Kenora, Ontario

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Kenora re-directs here. For the electoral district see Kenora (electoral district). For the territorial district, see Kenora District, Ontario

Kenora (2001 population 15,838) is a small city situated on the Lake of the Woods in northwestern Ontario, Canada close to the Manitoba boundary, about 200km east of Winnipeg. Kenora is home to the annual International Bass Fishing Tournament. It is the seat of Kenora District.

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[edit] History

Kenora, Ontario. 2006
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Kenora, Ontario. 2006

Kenora originally settled as a trading and missionary town called Rat Portage, with the first building belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company. The name Rat Portage came from the native name for the area. Kenora then went on to thrive in many areas including the production of caviar, mining (gold), flour milling, forestry, and the railway which has made the city into what it is today. The Abitibi-Consolidated paper mill, one of the main employers in the city, ceased operation December of 2005, but other forestry industries and tourism remain as major sources of employment.

In 1836 a fur-trading post was established by the Hudson's Bay Company at present-day Kenora, and the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1880s allowed the town to prosper. In 2000 Kenora became a city, after it was merged with the neighbouring towns of Jaffray Melick and Keewatin.

Rat Portage transformed into Kenora after amalgamating with the two neighbouring townships of Keewatin and Norman in 1904. A name change was in order for the new town; something encompassing all three of the new areas. Kenora formed from the first two letters of each area: KEewatin, NOrman, and RAt Portage: Kenora.

[edit] Economy

Forestry, tourism and mining are the three largest sectors of the Kenora economy. The population balloons in the spring and summer to almost double the normal population when summer residents move in. The Lake of the Woods and numerous smaller lakes situated all around Kenora are the major draw for cottagers who summer here. Many are from the neighbouring province of Manitoba.

[edit] Politics

Kenora-Rainy River's Member of Provincial Parliament, Howard Hampton, is leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party. Federally, the area is represented by Liberal Member of Parliament Roger Valley. He was elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2006 in the Kenora riding.

Kenora is also the smallest town to ever win the Stanley Cup, won by the Kenora Thistles in January 1907. See below for more information.

The mayor elect of Kenora is Len Compton.

[edit] Education

Two school boards and a community college function in the Kenora Area. [ The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board operates one high school (Beaver Brae Secondary School) and 5 elementary schools (Lakewood School, Keewatin Public School, Evergreen School, King George IV School, and Vallyview School).

The Kenora Catholic District School Board operates one high school (Saint Thomas Aquinas High School) and 4 elementary schools (Mount Carmel Separate School, Our Lady of the Valley Separate School, École Ste Marguerite Bourgeoys, and St. Louis Separate School).

Confederation College has a Kenora campus as well, and serves post-secondary and adult education needs in the city and surrounding area.

[edit] Media

The major news source in Kenora is the Kenora Daily Miner and News, one of Canada's smallest daily newspapers. On the weekends, the Lake of the Woods Enterpriseis delivered free to area households. NWO Update, offers regional news coverage.

It is also North America's smallest television market, with just a single station, and two CBC/SRC affiliates.

[edit] Radio

[edit] Television

[edit] Full-Power Stations:

[edit] Low-Power Stations and Repeaters:

See the Kenora TV Template for more information on television stations.

[edit] Trivia

Husky the Musky
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Husky the Musky
  • Kenora has a 40' tall fish named Husky the Musky.
  • Recently, the city has expressed interest in separating from Ontario and joining neighbouring Manitoba. Some reasons are because of the high cost of doing business in the forest industry and high hydro (electric) rates in Ontario. A local businessman has started a petition to the Government of Ontario.
  • The Manitoba/Ontario boundary formerly ran through the downtown area of Kenora, creating problems for Manitoba and Ontario Provincial Law enforcement.
  • A dramatic and daring bank robbery took place in Kenora on May 10, 1973. An unknown man entered the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce heavily armed and wearing a 'dead man's switch', a device utilising a clothespin, wires, battery and dynamite, where the user holds the clothespin in the mouth, exerting force on the clothespin. Should the user release the clothespin, two wires attached to both sides of the pin complete an electrical circuit, sending current from the battery, detonating the explosives. After robbing the bank, the robber exited the CIBC, and was preparing to enter a city vehicle driven by undercover police officer Don Milliard. A sniper positioned across the street from the bank shot the robber, initiating the sequence of events required to detonate the explosive. Recently, Kenora Police submitted DNA samples from the robber's remains to identify him, but the suspect was never positively identified.

[edit] Stay In Kenora

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 49°46′N 94°28′W

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