
• Hnausa Beach
• Lundar Beach
• Manipogo
• Margret Bruce
• Moose Lake
• Oak Lake
• Overflowing River
• Patricia Beach
• Poplar Bay
• Rainbow Beach
• Rivers
• Rocky Lake
• St Ambroise
• Wallace Lake
• Watchorn
• William Lake
• Zed Lake

1962

• Clearwater Lake
• Grass River
• St Malo

1964

• Asessippi
• Birds Hill
• Springwater
• Spruce Woods

1965

• Memorial Park

1967
July 15 – Birds Hill Park opened to the public in celebration of Canada’s Centennial

1968
Winnipeg Beach

1969
Hecla Provincial Park was designated

1971

• Paint Lake
• Stephenfield

1972
July 11 – The Provincial Parks Act assented

1974

• Beaudry
• Bell Lake
• Camp Morton
• Elk Island
• Grand Rapids
• Lake St Andrew
• Lake St George
• Marchand
• Neso Lake
• Netley Creek
• Norris Lake
• Pinawa
• Pisew Falls
• Primrose
• Red Deer River
• Sasagui Rapids
• Seton
• Swan River
• Twin Lakes
• Wekusko Falls
• Whitefish Lake
• Whitemouth Falls
• Woodridge

1975
July 26 – Hecla Provincial Park was officially opened

1976
Hyland
Nopiming
St Norbert

1983
Atikaki

1985
Pinawa Dam

1994
Caribou River
Numaykoos Lake

1997
The Provincial Parks Act assented

As part of changes in designation under the new Provincial Parks Act, Hecla and Grindstone provincial parks were combined as the new Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park.

• Lockport
• River Road
• Kettle Stones
• North Steeprock Lake
• Portage Spillway
• Sand Lakes
• Yellow Quill

2001
Pembina Valley

2002
Trappist Monastery

2003
South Atikaki

2004
Manigotagan River
Criddle/Vane Homestead

2008
Duff Roblin
 
2010
50th anniversary of The Provincial Parks Act