Recognize St. Vital’s history during Manitoba 150

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/01/2020 (2358 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba will celebrate the 150th anniversary of becoming a province on May 12, 2020, and St Vital has an opportunity to be a part of the celebration and to recognize local heroes and volunteers.

Manitoba 150 has planned events and programs all through 2020, providing opportunities to explore and celebrate local history, people, and places. The province has also launched three funding programs to celebrate the anniversary and to increase awareness: Build 150, to encourage communities to launch legacy programs; Celebrate 150, to support one-time events, such as concerts or festivals; and Honour 150, to recognize the “unsung heroes” of communities across Manitoba.

Honour 150 is accepting nominations of Manitobans whose volunteer work in their communities makes an extraordinary difference, and the deadline is Jan. 31, so take time to recognize and honour local community members who make a difference.

Visit manitoba150.com for nomination forms and for more information, as applications are still being accepted for some programs, with events planned all through 2020.

Other anniversary initiatives include Mural 150, which grants communities with the opportunity to receive a public work of art, and Learn 150. There is even an Explore 150 Manitoba app to download that connects you directly to Manitoba’s history, and the Riel House on River Road is a featured stop.

St. Vital was first settled in the 1820s and was named for Bishop Vital Grandin but there is another St. Vital family that had a significant impact on Manitoban history.

Marie-Anne Lagimodière (née Gaboury), was the maternal grandmother of Louis Riel and was the first European woman on record to settle a home in the Canadian West, in 1807. Her son, Louis Riel Sr., was the “Miller of the Seine,” who was active in the Red River Métis community and operated a mill by a ravine on the Seine River just north of what is now John Bruce Road, and his son, was, of course, leader and rebel Louis Riel Jr.

Another well-known name from St. Vital’s history is Victor Mager, the first reeve of St. Vital, but other early settlers also made a lasting impact on St. Vital, with many streets in old St. Vital named for area landowners, including Berrydale, Sadler, Worthington, and Hindley.

For a glimpse of local history, stop by the St. Vital Museum and Fire Hall at 600 St. Mary’s Rd., or visit the St. Vital Historical Society, which operates the musueum, at www.svhs.ca.

The Society’s goal is to preserve and promote the history of the “City of St. Vital,” and it has many resources that can be viewed by the public, including files and archives, photos and records, as well as household objects, textiles, and tapestries.

Abigail Byle is a community correspondent for St Vital. Follow her on Twitter, @abbyinitio or email her, byle104@gmail.com