Carman, Manitoba

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Town of Carman, Manitoba
Coordinates: 49°29′57″N 98°0′3″W / 49.49917, -98.00083
Country Canada
Province Manitoba
Region Pembina Valley
Settled 1870
Incorporated (town) January 1, 1905
Government
 - Mayor Bob Mitchell
Area
 - Land 4.12 km² (1.6 sq mi)
Elevation 268 m (880 ft)
Population (2006)
 - Total 2,880
 - Density 698.4/km² (1,808.8/sq mi)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 - Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
Postal code R0G 0J0
Area code(s) 204
Website: Town of Carman

Carman is an agricultural town of about 2,890 people that lies in the Pembina Valley Region of southern Manitoba. Carman is located at the junction of Highways 3 and 13, just 40 minutes southwest of Winnipeg (the capital city of Manitoba). Carman is situated in the heart of a rich prairie agricultural belt, and just 60 kilometres north of the United States border.

Contents

[edit] Culture

Carman has several arts events which are well-known. Each year in early August Carman holds the Winston Simpson Fiddle Festival. In March or April, Carman hosts the Tempo, Festival of the Arts. This includes speech arts, strings, vocal, choral, piano and band classes in association with the Association of Manitoba Music Festivals. One of Manitoba's longest existing choral groups, the Sonatrice Singers, has been meeting there for over thirty years. This choir has earned bronze and silver at choralfest Canada as well as Manitoba Provincial honors. The current leader is Cindee Broeska with 40 singers. Their spring concert takes place in early May every year.

The Dufferin Agricultural Society hosts one of the oldest continuously running fairs in Manitoba. Established in 1879, the Carman Country Fair has evolved into a 3-day event. The fair showcases livestock, craft exhibits, plants and flowers, quilting and woodwork. Motor sports such as tuff trucks, demolition derby and modified tractor pulls are popular events. Indoor and outdoor trade show, an outstanding free stage entertainment program and several concessions are enjoyed by visitors.

Carman is the home town of NHL star Eddie "The Eagle" Belfour, and Jack Carson, born October 27th, 1910, movie star of the 40's and 50's.[1]

Kelly Hand, Canadian Olympic sailing coach, was born in Carman.

Gord Oxley actor/writer, was also born in Carman on May 12th, 1965.[2]

Carman is home to a University of Manitoba campus as well as the high school Carman Collegiate

Large agricultural businesses include Aubin Nurseries (perennials, shurbs and trees), and Vanderveens Greenhouses, (annuals) which are large Canadian wholesalers of plants.

Carman will be hosting the Manitoba Summer Games in 2008, from August 11 - 17th. The games are the largest ongoing multi sport event in the province bringing together thousands of athletes, volunteers and spectators.

[edit] Health Services

Carman is a part of the Regional Health Authority - Central Manitoba Inc.

[edit] Carman Memorial Hospital

The 28-bed Carman Memorial Hospital, located at 350 - 4th Street S.W. on the south edge of town, was built in 1982 and is served by six doctors, and staff of 75. It provides family medicine, a surgical program, pediatrics, obstetrics, a dietitian service, physiotherapy, diagnostics services, an internal medicine consultant and an in-house pharmacy.

There is a six-doctor Health Centre in Carman as well.

[edit] Boyne Valley Lodge

For the elderly and physically disabled, there is the 70-bed Boyne Lodge personal care home, with an attached housing unit for seniors.

[edit] Emergency Services

The Carman Fire Department has approximately 20 volunteer firemen. Coverage by the department includes the Town of Carman, R.M. of Dufferin. The Fire Department is well stocked with 2 fire trucks and a Rescue Unit including the "Jaws of Life".

Carman Ambulance is one of the 14 ambulance services within the Central Regional Health Authority. There are 4 full-time and approximately 6 casual members. The service area covers about 600 square miles and includes the town of Carman, Elm Creek, Stephenfield, Graysville, Roland, Homewood and Sperling. There are 2 ambulances that are fully equipped to handle any medical or traumatic emergency. Coverage is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week by a very dedicated and professional staff that is highly trained in providing medical care and advanced life support to all in need.

[edit] Sports and Recreation

Carman has a curling and golf facility.The Carman Golf Club is one of Manitoba's finest golf courses.The 18 hole golf course has been designed to appeal to golfers of all abilities, combining relatively gentle holes with more demanding challenges.

Carman's Pathway to Active Living - A community foot/bike path that winds its way throughout Carman. The pathway links recreation areas such as King's Park, baseball diamonds, golf course and pool area. Away from traffic and totally surrounded by nature, part of the pathway features a scenic river path that follows the meandering Boyne River.In the centre of the river path is the tall grass prairie.The Pathway to Active Living provides ample opportunity for walking, jogging, biking and cross-country skiing - and just plain enjoying nature.

King's Park - Another recreation gem, with a heated outdoor swimming pool and waterslides, playground, tennis courts, and campground. It also has an arena for skating and hockey - two big winter sports in Carman.

[edit] Local media

[edit] Newspapers

  • The Valley Leader

[edit] Trivia

Up until 1964, a 500' transmitter for CBC Radio was located in Carman, Manitoba, at which time a new centralized communications tower at Starbuck, Manitoba was constructed to house CBW-AM, CBW-FM, CBWT, and CBWFT. In February, 1952 a small plane with 3 passengers struck the Carman tower due to heavy fog. None of the passengers survived.

Jack Carson was born at 145 Main St. South in Carman in 1910. [3]

On July 25, 2007, Carman broke the all time Canadian humidex record, when the humidex reading reached 53.1 degrees Celsius (127.4 Fahrenheit).

Numerous movies have been filmed in and around the Town of Carman, including The Defender (1990), We Were The Mulvaneys (2002), One Week (2008), and The Box Collector (2008), starring Margot Kidder. [4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ IMDB[1]
  2. ^ IMDB[2]
  3. ^ IMDb Reference[3]
  4. ^ IMDb Reference[4]

[edit] External links

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