Oakbank, Manitoba

Oakbank
Oakbank Location of Oakbank in Manitoba
Coordinates: 49°56′29″N 96°50′35″W / 49.94139°N 96.84306°W / 49.94139; -96.84306Coordinates: 49°56′29″N 96°50′35″W / 49.94139°N 96.84306°W / 49.94139; -96.84306
Country	Canada
Province	Manitoba
Region	Eastman
Rural Municipality	Springfield
Established
Government
– MP (Provencher)	Vic Toews (CPC)
– MLA (St. Paul)
Area
– Total	1.39 km2 (0.5 sq mi)
Population (2006)
– Total	2,075
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
– Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Postal code span
Area code(s)	204
Demonym
NTS Map
GNBC Code

Oakbank is a small community in Manitoba, Canada located about 15 km east of the provincial capital Winnipeg, in the Rural Municipality of Springfield. It has a population of about 3,000 persons and serves as a dormitory town or bedroom community for Winnipeg, as a majority of the residents work and play in Winnipeg. Oakbank's rapid population growth is representative of small towns in the capital region, as two new housing developments are being expanded in the town.

History

In 1899, a post office was established in the present location of Oakbank and the village grew around it. In 1901, a Presbyterian church was moved to the community and a Baptist church built in 1908. In 1906, the Canadian Pacific Railway built a track that passed through the village; by 1927 the line was double-tracked. A train station existed until 1968. Electricity was supplied by the Winnipeg Electric Company starting in 1930. Rural electrification did not reach the surrounding area until 1949. In 1887, a telephone was installed in the home of the municipal secretary treasurer. Various private telephone companies, often with only a dozen subscribers, operated until they were all absorbed by Manitoba Telephone System in 1950. A local manual telephone exchange was in operation until 1966 when an automatic exchange was installed. A credit union was founded in the village in 1945 and continues to operate today. Another credit union opened for business in 2009, and is completing the construction of a large branch. In 1964, local school divisions were consolidated and Oakbank became the local center for elementary, junior high and high school students, against many people's wishes.

References

• Aileen Kraushar et al., "Springfield 1st Rural Municipality in Manitoba 1873-1973", Dugald Women's Institute, Dugald Manitoba Canada 1974, ISBN 0-919212-40-9

External links

• Oakbank community profile
• Springfield Collegiate Institute