Other Manitoba and Saskatchewan Developments

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by esquire

Thanks for this. Looks like the US and Canadian customs and immigration buildings will be more or less doubled with the existing portion becoming auto lanes, and the new portions being devoted to trucks with separate entrances/lanes.

But rural interchanges? What is this, the Schreyer era? Dollars to donuts they end up picking the at-grade option.

I've never been through that border crossing but I assume it works like any other border crossing I've been through in that you have to come to a dead stop. Why would they even entertain the idea of an interchange when you have to stop in 1/2 mile (hard to gauge the distances on the map) anyway?

Or is it a matter of cross border vehicles backing up on 75 and clogging the intersection?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

It's either that, or a waste of potential lives.

Fair enough, you guys have historically had the highest traffic fatality rate in Canada by a wide margin so maybe there is a real need to spend a great deal of money on interchanges.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Treesplease

I've never been through that border crossing but I assume it works like any other border crossing I've been through in that you have to come to a dead stop. Why would they even entertain the idea of an interchange when you have to stop in 1/2 mile (hard to gauge the distances on the map) anyway?

Or is it a matter of cross border vehicles backing up on 75 and clogging the intersection?

Probably a matter of eliminating a conflict point in an area where people are making a lot of lane changes and other movements. Although that said, the intersection appears quite manageable at current traffic levels... it certainly doesn't seem treacherous when I've driven by. I'd imagine that it's well down the priority list.

[esquire]

Interesting provincial press release today:

The Manitoba government and the Town of Churchill will fund a feasibility study to look at new ways to use the Town Centre in Churchill, which is owned by the province, Tourism, Culture, Heritage, Sport and Consumer Protection Minister Ron Lemieux and Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced today.

Manitoba Tourism, Culture, Heritage, Sport and Consumer Protection and Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation will each provide $15,000 toward the study, along with $5,000 from the Town of Churchill, for a total of $35,000. The needs study will explore the feasibility of using the Town Centre as a conference facility that can host up to 150 people.

Who knows what the feasibility study will reveal, but this is an interesting idea. Churchill is one of the only real tourism aces that we have in Manitoba in the sense that it is a true international draw. Quite often conferences are held in places that people really have an interest in visiting, and Churchill might be able to do well in this regard.

One drawback is that Churchill has a terrible selection of hotels... they are mostly small, crappy and expensive. If they want to attract, say, 150 out of town guests for a conference, that means some people will be stuck with lousy accommodations. (Maybe get Centreventure working on a hotel partner?? )

Here's what the Churchill Town Centre looks like... it's a huge impossible-to-photograph early 80s building on the shores of Hudson Bay that has just about everything under one roof. Hospital, school, hockey rink, curling rink, library, theatre, playground.



Source: arcticcircle.ca

[Riverman]

Is it not awfully expensive to fly there?

[1ajs]

train

[Riverman]

The train is basically a freight train with seats. Tourists don't use it.

[1ajs]

i dunno what rock u sleep under

[Riverman]

Some are less low brow than you I guess. That train is an absolute wreck and the track is not safe.

[1ajs]

i now the tracks a mess the rail company is running it into the ground yet the government gies them money to fix it sad...

the abandond line to lynn lake is in better shape shrugs

[esquire]

The reality is that you guys are both right. Tourists do come up by train but not that many anymore. The train is down to 2x a week (it was 3x for many many years) and it's really only in the prime fall bear season where you get significant numbers of tourists coming in that way... other times of the year the numbers are quite low, under 2 dozen tourists per train. People do tend to fly up, which is not surprising given that it has a certain eco-chic cachet that appeals to well-heeled travellers.

As for the train, I've taken it to Churchill a few times and it seemed pretty safe... it's a slow and long ride but I've never heard of anyone being harmed by it.

Riverman, if you want to get to Churchill dirt cheap, it is a little known fact that you can cash in 15,000 Aeroplan points (plus a small fee) to get up there on Calm Air. A single free credit card plus a few months worth of gas and grocery spending can get you and another person up there (pm me if you want more details). Of course, it's as expensive as hell once you get to Churchill, but when the airfare is virtually free it isn't quite as painful! I do highly recommend Churchill as a destination... it's a fascinating place with an interesting story and a very rugged natural beauty. Plus it's a strange feeling to be standing on an ocean coast while still being in Manitoba. Definitely worth 3 days.

[bomberjet]

That's the cool part, Manitoba is a coastal province. I've been up to the end of the road at Conawapa. Tried taking the train from Gillam to see the whales in Churchill. Scheduled for 5 or 6am. The first weekend it didn't come due to issues. The next weekend it was early and we missed it!

I lived in Gillam one summer, working for Hydro as a summer student. It was a great experience to see what its like up there. Flew by helicopter into places literally at the end of the world.

[1ajs]

originaly from lynn lake here<< my grandfather got a lake named after him up by leaf rapids only taken the train from wabowden to winnipeg road the rails across morocco though

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

That's the cool part, Manitoba is a coastal province. I've been up to the end of the road at Conawapa. Tried taking the train from Gillam to see the whales in Churchill. Scheduled for 5 or 6am. The first weekend it didn't come due to issues. The next weekend it was early and we missed it!

I lived in Gillam one summer, working for Hydro as a summer student. It was a great experience to see what its like up there. Flew by helicopter into places literally at the end of the world.

It kinda is at the end of the world, isn't it.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Some are less low brow than you I guess. That train is an absolute wreck and the track is not safe.

Interesting. I thought I saw some advertisements for Churchill packages that offered a flight from Winnipeg to Churchill, 2 - 3 nights there, and then the train back back..although that was a while back so maybe they don't offer that anymore. Anyways, if a large percentage of the tourists consist of middle-upper and upper-class Europeans, you would think there would be some investments made in the creature comforts of train travel.

Not enough year-round demand perhaps?

Edit: Looks like Esquire answered my question.

Saw a Churchill restaurant featured on You Gotta Eat Here recently.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Interesting. I thought I saw some advertisements for Churchill packages that offered a flight from Winnipeg to Churchill, 2 - 3 nights there, and then the train back back..although that was a while back so maybe they don't offer that anymore. Anyways, if a large percentage of the tourists consist of middle-upper and upper-class Europeans, you would think there would be some investments made in the creature comforts of train travel.

Not enough year-round demand perhaps?

Edit: Looks like Esquire answered my question.

Saw a Churchill restaurant featured on You Gotta Eat Here recently.

The train is very comfortable. It uses the same equipment as the main Toronto-Vancouver train, just with fewer cars and only a dining car for meals... none of the dome cars or other lounges. It's very nice but a little more basic than the flagship train.

The issue is more with the circuitous route (it actually ducks into Saskatchewan at one point) and the slow speeds once you get north of Thompson. It's pleasant, but it can be long although I'd argue that it's part of the fun... you do get to meet a lot more people than you would on any other mode of transportation and the scenery is OK, especially as you get closer to Churchill.

[Cyro]

Low oil prices spur North Dakota drill rig count to drop below 100 for first time in 5 years
By: The Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. - The number of drill rigs in western North Dakota's oil patch has slipped below 100 for the first time in five years due to the sagging price of crude.....Con't..

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bus...ce=d-top-story

Curious to here how this is effecting our brothers to the west in Sask? It can't be a very positive outlook..

[drew]

Originally Posted by esquire

The train is very comfortable. It uses the same equipment as the main Toronto-Vancouver train, just with fewer cars and only a dining car for meals... none of the dome cars or other lounges. It's very nice but a little more basic than the flagship train.

The issue is more with the circuitous route (it actually ducks into Saskatchewan at one point) and the slow speeds once you get north of Thompson. It's pleasant, but it can be long although I'd argue that it's part of the fun... you do get to meet a lot more people than you would on any other mode of transportation and the scenery is OK, especially as you get closer to Churchill.

I understand that one of the cheaper ways to use the train, is to drive up to Thompson and catch it there.

I know several people who have driven up to Thompson with their canoes, got on the train to be dropped off somewhere along the Churchill river, canoed to Churchill, and take the train back to Thompson.

Apparently it is quite the trip. Ending up in the near Hudson bay, with Beluga whales coming right up to the canoes.

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by drew

I understand that one of the cheaper ways to use the train, is to drive up to Thompson and catch it there.

I know several people who have driven up to Thompson with their canoes, got on the train to be dropped off somewhere along the Churchill river, canoed to Churchill, and take the train back to Thompson.

Apparently it is quite the trip. Ending up in the near Hudson bay, with Beluga whales coming right up to the canoes.

Hmmm....escaping from a polar bear in a canoe. Human sushi boats. Not everyone's cup of tea.

[drew]

Originally Posted by Treesplease

Hmmm....escaping from a polar bear in a canoe. Not everyone's cup of tea.

Bring guns for polar bears, not canoes.

No one I know that has done the trip has encountered polar bears.

That's part of the excitement of wilderness canoe trips and camping in Canada! Knowing that somewhere out there, there is something bigger and stronger than you...