Overview and History of Winkler Manitoba
The City of Winkler is a community of 10,000 people on the western edge of Manitoba’s Red River Valley, approximately 120km southwest of Winnipeg. Winkler is a growing community noted for its industrious people, the diversity of agriculture on the rich farmland surrounding the city and its pleasant residential neighborhoods. People in Winkler make their living from agriculture, the many manufacturing industries located in the city, the regional retail sector, and the education and health services of the area. Winkler is known as the industrial and shopping center of South Central Manitoba and serves a market of 65,000 people. The city is governed by a Mayor and six councilors elected by residents. Surrounding Winkler is the Rural Municipality of Stanley, an area of diversified agriculture and dotted with the remaining villages of the Mennonite West Reserve.
Place:
Latitude 49 degrees 10’ North
Longitude 97 degrees 56’ West
Elevation 272 metres
Winkler is located on the beaches of prehistoric glacial Lake Agassiz. The Pembina Escarpment located a few kilometers west formed the shores of the prehistoric glacial lake. Winkler lies just east of a secondary beach formed thousands of years ago by a temporary stalling in the draining of the lake. The Emerado Beach, as this gentle rise in elevation is called, divides the rich soils of the area between coarser textured loamy sand to the west and finer textured clays further east. The sandy soils are suitable for irrigation and produce the area’s potato, corn and bean crops. The finer textured soils produce sugar beets, canola, beans, and corn in addition to small grains.
Climate:
The climate of South Central Manitoba is classic continental in nature with dry cold winters and hot, often dry summers. The average January temperature is –15.6 C while July temperatures average 20 C. The average annual precipitation is 416 mm with most falling in the spring and summer months. The frost-free period is 125 days and the Winkler area receives the most heat units for crop production in the province. Winkler receives 119.7cm of snow annually. Source http://www.cityofwinkler.ca
Box 895
Winkler, MB R6W 4A9
Phone: 204.331.9313
Fax: 204.325.7633
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Winkler's history dates back to 1874 when Russian Mennonites began settling in the area. These first Mennonite inhabitants were part of deeply religious communities, for the most part, but did not establish confessional churches. The first official Mennonite Brethren congregation was founded in Winkler in 1888 as a result of mission work from the United States. In 1892, Winkler was officially founded by Valentine Winkler, a lumber entrepreneur and politician who owned and operated his own lumber business in nearby Morden. Because Winkler's many customers from the Mennonite settlement wanted him to build a market in their vicinity, he persuaded the Canadian Pacific Railway to build a spur route on the northeastern edge of the settlement where Winkler had been established.
Winkler was incorporated as a village on May 9, 1906. By that time, the flourishing village had become home to a number of German, Jewish and Anglo-Saxon merchants. The Mennonites began moving into the village soon after; by World War I, they outnumbered all other groups.
During the 1930s, a large number of Jewish and German merchants emigrated from Winkler, causing a decline in population. However, the village's population increased after World War II, and on April 7, 1954, Winkler was incorporated as a town.
Following a halt in growth during the 1960s, the town's rapid growth in population resumed and continued into the 1990s. On April 7, 2002, Winkler was officially granted city status. The city celebrated its centennial anniversary in summer 2006.
[edit] Geography and climateLocated on the western edge of the Red River Valley, Winkler is located at the corner of provincial highways 14 and 32. It is approximately 100 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg and 70 kilometres northwest of a 24-hour United States border crossing at Emerson.
Winkler is situated on the prehistoric beaches of Lake Agassiz. The lake's shores were formed over 10,000 years ago by the Pembina Escarpment, located a few kilometres west of Winkler. A secondary beach known as the Emerado Beach lies to the west of Winkler. This gentle rise in elevation was formed thousands of years ago when the draining of Lake Agassiz temporarily stalled. Winkler has an elevation of 272 metres above sea level.
The rich soils of the area are separated by the Emerado Beach. Coarser textured loamy sand soils, located to the west, are suitable for irrigation and produce potato, corn and bean crops. To the east, finer textured clay soils produce sugar beets, canola, beans, corn and small grains.
Winkler's climate is typically continental, resulting in dry cold winters and hot, frequently dry summers. Summer temperatures typically range from 20 to 30°C, while winter temperatures average between -15 and -25°C. The Winkler area obtains the most heat units for crop production in Manitoba. Winkler receives an annual average of 416mm of precipitation (most of which falls during the spring and summer months) and 119.7cm of snow. Winkler's average frost-free period is 125 days.
[edit] EconomyWinkler is the economic hub of southern Manitoba. The retail trading area serves an estimated 17,000 households. 4,380 people are employed in Winkler. Approximately 30% of the work force is employed in the industrial sector. The city's second-largest employer, employing 20% of the work force, is the health and education sector.
A number of industries have grown and developed in Winkler throughout the years. One of Winkler's largest employers is Triple E Recreational Vehicles, a recreational vehicle manufacturer and the only class A motor home builder in Canada. Other products manufactured in Winkler include mobile homes, houseboats, farm equipment, windows and doors. Two foundries, a straw fibre plant and a tire recycling plant are also located in Winkler.
Winkler's agricultural sector is one of the most productive and diversified in Manitoba. The area surrounding Winkler is home to rich, fertile soils which are especially suited to growing potatoes. However, many other crops are grown in the area, including wheat, canola, corn and beans. The area's livestock operations also continue to grow; hogs and cattle are raised, while dairy farms contribute to the making of cheese.
Business development in Winkler has boomed in the years since incorporation. On average, the city becomes home to 10-20 new businesses per year. In 2002, 55 new businesses were established in Winkler. The increase in new businesses can be attributed to low taxes, reasonably priced real estate and cooperation between the city and entrepreneurs. One example of this is the recently established Incubator Mall, a city-owned, five office facility that gives new businesses the opportunity to rent office space at moderate rates. Once those businesses outgrow the space, they relocate, making room for new startups.
