St. Andrews is a rural municipality in Manitoba, Canada. It lies west of the Red River; its southern border is approximately 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north of Winnipeg.

St. Andrews
Rural Municipality
St. Andrews Anglican Church
St. Andrews
Coordinates: 50°16′12″N 96°58′29″W
Country	Canada
Province	Manitoba
Region	Interlake and Winnipeg Metro
Established	February 1880
Seat	Clandeboye
Government
• Mayor	Joy Sul
Area [1]
• Total	752.22 km2 (290.43 sq mi)
Elevation [2]	223 m (732 ft)
Population  (2016)[1]
• Total	11,913
• Density	16/km2 (41/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Postal Code	R0C 0P0
Area codes	204, 431
Website	rmofstandrews.com

The communities of Clandeboye, Petersfield, and Lockport (the part west of the Red River) are located in St. Andrews, which is part of Manitoba census division 13. The city of Selkirk, the town of Winnipeg Beach, and the village of Dunnottar are located adjacent to the municipality but are separate urban municipalities.

History

Since the Red River was an important means of transportation in the early settlement and parish, much of St. Andrews' history can be seen along River Road. The parish of St. Andrews was situated between two major fur trading centers of the Hudson's Bay Company, Lower Fort Garry (near present-day Selkirk) and Upper Fort Garry (located in present-day Winnipeg).

The name St. Andrews was derived from the Anglican parish of St. Andrews, which existed for several decades prior to the formation of the municipality in February 1880.[3]

St. Andrews Anglican Church is one of the most well-known historical sites in Manitoba. Built in 1849, it served a centre of Anglican missionary activity in Rupert's Land. It is the oldest surviving stone church in western Canada and was designated a national historic site in 1970. Its distinctive steeple and Gothic Revival architecture make it instantly recognizable and the building is used as symbol for both the community as well as the nearby St. Andrews elementary school.

Captain Kennedy House is located along the Red River about 200 m (660 ft) north of the St. Andrews church. Built in 1866 by Captain William Kennedy (1814–1890), it is now used as a museum and tea house. Its nearby flower garden is well known among locals and is commonly used for wedding photos. It was officially recognized as a provincial heritage site in 1984.[4]

Twin Oaks and Miss Davis' School Residence was a girls school and boarding house built in the 1850s by the Red River Settlement and the Hudson's Bay Company.[5] It became a National Historic site in 1962.

Communities and localities

St. Andrews includes the following communities:[6]

• Clandeboye
• Lockport (part)
• Mapleton
• Matlock
• Netley
• Petersfield
• South St. Andrews

Smaller communities include:^{[citation needed]}

• Breezy Point
• Chalet Beach
• Cloverdale
• Less Crossing
• Little Britain
• McDonald
• Melnice
• Old England
• Parkdale
• Rossdale
• Sans Souci

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, St. Andrews had a population of 11,723 living in 4,404 of its 4,736 total private dwellings, a change of -1.6% from its 2016 population of 11,913. With a land area of 739.61 km² (285.57 sq mi), it had a population density of 15.9/km² (41.1/sq mi) in 2021.[7]

Attractions

In addition to the St. Andrews church, the municipality contains many historical and significant buildings and establishments, including:[8]

• Captain Kennedy House
• Little Britain United Church and Cemetery
• Lockport Provincial Park
• Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site
• Oak Hammock Marsh (partly)
• River Road Provincial Park
• St. Andrews Caméré Curtain Bridge Dam
• St. Andrews Rectory
• St. John's Cathedral Boys' School in Breezy Point
• Twin Oaks
• Winnipeg/St. Andrews Airport

These and several others have been officially recognized as national, provincial, or municipal historic sites. Other noteworthy establishments include the St. Andrews school, the municipal office, Larter's golf course, River Road Provincial Park, and Oak Hammock Marsh (a nature preserve which lies partly in St. Andrews).

St. Andrews Airport, which opened in 1962, provides an alternative to Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport for smaller aircraft including many flying to remote First Nation communities.[9][10] The privately-owned and operated Selkirk Airport and Selkirk Water Aerodrome services smaller aircraft with landing facilities on both land and the nearby Red River for floatplanes.[11][12]

Notable people born in St. Andrews include Darren Helm, a professional ice hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.

Water

Residents and businesses in the R.M. of St. Andrews get drinking water from private wells on their own land or purchase water from bulk water suppliers.[13] Two underground carbonate aquifer wells located in the municipality supply part of the drinking water for the nearby City of Selkirk.[14]

Governance

St. Andrews is a municipal government, led by a mayor and 6 councillors. Since 2012, the mayor of St. Andrews has come under some scrutiny for being the highest-paid mayor of the Winnipeg Metro Region.[15] The municipal office for St. Andrews is located in Clandeboye.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St. Andrews, Manitoba.

• RM of St. Andrews website
• Map of St. Andrews R.M. at Statcan
• Manitoba Historical Society - Rural Municipality of St. Andrews