Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/55101
Churchill and Kaskatamagan Wildlife Management Areas along with Wapusk National Park protect significant tracts of hudson bay coastline from the churchill townsite, south along hudson bay and east to the ontario border. The areas protect the fragile coastal and tundra ecosystem that provides habitat for polar bears, caribou and geese. Churchill Northern Studies Centre is an independent, non-profit research station located along the coast of hudson bay. it offers nature study tours of the sub- arctic, ranging from polar bears to beluga whales, wildflowers to northern lights. courses are led by qualified instructors and proceeds support research and education in the canadian sub-arctic. The cnsc also hosts school and youth group visits, university credit courses and ecological research initiatives. Facility tours available. admission charged. location: rocket Launch rd., 24 km/15 mi east of churchill p: 204-675-2307 f: 204-675-2139 e: cnsc@churchillscience.ca w: www.churchillscience.ca Eskimo Museum has a collection of inuit carvings and artifacts that are among the finest and oldest in the world dating from Pre-Dorset (1700 b.c.) through Dorset, Thule and modern inuit times. manitoba heritage council plaques commemorate the presence of Pre-Dorset and Dorset peoples who lived in this area from 3000 to 1000 b.c. The gift shop specializes in northern books, canadian inuit art, unique postcards, art cards, stationery and local wildberry preserves. open year-round, in summer, monday, 1 – 5 p.m., Tuesday to saturday, 9 a.m. – noon and 1 – 5 p.m.; in winter, monday to saturday, 1 – 4:30 p.m.; closed sundays and holidays. Groups of 10 or more by advance reservation. Donations accepted. p: 204-675-2030 f: 204-675-2140 Parks Canada Visitor Centre in churchill features exhibits about the human and natural history of the area. staff provide information on the area, including Prince of wales Fort national historic site, York Factory national historic site and wapusk national Park of canada. interactive and interpretive programs as well as DvDs and videos are offered year-round. admission charged for audio-visual and interpretive programs. location: churchill heritage railway station p: 204-675-8863 f: 204-675-2026 e: mannorth.nhs@pc.gc.ca w: www.parkscanada.gc.ca b across the churchill river on the west peninsula, lies Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site of Canada, a huge stone fortress built by the hudson's bay company in the 1700s to protect their interests in the fur trade. it took over 40 years to build this fortification that signifies the French-english struggle on hudson bay for control of the fur trade. Licensed guides tell the story of the rivalry, the lives of men who lived there, and point out the details of the cannon embrasures, thick walls, and star-shaped bastions that make this architectural ruin nationally significant. Plaques on this site honour sir Thomas button, samuel hearne, matonabee and the Jens munk expedition. Tours are dependent on the tides and weather permitting. access by boat or helicopter. Fee for guided tour. p: 204-675-8863 f: 204-675-2026 e: mannorth.nhs@pc.gc.ca w: www.parkscanada.gc.ca/princewalesfort Sloop Cove was a safe harbour and winter haven for hudson's bay co. (hbc) sloops in the 18th century. Due to post glacial land uplift, it is now a meadow surrounded by rocks with iron mooring rings. The rocks bear signatures of hbc men, the most famous being samuel hearne, northern explorer and hbc governor. Tour arrangements can also be made with private boat tour operators. access by boat or helicopter. Fee for guided tour. location: 4 km/2.5 mi upriver from Prince of wales Fort national historic site of canada p: 204-675-8863 f: 204-675-2026 e: mannorth.nhs@pc.gc.ca w: www.parkscanada.gc.ca/princewalesfort Town Centre Complex houses a health centre, high school, library, swimming pool, indoor playground, curling rink, theatre, hockey arena, cafeteria, gymnasium and fitness centre. interior walkways, lit by overhead skylights, are lined with brightly coloured inuit wall hangings and prints, and a big carved-wood polar bear invites children to slide through his benign mouth. p: 204-675-8871 f: 204-675-2934 e: townofchurchill@mts.net w: www.townofchurchill.ca b Eskimo Museum – Churchill 129 NOR TH O F 5 3 °