Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador
Encyclopedia
Marystown is a Canadian
town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
with a population of 5,436 . Situated 306 km from the province's capital, St. John's
, it is on the Burin Peninsula
. Up until the early 1990s, its economy was largely based on shipbuilding, and it is due in part to this that the town experienced a population increase of 295% in just over a decade. The town was also dependent on the fish plant for employment.
Though the shipyard still holds a presence in the town, residents have had to look elsewhere for economic subsistence in the last decade or so. The closure of the fish plants in Newfoundland has also had its hand in the decline in economic subsistence. Mortier Bay
also served a strategic role during the war, and was the site selected to evacuate the Royal Family and regroup the British Navy in the event of German invasion of Britain.
, Sacred Heart Academy, Pearce Junior High, and Donald C. Jamieson Academy. Post secondary institutions include three public trade-colleges, College of the North Atlantic
, and Keyin College.
Marystown's public schools are serviced under the Eastern School District of Newfoundland and Labrador
.
The urban centre is surrounded by rolling hills and densely wooded areas, as a result Marystown is frequented by hunting, fishing, camping and ATV enthusiasts.
Established in 1910, the original edifice, constructed in the early 1900s had to be reconstructed in the mid 1980s due to a fire. In more recent years, the church has received much attention from the news when a family of illegal immigrants from Israel resided there as a place of sanctuary. Alexi and Angela Portnoy and their five children (the three youngest of whom were born in Canada) stayed in the church's basement for a total of 962 days while seeking citizenship status. The family was ultimately deported to Israel, but their supporters vowed to try to help the family to return.
The shipyard consists of two essentially independent facilities, namely the older Marystown portion (built in 1967) and the newer Cow Head facility (built in 1992).
First opening in 1967, Marystown's shipyard existed as the backbone of the economy up until the early 1990s, when the yard was privatized by the provincial government. Today the shipyard is seeing renewed interest as the current owner, Peter Kiewit and Sons, strives to secure contracts for the facility.
The fish plant of Marystown was closed on March 30, 2006 only to re-open nearly a year later June 25, 2007. The cause of the closure was partly due to FPI's rollback on wages by $1.16 to $12.50 an hour. This dispute has not only affected Marystown, but numerous towns throughout Newfoundland, including Fortune and Harbour Breton.
Print
Marystown is the home of The Southern Gazette, a newspaper that covers the entire Burin Peninsula.
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...
town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
with a population of 5,436 . Situated 306 km from the province's capital, St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, it is on the Burin Peninsula
Burin Peninsula
The Burin Peninsula is a Canadian peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
. Up until the early 1990s, its economy was largely based on shipbuilding, and it is due in part to this that the town experienced a population increase of 295% in just over a decade. The town was also dependent on the fish plant for employment.
Though the shipyard still holds a presence in the town, residents have had to look elsewhere for economic subsistence in the last decade or so. The closure of the fish plants in Newfoundland has also had its hand in the decline in economic subsistence. Mortier Bay
Mortier Bay
Mortier Bay is a natural bay on the Burin Peninsula on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is entered through a channel long and wide, at the north end of which the bay opens nearly in diameter with deep water and no anchorage,...
also served a strategic role during the war, and was the site selected to evacuate the Royal Family and regroup the British Navy in the event of German invasion of Britain.
Education
Marystown and surrounding area is home to four public schools, Marystown Central High SchoolMarystown Central High School
Marystown Central High School is a public high school located in Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador.Funded by the federal government, Marystown Central High School was opened in 1972...
, Sacred Heart Academy, Pearce Junior High, and Donald C. Jamieson Academy. Post secondary institutions include three public trade-colleges, College of the North Atlantic
College of the North Atlantic
College of the North Atlantic is the public college of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The enabling legislation is theCollege Act....
, and Keyin College.
Marystown's public schools are serviced under the Eastern School District of Newfoundland and Labrador
Eastern School District of Newfoundland and Labrador
Eastern School District of Newfoundland and Labrador is the de facto school board for the eastern portion of the island of Newfoundland. It covers the following regions:* Avalon East* Avalon West* Burin Peninsula...
.
Sports/community life
Despite being in a province reporting one of the highest obesity rates in Canada, Marystown has sport enthusiasts in disciplines including softball, soccer, swimming, track and field and hockey can find endless outlets to express support or participation in these active groups and clubs. Marystown has many attractions for both residents and visitors:- Seasonal swimming pool
- Professional track and field complex (Home of the Mariners Athletics Club {MAC})
- Two softball diamonds: The Kinsmen Field and The Lions Field
- Soccer pitch (Home to the 2004 Challenge Cup Champions "Marystown UnitedMarystown UnitedMarystown United is a soccer club founded/located in Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador. The soccer club has both a male and a female division which, given successful drafting of a team, can compete annually in the Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup and Newfoundland and Labrador Jubilee Cup...
") - Ice rink/live entertainment complex
- Several scenic walking trails
The urban centre is surrounded by rolling hills and densely wooded areas, as a result Marystown is frequented by hunting, fishing, camping and ATV enthusiasts.
Religion
While the town contains a diverse mixture of churches of varying denominations, the largest of the town is Christian. The information presented from a 2001 census from Statistics Canada indicates that 68% of the population is Roman Catholic.Sacred Heart Parish
www.spsh.caEstablished in 1910, the original edifice, constructed in the early 1900s had to be reconstructed in the mid 1980s due to a fire. In more recent years, the church has received much attention from the news when a family of illegal immigrants from Israel resided there as a place of sanctuary. Alexi and Angela Portnoy and their five children (the three youngest of whom were born in Canada) stayed in the church's basement for a total of 962 days while seeking citizenship status. The family was ultimately deported to Israel, but their supporters vowed to try to help the family to return.
Calvary Pentecost Church
Establishment of the church began in 1956. It was not until 1958 that the first Pentecost church in Marystown was officially completed. Since then there have been three Pentecost churches erected in the Marystown area: the original edifice in 1958, the second in 1974, and the current church that was built in 1995.Seventh-Day Adventist Church
It wasn't until the 1970s that the Seventh Day Adventists established a significant population in Marystown. The construction of the first church began in 1985 along with a Seventh-Day school. Though the construction was completed much earlier, 1987 denotes the official church opening.Shipyard
First opening in 1967, Marystown's shipyard existed as the backbone of the economy up until the early 1990s, when the yard was privatized by the provincial government. Today the shipyard is seeing renewed interest as the current owner, Peter Kiewit and Sons, strives to secure contracts for the facility.
| Name | |
|---|---|
| 1967-1973 | Newfoundland Marine Works Ltd. |
| 1974-1978 | Marystown Shipping Enterprises Ltd. |
| 1979-1997 | Marystown Shipyard Ltd. |
| 1998-2001 | Friede Goldman Ltd. |
| 2002–present | Kiewit Offshore Services |
Fish plant
Upon its opening, the fish plant employed nearly 1,200 workers. Before cutbacks and the closure, the fish plant employed between 650 and 700 people. Fishery Products International (FPI) had cut nearly half of the jobs at the facility before its closure, with a mere 350 seasonal employees left.The fish plant of Marystown was closed on March 30, 2006 only to re-open nearly a year later June 25, 2007. The cause of the closure was partly due to FPI's rollback on wages by $1.16 to $12.50 an hour. This dispute has not only affected Marystown, but numerous towns throughout Newfoundland, including Fortune and Harbour Breton.
Tourist attractions
Attractions to the town include:- Marystown Heritage Museum
- Jerome Walsh's Seamens Museum
- The Shrine of Marymount (statue of the Virgin Mary)
- Marystown Public Library
- Ville Marie Gardens
Shrine of Marymount
The Shrine of Marymount, or The Marymount as it is locally referred to, is one of the largest Marian statues erected in Newfoundland. It stands at fifteen feet tall, and overlooks the entirety of Marystown, sitting at one of the highest points in the area.Radio
Marystown currently receives numerous radio stations including:- AM 740: CHCMCHCMCHCM is an AM radio station located on Villa Marie Dr, Marystown, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, broadcasting at 740 kHz. Owned by Newcap Inc., CHCM first went on the air in 1962. It is an affiliate of VOCM...
("VOCM"), newsNewsNews is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
/talkTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
/country musicCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music... - FM 90.3: CBNMCBN (AM)CIBB-FM Burgeo rebroadcasts programming of CBC Radio One, although it is owned by the Burgeo Broadcasting System.-External links:* * at Canadian Communications Foundation...
, 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... - FM 91.7: CBN-FM-5CBN-FMCBN-FM is a Canadian radio station broadcasting in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador on 106.9 MHz. The station was launched in 1975, just two years before OZ FM...
, CBC Radio 2 - FM 96.3: CHOZCHOZ-FMCJMY and CKMY were previously known as CKCV and CHOS respectively, up to at least 2002. The changes were apparently made to reserve appropriate call signs for "My FM", Newfoundland Broadcasting's proposal for a second FM service, which went before the CRTC later that same year...
("OZFM"), active rockActive rockActive rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:... - FM 99.5: VOAR-2VOAR (AM)VOAR is a Canadian radio station, which airs religious programming in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador on 1210 kHz and various FM frequencies.The station first broadcast in the fall of 1929...
, Christian radioChristian radioChristian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
Television
- Channel 5 - CBNT-3CBNTCBNT-DT, channel 8, is a television station in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It serves as the CBC Television station for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The station went on the air on October 1, 1964, as previous CBC...
, CBC TelevisionCBC 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... - Channel 11 - CJMACJON-TVCJON-DT is a Canadian English language television station broadcasting on channel 21 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, with additional transmitters and cable coverage throughout the province. It is known on-air as NTV, for Newfoundland Television...
, NTVCJON-TVCJON-DT is a Canadian English language television station broadcasting on channel 21 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, with additional transmitters and cable coverage throughout the province. It is known on-air as NTV, for Newfoundland Television... - Channel 24- Family Channel
External links
- Town of Marystown Website
- College Of The North Atlantic Website
- Keyin College
- http://yahooanswers.com More info on Marymount