It was a beautiful mid-August day in 1940. My brother Robert and I were standing with our parents on the southeast corner of Third and Lady of the Lake Street, visiting with my aunt and uncle, Hannes and Sophie. They were excitedly telling us that they had just bought the corner property. It was to be their dream home at 97 Third Avenue. Fishing had been good that summer and despite there being a war on, they were determined to build. I thought that they were lucky to have a train run right by their new home. Nothing much happened in Gimli in those days, but the train always brought something interesting, even if it was just the news.

The CPR had come to Gimli reluctantly in 1906. As Bruce Cherney points out in his wondrous article, “Railway Comes to Gimli” (Winnipeg Real Estate News), the CPR was quite content to end their line at Winnipeg Beach, and there was significant arm twisting and political intervention that went on to finally get the CPR to extend the line north to Gimli. The article linked just below is a must read.

https://www.winnipegregionalrealestatenews.com/publications/real-estate-news/715)

As it turned out, the CPR line to Gimli turned out to be very profitable. I can personally attest to the huge amount of cream and eggs that were shipped to Winnipeg. My job as the Assistant to the Baggage Clerk, was to unload the empty crates and cans then go deliver my papers when the train arrived at 7:10 P.M.

The Depression hit Canada hard in the 1930's, and resulted in high unemployment that persisted, especially on the Prairies. From a high of 30% in the early 30s, it was still 12% in 1939. All levels of government were open to infrastructure ideas that would create jobs. Building a spur line to the Gimli harbour was proposed. It was argued that it would be more economical if the fish could be offloaded in Gimli, then railed direct to Winnipeg, rather than by ship which was an additional 4 hours to Selkirk and then rail to Winnipeg. Similarly, goods destined for the Northern reaches of Lake Winnipeg could be railed to Gimli, and then loaded on ship, saving hours of more expensive time on the water.

The harbour spur line was built utilizing the existing “Y” which was located south of present day Rona. It ran in a curve though present day Stringers and east down the South side of Lady of The Lake Street, where the south wing of Betel is today. Then it curved around the Yacht Club and ended where the summer Farmers Market is today.

The beautiful painting given to me generously by Agnes Bardal Comach, is a reproduction of a 1940 Christmas card. It depicts the line travelling east and then curving north with a lake freighter in the background just coming into port. The old Gimli Lighthouse (where Bruce Chernery’s grandfather, WWI veteran Pete Thompson, tended light for many years) is prominently depicted in the scene.

The line only lasted until the 1940's before being abandoned. As long time Gimli resident Joey Arnason pointed out to me from his waterfront apartment overlooking the spur line’s long ago terminus, it was just not profitable. The lake is only open to shipping 5 months a year and all of the port infrastructure remained in Selkirk, never moving north to Gimli.

There were probably some in town who were disappointed that the spur line did not take hold and anchor a new port in Gimli. I think Hannes and Sophie were probably happy that they didn’t have the train blasting by their new house every day. Perhaps the real value of the spur line was not the expedited trip to market for the Lake Winnipeg fish, but the creation of those much needed jobs and earnings in the Great Depression. Things started to turn around in the 1940's, and I like to think that the building of the spur line wasn’t a failed enterprise, but the creation of honest work that helped a lot of families get their economic lives back on track.

Ken Kristjanson
November 2014