Beausejour, Manitoba
Encyclopedia
Beausejour is a town of 2,772 inhabitants in the Canadian province of Manitoba
located in the Rural Municipality of Brokenhead
. It is located 46 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg
just west of the Canadian Shield
and Whiteshell Provincial Park
. The name Beauséjour is French
; it means "beautiful place to live (abide)" in English (beau + séjour).
. In 1909 it was taken over by a Winnipeg businessman, who expanded production to include jars, medicine bottles, and ink bottles. At its peak, the Manitoba Glass Works employed 350 workers, but because of its inability to compete with Eastern Canadian manufacturers, was purchased in 1913 by a Montreal company and relocated to Redcliff, Alberta. The factory site remains, and was designated as a Provincial Heritage Site (number 41) on September 27, 1989.
In 1912, the Town of Beausejour was incorporated.
It is the birthplace of former Provincial Premier and Governor General Edward Schreyer
. Edward Schreyer School is named after him in his honour.
, a popular cottage region
and tourist attraction, allows Beausejour to cater to visitor traffic through the area. It also serves as the main commercial centre for farmers and residents of the surrounding areas.
Beausejour has also hosted the Manitoba Provincial Finals for the Scott Tournament of Hearts, which was held in the Sun Gro Centre.
Beausejour's hockey teams are known as the Blades (up to pee-wee) and the Comets (in bantam and midget). Beausejour's MEHL team is Beausejour Beavers. The Eastman Selects a junior AAA hockey team for the Eastman region plays in the town. Hockey games are played in the Sun Gro Centre, which also has a curling rink.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
located in the Rural Municipality of Brokenhead
Brokenhead, Manitoba
Brokenhead is a rural municipality in the province of Manitoba in Western Canada. The separately administered town of Beausejour lies within the borders of the municipality, south of its centre.- Notable natives or residents :...
. It is located 46 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
just west of the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
and Whiteshell Provincial Park
Whiteshell Provincial Park
Whiteshell Provincial Park is a 2,729 km2 park centrally located in Canada in the province of Manitoba. It can be found in the southeast of the province along the Manitoba-Ontario border, approximately 130 km east of Winnipeg. The park is located in the Canadian Shield region and has many...
. The name Beauséjour is French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
; it means "beautiful place to live (abide)" in English (beau + séjour).
History
In 1906, the "Manitoba Glass Works" was founded, in a town now known as Beausejour, by Joseph Keilback and his partners. Sustained by a nearby deposit of high quality sand, it was the first glass container factory in Western Canada. Glassblowers from Poland and the United States, supported by local labour, used silica sands to produce bottles for breweries and soft drink companies in WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. In 1909 it was taken over by a Winnipeg businessman, who expanded production to include jars, medicine bottles, and ink bottles. At its peak, the Manitoba Glass Works employed 350 workers, but because of its inability to compete with Eastern Canadian manufacturers, was purchased in 1913 by a Montreal company and relocated to Redcliff, Alberta. The factory site remains, and was designated as a Provincial Heritage Site (number 41) on September 27, 1989.
In 1912, the Town of Beausejour was incorporated.
It is the birthplace of former Provincial Premier and Governor General Edward Schreyer
Edward Schreyer
Edward Richard Schreyer , commonly known as Ed Schreyer, is a Canadian politician, diplomat, and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 22nd since Canadian Confederation....
. Edward Schreyer School is named after him in his honour.
Economy
Beausejour's current economy is based on agriculture (grain production) and tourism. Its location as a main access point to the Whiteshell Provincial ParkWhiteshell Provincial Park
Whiteshell Provincial Park is a 2,729 km2 park centrally located in Canada in the province of Manitoba. It can be found in the southeast of the province along the Manitoba-Ontario border, approximately 130 km east of Winnipeg. The park is located in the Canadian Shield region and has many...
, a popular cottage region
Cottage country
Cottage country is a common name in Eastern Canada for areas that are popular locations for recreational properties such as cottages and summer homes. The name is often applied locally; that is, any major population centre may have its own popular "cottage country" area...
and tourist attraction, allows Beausejour to cater to visitor traffic through the area. It also serves as the main commercial centre for farmers and residents of the surrounding areas.
Recreation
The town is home to the Canadian Power Toboggan Championships, the Double B Rodeo and the annual Agricultural Fair.Beausejour has also hosted the Manitoba Provincial Finals for the Scott Tournament of Hearts, which was held in the Sun Gro Centre.
Sports
Beausejour hosted the 2006 Power Smart Manitoba Games. The opening ceremonies were held at the CPTC Racetrack, and the closing ceremonies at the Sun Gro Centre.Beausejour's hockey teams are known as the Blades (up to pee-wee) and the Comets (in bantam and midget). Beausejour's MEHL team is Beausejour Beavers. The Eastman Selects a junior AAA hockey team for the Eastman region plays in the town. Hockey games are played in the Sun Gro Centre, which also has a curling rink.