The Village of Powerview is situated in eastern Manitoba on
the banks of the Winnipeg River. The village is located on
Provincial Trunk Highway 11 and is approximately 132
kilometres northeast of Manitoba's capital city of Winnipeg.
The village has a population of approximately 755 residents
and is growing in size. Geographically, Powerview is situated
in rugged wilderness. The forests surrounding the Winnipeg
River form a strong background to the
village.
History
Powerview is a very young community. Powerview was
officially incorporated as a village in 1951. However, the
history of the surrounding Winnipeg River area dates back to
the late eighteenth century. The area around Powerview was
settled early, with the sons of the explorer La Verendrye
establishing Fort Maurepas at the mouth of the Winnipeg River.
The North West Company built a trading post in the mid 1760's,
with the Hudson Bay Company following suit at Fort Alexander
in 1818. Early settlements sprang up around 1737 in the
surrounding area.
The region's rich forests and the
Winnipeg River drew the attention of entrepreneurs who sought
possible locations for paper mills and hydro dams at the turn
of the century. Construction of a newsprint mill in nearby
Pinefalls attracted a large workforce into the area.
Powerview was originally known as "Tin town" in the
early century. This was due to the numerous ramshackle shacks
and buildings thrown together to accommodate the large influx
of construction and mill workers.
Construction of the
nearby hydro plant drew in a large number of workers, and
created the need for a more permanent settlement. The Village
of Powerview was formally surveyed, and incorporated. Mr. H
Parent, a local businessman pushed for the creation of the
village, and was Powerview's first Mayor in
1951.
Economic Base
Powerview's largest employers are the paper and hydro
industry. The Pine Falls Paper Company draws employs over 500
of the local residents for its workforce. Manitoba Hydro's
large hydroelectric plants also draw upon the local workforce
for the operation and maintenance of its plants and
properties.
Powerview School is also a local employer.
The school offers courses to kindergarten to grade twelve. The
local hospital in Pine Falls also employs local residents.
Powerview has a strong service industry. The Powerview
Hotel, Papertown Motor Inn and Manitou Lodge also employ local
residents. The village itself offers a wide range of
professional and business services such as grocery stores,
restaurants, Credit Unions, hardware stores and clothing
stores to meet the needs of its residents and
visitors.
Major Attractions
The area prides itself on having some very outstanding
hunting grounds for dear and other small game. Take a guided
trip of Hydro's facility and dam while in Powerview. The tour
will give you a good look into how much of Manitoba gets it
electricity. With kilometres of cross-country, hiking and
snowmobile trails, Powerview is definitely a spot for sport
enthusiasts.
The beautiful Winnipeg River offers a
great fishing experience for the master tackler, or the young
fish frye. Fishermen can almost always be found along the
river, trying to catch the famous Winnipeg River pickerel. The
scenic banks of the river provide beautiful site seeing
experiences and the occasional spotting of moose, dear and
black bears.
Facilities
- Recreation, Parks, Culture
Powerview has a very strong community spirit that is
evident by the many clubs that residents can participate in.
Clubs like the Knights of Columbus, Lions Club, Boy Scouts,
Girl Guides and Legion have a established presence in the
village.
September long weekend heralds the annual 4P
festival where Powerview boasts its four best assets, power,
paper, peas, and pickerel. Aside from it's presence in the
hydroelectric and paper industry, Powerview boasts being one
of the best places in Manitoba for pickerel fishing and for
the growing of delicious St Georges
Peas.
