Kenora, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Kenora originally named Rat Portage, is a small city
situated on the Lake of the Woods
in Northwestern Ontario
, Canada
, close to the Manitoba
boundary, and about 200 km (124 mi) east of Winnipeg
. It is the seat of Kenora District.
The town of Kenora was amalgamated with the towns of Keewatin and Jaffray Melick in 2000 to form the present-day City of Kenora.
, sighted Lake of the Woods
in 1688. Indigenous peoples
of varying cultures had occupied the area for thousands of years.
Pierre La Vérendrye established a secure French
trading post, Fort St. Charles
, to the south of present-day Kenora near the current Canada/U.S. border in 1732, and France maintained the post until 1763 when it lost the territory to the British
in the Seven Years' War
— until then, it was the most northwesterly settlement of New France
. In 1836 the Hudson's Bay Company
established a post on Old Fort Island, and in 1861, the Company opened a post on the mainland at Kenora's current location.
In 1878, the company surveyed lots for the permanent settlement of Rat Portage ("portage to the country of the muskrat") — the community kept that name until 1905, when it was renamed to Kenora. The name, "Kenora," was coined by combining the first two letters of Keewatin, Norman (two nearby communities) and Rat Portage.
Kenora was once claimed as part of the Province of Manitoba, and there are early references to Rat Portage, Manitoba. There was a long lasting argument between the two provinces known as the Ontario-Manitoba boundary dispute. Each province claimed the town as part of their territory and the dispute lasted from 1870-1884. Although Ottawa had ruled the town part of Manitoba in 1881, the issue was finally taken up with the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
whom eventually decided in Ontario's favour. Kenora officially became part of the province of Ontario in 1889. Boundaries were drawn up for the provinces and the Northwest Angle on Lake of the Woods which definitively drew the borders between Ontario, Manitoba, Canada, and Minnesota
, U.S.A.
Gold and the railroad were both important in the community's early history: gold was first discovered in the area in 1850, and by 1893, 20 mines were operating within 24 km (15 mi) of Rat Portage, and the first Canadian ocean-to-ocean train passed through in 1886 on the Canadian Pacific Railway
. Later, a highway was built through Kenora in 1932, becoming part of Canada's first coast-to-coast highway in 1943, and then part of the Trans-Canada Highway
, placing the community on both of Canada's major transcontinental transportation routes. The original barrier to the completion of the highway concerned the crossing of the Winnipeg River at two locations. The single span arch bridges are among the longest of their type in North America.
Rat Portage was a small town of ill repute with storied brothels collected along the early Canadian Pacific Rail line. Large tracts of land were allocated to Marathon Realty for the purpose of gathering and controlling lands along the railway for commercial and development purposes. Recent excavation of garbage dumps adjacent to the brothels has revealed opium bottles, prescription tranquilizers similar to Lorazepam, champagne bottles, and pickle jars. Early suppliers of patent medicines from Johnson's Pharmacy during that era had products such as Lydia Pinkam's Vegetable Compount, Kickapoo Indian Oil, Dr. Thomas Electric Oil, and many others. During the Prohibition era in the United States, the Lake of the Woods served as a smugglers' route for the transport of Drewery's alcohol.
The Stanley Cup
was won by the Kenora Thistles
hockey team in 1907. The team featured such Hall of Famers as Billy McGimsie
, Tommy Phillips, Roxy Beaudro
, and Art Ross
, for whom the Art Ross Trophy
is named. Kenora is the smallest town to have won a major North American sports title.
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In 1967, the year of the Canadian Centennial
, Kenora erected a sculpture known as Husky the Muskie
. It has become the town's mascot and one of its most recognizable features.
A dramatic bank robbery took place in Kenora on May 10, 1973. An unknown man entered the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce heavily armed and wearing a "dead man's switch
", a device utilising a clothespin, wires, battery and dynamite, where the user holds the clothespin in the mouth, exerting force on the clothespin. Should the user release the clothespin, two wires attached to both sides of the pin complete an electrical circuit, sending current from the battery, detonating the explosives. After robbing the bank, the robber exited the CIBC, and was preparing to enter a city vehicle driven by undercover police officer Don Milliard. A sniper, Robert Letain, positioned across the street, shot the robber, causing the explosives to detonate and kill the robber. Most of the windows on the shops on the main street were shattered as a result of the blast. Recently, Kenora Police submitted DNA samples from the robber's remains to a national database to identify him; however, the suspect was never positively identified.
The importance of the logging industry declined in the second part of the 20th century, and the last log boom was towed into Kenora in 1985. The tourist and recreation industries have become more important.
Keewatin currently forms the western-most section of the City of Kenora. Norman was a small community located half-way between the village of Keewatin and Rat Portage. The Village of Keewatin was founded in 1877 while the Village of Norman was founded in 1892; both communities amalgamated with Rat Portage in 1905 to form the Township of Kenora. Keewatin eventually separated and was founded as a Township in 1908.
The Jaffray Melick neighbourhood currently delineates the north-eastern most section of the City of Kenora. The Township of Jaffray was founded in 1894 and the Township of Melick in 1902; the two townships were amalgamated in 1908 as Jaffray and Melick, and renamed as Jaffray Melick in 1911. Compared to Keewatin, Norman, and Rat Portage, Jaffray Melick is the most rural communities, with few retail stores and one golf course, Beauty Bay, on Black Sturgeon lake.
, tourism
and mining
are the three largest sectors of the Kenora economy. The population balloons in the spring and summer to almost double the normal population when summer residents move in. The Lake of the Woods and numerous smaller lakes situated all around Kenora are the major draw for cottagers who summer here. Many are from the neighbouring province of Manitoba and the state of Minnesota.
Kenora currently has two travel information centers. One is the newly renovated (2011) pavillion, convienently located on the Harbourfront (the blue and grey building on Bernier Dr). The second information Center known as 'The Discovery Center' opened July 22nd 2011, and serves visitors year round from its location at 931 Lake View Drive (just off of highway 17 West aka the Trans Canada highway).
There are various publications available to both visitors and locals to aid them in finding there way around the city, events and every thing Kenora has to offer. A few of these publications include the city map, Kenora's Visitor guide, and the STUFF Magazine.
The city's downtown core has a public arts project, with 20 mural
s depicting the region's history painted on buildings in the business district.
The city is also home to a major international bass
fishing tournament.
Kenora is sometimes stereotyped as an archetypal hoser
community, evidenced by the phrase "Kenora dinner jacket" as a nickname for a hoser's flannel shirt.
The City of Kenora is home to the Lake of the Woods Museum, which has won awards from the Ontario Historical Society for its exhibits. It was called "one of the coolest little museums in Canada" by the CAA. In June 2011, the Museum received another Ontario Historical Society Award for its exhibit, Bakaan nake'ii ngii-izhi-gakinoo'amaagoomin (We Were Taught Differently): The Indian Residential School Experience, based on stories of residential school life told by local residents.
Bands including the Beach Boys featuring John Stamos, Blue Rodeo, Great Big Sea, Paul Brandt, Flock of Seagulls, Sloan, and Collective Soul as well as various other big names have all had shows in Kenora, many under Kenora's Big Tent on the Harbourfront. With the construction of Kenora's New Permanent Tent structure set to be completed in late 2011 many other big names are sure to make an appearance in the near future.
offers passenger service to Redditt
on the CN
transcontinental rail line, approximately 30 minutes and 20 km (12 mi) north of Kenora. The CP
transcontinental rail line passes directly through town.
Kenora Airport
is located 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) east northeast of the city centre.
M.S. Kenora is a cruise located at the waterfront.
Greyhound Lines
offers intercity bus services from the Excel Coach Lines terminal.
Highway 17 passes through Kenora, and the Highway 17A Kenora By-Pass goes around the city. Both routes are designated as part of the Trans-Canada Highway
. Highway 658
extends northerly from Kenora to Redditt.
Kenora Transit
operates three routes, from Monday to Saturday, 7:00am to 6:30pm.
Member of Parliament
Greg Rickford
, and in the Ontario Legislative Assembly by MPP Howard Hampton
, former leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party
.
Kenora has been served by two mayor
s since the municipal amalgamation in 2000. Dave Canfield
served from 2000 until 2006, when he was defeated by Len Compton
in the 2006 municipal election
; Compton did not run in the subsequent 2010 municipal election
, however, and Canfield was re-elected as his successor.
Some residents of Kenora, citing dissatisfaction with the level of government service provided to the region by the provincial government, have proposed that the region secede from Ontario to join the province of Manitoba
. Canfield was the most notable public figure to have endorsed this proposal.
Kenora's hospital provides quality care in the following departments:
Also at the hospital are a Laboratory, CSR Unit, Telehealth Rooms for Telemedicine (the use of cameras and instruments for off-site specialists to consult on a patient case), a Hostel, Diabetes Education, Pharmacy,Cafeteria Dietitian/Nutritionist and Social Services.
LWDH has a staff of approximately 485 full time, part time and casual employees, as well as an active Board which meets monthly.
The Catchment area of LWDH includes Kenora, Sioux Narrows and 10 First Nation Communities with 84 beds and an active Emergency Area.
LWDH is provided with approximately 80% of its operating budget by the Ontario Government. No funding is provided for capital equipment. Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation (LWDHF) works through the year to raise the funds needed to keep LWDH up to date with their equipment and infrastructure. Approximately $500,000 is transferred to LWDH through their fundraising efforts. for more information visit www.lwdhf.com.
Also raising funds for LWDH is a group of primarily ladies called the Lake of the Woods District Hospital Auxiliary. This group is 100% volunteer and they work together to raise funds for the hospital. Their approximate hospital transfers average at $150,000 per year, which is outstanding for the area, and an entirely volunteer-based group.
The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board
operates one high school (Beaver Brae Secondary School
) and 5 elementary schools (Lakewood School, Keewatin Public School, Evergreen School, King George IV School, and Valleyview School).
The Kenora Catholic District School Board
operates one high school (Saint Thomas Aquinas High School) and three elementary schools (École Ste. Marguerite-Bourgeois, Pope John Paul II School and St. Louis School). The elementary school, officially named Pope John Paul II, amalgamated approximately 350 students from the former Mount Carmel and Our Lady of the Valley schools. École Ste. Marguerite-Bourgeois is a French immersion
school.
Confederation College
has a Kenora campus and serves post-secondary and adult education needs in the city and surrounding area.
Housed within the college is Contact North
, which offers Kenora residents local access to university and college programs not directly offered by the college campus. Contact North is Ontario's most extensive distance education network providing access to education and training opportunities in remote locations of Northern Ontario through a network of access centres. Contact North works with 13 colleges and universities.
Ethnic Groups (according to the 2006 Canadian Census):
, one of Canada's smallest daily newspapers. On the weekends, the Lake of the Woods Enterprise is delivered free to area households. NWO Update, offers regional news coverage.
It is also Canada's smallest (and North America's second smallest) television market, with just a single, low-powered local station (CJBN-TV
), and three relays.
CBWAT was once a separate CBC Television station from Winnipeg-based CBWT. It would air basic news, weather and sports from Winnipeg followed by a locally produced current affairs programs. This was discontinued when CBWAT became a repeater of CBWT.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
situated on the Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of...
in Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior, and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the Canadian province of Manitoba, which disputed Ontario's claim to the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, close to the Manitoba
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...
boundary, and about 200 km (124 mi) east 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...
. It is the seat of Kenora District.
The town of Kenora was amalgamated with the towns of Keewatin and Jaffray Melick in 2000 to form the present-day City of Kenora.
History
Kenora's future site was in the territory of the historic Ojibway when the first European, Jacques De NoyonJacques de Noyon
Jacques de Noyon was a French Canadian explorer and coureur des bois. He is the first known European to visit the Boundary Waters region west of Lake Superior.Jacques de Noyon was born on February 12, 1668, in Trois-Rivières, New France...
, sighted Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of...
in 1688. Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
of varying cultures had occupied the area for thousands of years.
Pierre La Vérendrye established a secure French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
trading post, Fort St. Charles
Fort St. Charles
Fort Saint Charles was a secure trading post constructed in 1732, one of several western forts built under the direction of military commander La Vérendrye...
, to the south of present-day Kenora near the current Canada/U.S. border in 1732, and France maintained the post until 1763 when it lost the territory to the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in the Seven Years' War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
— until then, it was the most northwesterly settlement of New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
. In 1836 the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
established a post on Old Fort Island, and in 1861, the Company opened a post on the mainland at Kenora's current location.
In 1878, the company surveyed lots for the permanent settlement of Rat Portage ("portage to the country of the muskrat") — the community kept that name until 1905, when it was renamed to Kenora. The name, "Kenora," was coined by combining the first two letters of Keewatin, Norman (two nearby communities) and Rat Portage.
Kenora was once claimed as part of the Province of Manitoba, and there are early references to Rat Portage, Manitoba. There was a long lasting argument between the two provinces known as the Ontario-Manitoba boundary dispute. Each province claimed the town as part of their territory and the dispute lasted from 1870-1884. Although Ottawa had ruled the town part of Manitoba in 1881, the issue was finally taken up with the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
whom eventually decided in Ontario's favour. Kenora officially became part of the province of Ontario in 1889. Boundaries were drawn up for the provinces and the Northwest Angle on Lake of the Woods which definitively drew the borders between Ontario, Manitoba, Canada, and Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, U.S.A.
Gold and the railroad were both important in the community's early history: gold was first discovered in the area in 1850, and by 1893, 20 mines were operating within 24 km (15 mi) of Rat Portage, and the first Canadian ocean-to-ocean train passed through in 1886 on the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
. Later, a highway was built through Kenora in 1932, becoming part of Canada's first coast-to-coast highway in 1943, and then part of the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
, placing the community on both of Canada's major transcontinental transportation routes. The original barrier to the completion of the highway concerned the crossing of the Winnipeg River at two locations. The single span arch bridges are among the longest of their type in North America.
Rat Portage was a small town of ill repute with storied brothels collected along the early Canadian Pacific Rail line. Large tracts of land were allocated to Marathon Realty for the purpose of gathering and controlling lands along the railway for commercial and development purposes. Recent excavation of garbage dumps adjacent to the brothels has revealed opium bottles, prescription tranquilizers similar to Lorazepam, champagne bottles, and pickle jars. Early suppliers of patent medicines from Johnson's Pharmacy during that era had products such as Lydia Pinkam's Vegetable Compount, Kickapoo Indian Oil, Dr. Thomas Electric Oil, and many others. During the Prohibition era in the United States, the Lake of the Woods served as a smugglers' route for the transport of Drewery's alcohol.
The Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
was won by the Kenora Thistles
Kenora Thistles
The Kenora Thistles were an early amateur men's ice hockey team based in Kenora, Ontario, Canada, formed in 1885 as a senior team by a group of Lake of the Woods lumbermen. The club is notable for winning the Stanley Cup as an amateur team in 1907. The town is the smallest in population to have...
hockey team in 1907. The team featured such Hall of Famers as Billy McGimsie
Billy McGimsie
William George McGimsie was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played for the Rat Portage Thistles and Kenora Thistles. He was born in Woodville, Ontario....
, Tommy Phillips, Roxy Beaudro
Roxy Beaudro
Roxy Francis Beaudro was an American amateur, and later professional ice hockey winger. He was a member of the 1907 Stanley Cup champion Kenora Thistles.-Playing career:...
, and Art Ross
Art Ross
Arthur Howey "Art" Ross was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck up the ice rather than pass it to a forward...
, for whom the Art Ross Trophy
Art Ross Trophy
The Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
is named. Kenora is the smallest town to have won a major North American sports title.
Canadian Centennial
The Canadian Centennial was a year long celebration held in 1967 when Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1. 1967 coins were different from previous years' issues, with animals on each...
, Kenora erected a sculpture known as Husky the Muskie
Husky the Muskie
Husky the Muskie is the nickname of a outdoor sculpture depicting a muskellunge in Kenora, Ontario's McLeod Park.The first Huskie was constructed in 1967 as a potential Canadian Centennial project by Jules Horvath and Bob Selway from Deluxe Signs and Displays under the direction of the Kenora...
. It has become the town's mascot and one of its most recognizable features.
A dramatic bank robbery took place in Kenora on May 10, 1973. An unknown man entered the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce heavily armed and wearing a "dead man's switch
Dead man's switch
A dead man's switch is a switch that is automatically operated in case the human operator becomes incapacitated, such as through death or loss of consciousness....
", a device utilising a clothespin, wires, battery and dynamite, where the user holds the clothespin in the mouth, exerting force on the clothespin. Should the user release the clothespin, two wires attached to both sides of the pin complete an electrical circuit, sending current from the battery, detonating the explosives. After robbing the bank, the robber exited the CIBC, and was preparing to enter a city vehicle driven by undercover police officer Don Milliard. A sniper, Robert Letain, positioned across the street, shot the robber, causing the explosives to detonate and kill the robber. Most of the windows on the shops on the main street were shattered as a result of the blast. Recently, Kenora Police submitted DNA samples from the robber's remains to a national database to identify him; however, the suspect was never positively identified.
The importance of the logging industry declined in the second part of the 20th century, and the last log boom was towed into Kenora in 1985. The tourist and recreation industries have become more important.
Community
In addition to the formerly separate towns of Keewatin and Jaffray Melick, the city also includes the neighbourhoods of Norman, Rabbit Lake, Rideout, Pinecrest, Minto and Lakeside.Keewatin currently forms the western-most section of the City of Kenora. Norman was a small community located half-way between the village of Keewatin and Rat Portage. The Village of Keewatin was founded in 1877 while the Village of Norman was founded in 1892; both communities amalgamated with Rat Portage in 1905 to form the Township of Kenora. Keewatin eventually separated and was founded as a Township in 1908.
The Jaffray Melick neighbourhood currently delineates the north-eastern most section of the City of Kenora. The Township of Jaffray was founded in 1894 and the Township of Melick in 1902; the two townships were amalgamated in 1908 as Jaffray and Melick, and renamed as Jaffray Melick in 1911. Compared to Keewatin, Norman, and Rat Portage, Jaffray Melick is the most rural communities, with few retail stores and one golf course, Beauty Bay, on Black Sturgeon lake.
Economy
ForestryForestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
are the three largest sectors of the Kenora economy. The population balloons in the spring and summer to almost double the normal population when summer residents move in. The Lake of the Woods and numerous smaller lakes situated all around Kenora are the major draw for cottagers who summer here. Many are from the neighbouring province of Manitoba and the state of Minnesota.
Tourism
Kenora, a natural attraction is home to visitors from all over the world year round. In the summer months visitors flock to the area to experience many different opportunities including, swimming, biking, fishing, boat rentals and tours, hiking as well as many other events and activities. Kenora's tourist industry is also active during the winter months as visitors come not only to observe its natural beauty but also to partake in ice fishing, snow boarding, skiing (both down hill and cross country) and snowmachining to name a few.Kenora currently has two travel information centers. One is the newly renovated (2011) pavillion, convienently located on the Harbourfront (the blue and grey building on Bernier Dr). The second information Center known as 'The Discovery Center' opened July 22nd 2011, and serves visitors year round from its location at 931 Lake View Drive (just off of highway 17 West aka the Trans Canada highway).
There are various publications available to both visitors and locals to aid them in finding there way around the city, events and every thing Kenora has to offer. A few of these publications include the city map, Kenora's Visitor guide, and the STUFF Magazine.
Climate
Culture
The city's most prominent cultural venue is the downtown Harbourfront, a park on the shore of Lake of the Woods which hosts the city's annual winter and summer festivals, as well as concert series, and other special events. The Harbourfront is also the docking point for the M/S Kenora, a small cruise ship which offers a guided tour of the lake. It has a mascot, Husky the Muskie.The city's downtown core has a public arts project, with 20 mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
s depicting the region's history painted on buildings in the business district.
The city is also home to a major international bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
fishing tournament.
Kenora is sometimes stereotyped as an archetypal hoser
Hoser
Hoser is both a slang term and a stereotype, originating from and used primarily in Canada. It is not often used by Canadians, but it is sometimes used as "typical" Canadian slang by those imitating Canadians, similar to the expression "eh?" The term "hoser" gained popularity from the comedic skits...
community, evidenced by the phrase "Kenora dinner jacket" as a nickname for a hoser's flannel shirt.
The City of Kenora is home to the Lake of the Woods Museum, which has won awards from the Ontario Historical Society for its exhibits. It was called "one of the coolest little museums in Canada" by the CAA. In June 2011, the Museum received another Ontario Historical Society Award for its exhibit, Bakaan nake'ii ngii-izhi-gakinoo'amaagoomin (We Were Taught Differently): The Indian Residential School Experience, based on stories of residential school life told by local residents.
Bands including the Beach Boys featuring John Stamos, Blue Rodeo, Great Big Sea, Paul Brandt, Flock of Seagulls, Sloan, and Collective Soul as well as various other big names have all had shows in Kenora, many under Kenora's Big Tent on the Harbourfront. With the construction of Kenora's New Permanent Tent structure set to be completed in late 2011 many other big names are sure to make an appearance in the near future.
Transportation
Via RailVIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
offers passenger service to Redditt
Redditt, Ontario
Redditt is an unincorporated community in Unorganized Kenora District in northwestern Ontario, Canada. It is on the MacFarlane River, and located at the northern terminus of Ontario Highway 658, north of Kenora...
on the CN
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
transcontinental rail line, approximately 30 minutes and 20 km (12 mi) north of Kenora. The CP
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
transcontinental rail line passes directly through town.
Kenora Airport
Kenora Airport
Kenora Airport, , is located east northeast of Kenora, Ontario, Canada. The airport is classified as an airport of entry by NAV CANADA and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency. CBSA officers at this airport currently can handle general aviation aircraft with no more than 15...
is located 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) east northeast of the city centre.
M.S. Kenora is a cruise located at the waterfront.
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
offers intercity bus services from the Excel Coach Lines terminal.
Highway 17 passes through Kenora, and the Highway 17A Kenora By-Pass goes around the city. Both routes are designated as part of the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
. Highway 658
Highway 658 (Ontario)
Secondary Highway 658, commonly referred to as Highway 658, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The highway extends between the city of Kenora and the community of Redditt. For a decade, Highway 658 was numbered as Highway 666, leading to numerous sign thefts...
extends northerly from Kenora to Redditt.
Kenora Transit
Kenora Transit
Kenora Transit is a small public transportation system in the city of Kenora in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, close to the Manitoba border and less than east of Winnipeg. Service consists of three bus routes which operate between 7:00am and 6:30pm on weekdays, with a later start on Saturdays....
operates three routes, from Monday to Saturday, 7:00am to 6:30pm.
Politics
Kenora is represented at in the House of Commons by ConservativeConservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Greg Rickford
Greg Rickford
Greg Rickford is a Canadian politician. Rickford was elected to represent the Ontario electoral district of Kenora in the 2008 Canadian federal election....
, and in the Ontario Legislative Assembly by MPP Howard Hampton
Howard Hampton
Howard George Hampton, MPP is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He has served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada, since 1987 as the Member of Provincial Parliament from the northern riding of Kenora—Rainy River. A member of the Ontario New Democratic Party, he was also the party's...
, former leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
.
Kenora has been served by two mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
s since the municipal amalgamation in 2000. Dave Canfield
Dave Canfield
David S. Canfield is a Canadian politician, who served as the mayor of Kenora, Ontario from 2000 to 2006 and was re-elected to a new term of office in 2010. Formerly the mayor of Jaffray Melick, Canfield was elected mayor of the newly amalgamated city in 2000. Prior to being mayor he was a loader...
served from 2000 until 2006, when he was defeated by Len Compton
Len Compton
Len Compton is a Canadian politician who served as mayor of Kenora, Ontario from 2006 to 2010.A lawyer who retired from practice in 2001, Compton served on Kenora's municipal council from 2003 to 2006...
in the 2006 municipal election
Ontario municipal elections, 2006
In the 2006 municipal elections in Ontario, voters in the province of Ontario, elected mayors, councillors, school board trustees and all other elected officials in all of Ontario's municipalities. These elections were regulated by the .- Date :...
; Compton did not run in the subsequent 2010 municipal election
Ontario municipal elections, 2010
The 2010 municipal elections in Ontario were held on October 25, 2010.Voters in the province of Ontario elected mayors, councillors, school board trustees and all other elected officials in all of the province's municipalities....
, however, and Canfield was re-elected as his successor.
Some residents of Kenora, citing dissatisfaction with the level of government service provided to the region by the provincial government, have proposed that the region secede from Ontario to join the province of Manitoba
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...
. Canfield was the most notable public figure to have endorsed this proposal.
Health Care
Kenora's hospital, Lake of the Woods District Hospital, has three facilities in the City of Kenora. The Hospital itself, Morningstar Rehabilitation Centre, and Counselling Services, located in St. Joseph's Health Centre. St. Joseph's also hosts the Northwestern Health Unit, which provides care to the community including a Sexual Health Clinic and Vaccine Administration.Kenora's hospital provides quality care in the following departments:
- Diagnostic Imaging: Ultrasound, X-Ray, Mammography etc.
- Maternity/Obstetrics
- Physio,Occupational, Speech and Respiratory Therapy
- EKG/ECG
- Surgical
- Chronic/Palliative Care
- Psychiatry
- Dialysis
- Chemotherapy/Cancer Care
- I.C.U.
Also at the hospital are a Laboratory, CSR Unit, Telehealth Rooms for Telemedicine (the use of cameras and instruments for off-site specialists to consult on a patient case), a Hostel, Diabetes Education, Pharmacy,Cafeteria Dietitian/Nutritionist and Social Services.
LWDH has a staff of approximately 485 full time, part time and casual employees, as well as an active Board which meets monthly.
The Catchment area of LWDH includes Kenora, Sioux Narrows and 10 First Nation Communities with 84 beds and an active Emergency Area.
LWDH is provided with approximately 80% of its operating budget by the Ontario Government. No funding is provided for capital equipment. Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation (LWDHF) works through the year to raise the funds needed to keep LWDH up to date with their equipment and infrastructure. Approximately $500,000 is transferred to LWDH through their fundraising efforts. for more information visit www.lwdhf.com.
Also raising funds for LWDH is a group of primarily ladies called the Lake of the Woods District Hospital Auxiliary. This group is 100% volunteer and they work together to raise funds for the hospital. Their approximate hospital transfers average at $150,000 per year, which is outstanding for the area, and an entirely volunteer-based group.
Education
Two school boards and a community college function in the Kenora Area.The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board
Keewatin-Patricia District School Board
The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board oversees public education in the Kenora District of northwestern Ontario. Its jurisdiction includes a geographic area of 6,565 km² from the Manitoba border to roughly the western tip of Lake Superior....
operates one high school (Beaver Brae Secondary School
Beaver Brae Secondary School
Beaver Brae is a small secondary school situated in Kenora, Ontario, Canada.Beaver Brae Secondary School is home to grades nine through twelve and over 65 staff members...
) and 5 elementary schools (Lakewood School, Keewatin Public School, Evergreen School, King George IV School, and Valleyview School).
The Kenora Catholic District School Board
Kenora Catholic District School Board
Kenora Catholic District School Board is a Roman Catholic school system in Kenora, Ontario, Canada dedicated to excellence in education, the Christian formation of youth, and strong partnerships with parents and the church. They are the only school board west of Thunder Bay with a dual track French...
operates one high school (Saint Thomas Aquinas High School) and three elementary schools (École Ste. Marguerite-Bourgeois, Pope John Paul II School and St. Louis School). The elementary school, officially named Pope John Paul II, amalgamated approximately 350 students from the former Mount Carmel and Our Lady of the Valley schools. École Ste. Marguerite-Bourgeois is a French immersion
French immersion
French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which a child who does not speak French as his or her first language receives instruction in school in French...
school.
Confederation College
Confederation College
Confederation College is a provincially funded college of applied arts and technology located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1967, and has area campuses in Dryden, Fort Frances, Geraldton, Kenora, Marathon, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake and Wawa. The college, with its area...
has a Kenora campus and serves post-secondary and adult education needs in the city and surrounding area.
Housed within the college is Contact North
Contact North
Contact North is Ontario's most extensive distance education network. Contact North provides access to education and training opportunities to secondary and post-secondary students Northern Ontario, Canada through distance education.Through a network of 94 access centres in Northern Ontario and...
, which offers Kenora residents local access to university and college programs not directly offered by the college campus. Contact North is Ontario's most extensive distance education network providing access to education and training opportunities in remote locations of Northern Ontario through a network of access centres. Contact North works with 13 colleges and universities.
Demographics
Kenora had a population of 15,177 people in 2006, which was a decrease of 4.2% from the 2001 census count. The median household income in 2005 for Kenora was $59,946, which is slightly below the Ontario provincial average of $60,455.| Census | Population |
|---|---|
| 1891 | 1,806 |
| 1901 | 5,202 |
| 1911 | 6,158 |
| 1921 | 5,407 |
| 1931 | 6,766 |
| 1941 | 7,672 |
| 1951 | 8,695 |
| 1961 | 10,904 |
| 1971 | 10,952 |
| 1981 | 9,817 |
| 1991 | 9,782 |
| 2001 | 15,838 |
| 2006 | 15,177 |
Ethnic Groups (according to the 2006 Canadian Census):
- WhiteWhite peopleWhite people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
: 83.2 - AboriginalAboriginal peoples in CanadaAboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
: 15.8 - Others: 0.9
Media
The major news source in Kenora is the Kenora Daily Miner and NewsKenora Daily Miner and News
The Kenora Daily Miner and News is a daily publication based in Kenora, Ontario. The Miner and News publishes its broadsheet paid circulation daily Tuesday through Friday, and its tabloid publication Lake of the Woods Enterprise is delivered free throughout the region every Saturday...
, one of Canada's smallest daily newspapers. On the weekends, the Lake of the Woods Enterprise is delivered free to area households. NWO Update, offers regional news coverage.
It is also Canada's smallest (and North America's second smallest) television market, with just a single, low-powered local station (CJBN-TV
CJBN-TV
CJBN-TV, channel 13, is a television station based in Kenora, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with the CTV network. It can also be seen on cable TV channel 4 in the Kenora area, as well as on the Bell TV and Shaw Direct satellite services. The station adopted the CJTV brand in the early 2000s, but...
), and three relays.
Radio
- FM 89.5 - CJRL-FMCJRL-FMCJRL-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 89.5 FM in Kenora, Ontario. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary format as 89.5 The Lake....
("Mix FM"), adult contemporary - FM 93.5 - CKSB-7-FMCKSB (AM)CKSB is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 1050 AM and 90.5 FM in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is an affiliate of Radio-Canada's Première Chaîne network.-History:...
, Première Chaîne (relays CKSB, WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg 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...
) - FM 98.7 - CBQX-FMCBQT-FMCBQT-FM is a Canadian radio station. It is the CBC Radio One station in Thunder Bay, Ontario, broadcasting at 88.3 FM, and serves all of Northwestern Ontario through a network of relay transmitters.-History:...
, CBC Radio OneCBC Radio OneCBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
(relays CBQT-FM, Thunder BayThunder Bay-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
) - FM 104.5 - CKQV-FM-2CKQV-FMCKQV-FM is a radio station in Vermilion Bay, Ontario, Canada. The station's main studio and transmitter are located in Vermilion Bay, with repeaters in Kenora, Dryden and Sioux Lookout. Branded as Q104 after its repeaters, the station was locally owned and operated by Norwesto Communications.The...
("Q104"), hot adult contemporary (relays CKQV-FM, Vermilion BayVermilion Bay, OntarioVermilion Bay is an unincorporated community on Vermilion Bay on Eagle Lake in the township of Machin, Kenora District in northwestern Ontario, Canada. It is located on Ontario Highway 17 between the cities of Kenora to the west and Dryden to the east.-Recreation:Fishing is a popular activity for...
)
Television
- Channel 2: CBWFT-7CBWFTCBWFT is Radio-Canada's French language television station in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is broadcast locally on channel 3 cable 10, and on Bell TV channel 118.-History:...
- (Radio-CanadaTélévision de Radio-CanadaTélévision de Radio-Canada is a Canadian French language television network. It is owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, known in French as Société Radio-Canada. Headquarters are at Maison Radio-Canada in Montreal, which is also home to the network's flagship station, CBFT-DT...
; relays CBWFT, Winnipeg) - Channel 8: CBWATCBWTCBWT is the CBC's television station in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is the only CBC station in Manitoba, since Brandon's CKX-TV closed on October 2, 2009....
- (CBCCBC TelevisionCBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
; relays CBWT, Winnipeg) - Channel 13: CJBN-TVCJBN-TVCJBN-TV, channel 13, is a television station based in Kenora, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with the CTV network. It can also be seen on cable TV channel 4 in the Kenora area, as well as on the Bell TV and Shaw Direct satellite services. The station adopted the CJTV brand in the early 2000s, but...
- (CTVCTV television networkCTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
/GlobalGlobal Television NetworkGlobal Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
) - Channel 44: CICO-TV-91 - (TVOntarioTVOntarioTVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
relay)
CBWAT was once a separate CBC Television station from Winnipeg-based CBWT. It would air basic news, weather and sports from Winnipeg followed by a locally produced current affairs programs. This was discontinued when CBWAT became a repeater of CBWT.
Notable people
- Gary BergmanGary BergmanGary Gunnar Bergman was a professional ice hockey defenceman playing in the NHL mostly for the Detroit Red Wings...
- former NHL and Team Canada 1972 player - Glory Annen ClibberyGlory Annen ClibberyGlory Annen Clibbery is a Canadian actress, who is well known for her involvement in a landmark Family Law case in London, Allan v. Clibbery.-Career:Clibbery was born in Kenora, Ontario, Canada...
- actress - Ralph ConnorRalph ConnorRev. Dr. Charles William Gordon, or Ralph Connor, was a Canadian novelist, using the Connor pen name while maintaining his status as a Church leader, first in the Presbyterian and later the United churches in Canada. Gordon was also at one time a master at Upper Canada College...
- writer - Tim CoulisTim CoulisTimothy W. Coulis is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward. Selected in the 1978 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, Coulis also played for the Minnesota North Stars.-External links:*...
- former NHL player - Phil EylerPhil EylerPhil Eyler is a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He was a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1981 to 1986....
- politician - Silas Griffis - Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
r - Robert HillesRobert HillesRobert Hilles is a Canadian poet and novelist who lives on Salt Spring Island with his partner, novelist Pearl Luke.Born in Kenora, Ontario, Hilles studied at the University of Calgary, earning a BA in Psychology and English in 1976...
- poet - Tom Hooper - Hockey Hall of Famer
- Kyle KochKyle KochKyle Koch is a professional Canadian football offensive linemen currently with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was originally signed by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played CIS Football for the McMaster Marauders.-External links:*...
- CFLer, Offensive Guard (Edmonton EskimosEdmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
) - Victor Lindquist - Olympic hockey gold medal winner (1932), two-time world gold medalist (1931 and 1935) and Olympic Swedish coach (1936)
- Tom PhillipsTom Phillips (ice hockey)Thomas Neil Phillips was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger. Like other players of the time, Ross played for several different teams and leagues, and is most notable for his time with the Kenora Thistles; he also played with the Montreal Hockey Club, the Ottawa Hockey Club, the Toronto...
- Hockey Hall of Famer - Mike RichardsMike RichardsMichael Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . He previously played for and was captain of the Philadelphia Flyers.-Early years:...
- Former Team Canada Captain and NHL player currently playing for the Los Angeles KingsLos Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... - Rick St. CroixRick St. CroixRichard St. Croix is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently one of the assistant coaches of the AHL's Manitoba Moose. He was a 4th round NHL draft pick, as were his two sons.-Playing career:St...
- former NHL goaltender and coach. - Currently runs the Rick St. Croix School of Goaltending, Winnipeg, MB - Jacques SchyrgensJacques SchyrgensJacques Schyrgens born in Elsene, Belgium 1923 is a Belgian-Canadian painter and illustrator.His Father was Antoine Schyrgens , architect, draftsman, painter, teacher and a founder of he the Beaux Arts Academy in Ostend...
- painter - Mike SmithMike Smith (decathlon)Michael "Mike" Cameron Smith is a Canadian decathlete from Kenora, Ontario.-Biography:He attended Pinecrest Elementary School, Lakewood Intermediate School, Beaver Brae Secondary School and then Central Technical School in Toronto for his final year of high school.Smith attended the University of...
- Canadian silver medalist in the decathlon at the 1991 World Championships - Tim & Deanna TreadwayPioneer Quest: A Year in the Real WestPioneer Quest: A Year in the Real West was Canadian documentary television series which aired on History Television and the Public Broadcasting Service in 2001. It is the first entry of producer Jamie Brown's "Quest series" which includes Quest for the Bay , Klondike: The Quest for Gold and Quest...
- Pioneers for a year in the TV show Pioneer QuestPioneer Quest: A Year in the Real WestPioneer Quest: A Year in the Real West was Canadian documentary television series which aired on History Television and the Public Broadcasting Service in 2001. It is the first entry of producer Jamie Brown's "Quest series" which includes Quest for the Bay , Klondike: The Quest for Gold and Quest...
.