Keels is a small town in the
Canadian province
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British Nort ...
of
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, located about 3 kilometres from
Duntara. The population of this municipality in the 2016 Canadian National Census was 51. This is down from 61 in 2011 and 73 in 2006. The earlier population figures show it had 85 in 2001, 101 in 1996, 128 in 1991, 115 in 1986, 206 in 1956 and 372 in 1940.
Like many outport villages in Newfoundland, population has been shrinking with the
collapse
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Concepts
* Collapse (structural)
* Collapse (topology), a mathematical concept
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** A ...
of the cod fishing industry. Some of the highlights in Keels are the
geological features known as "the Devil's Footprints" that are found on the
rocks surrounding the town, the Anglican Cemetery that dates to the beginnings of the community, and a natural sea-spray phenomenon known as "Clark's Chimney Hole" on the coast. The one and only store located in the middle of the community has been owned by the Mesh family for generations. The Way Office was established in 1885 and the first Waymaster was Edward Penny.
There is also an
Anglican church
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of t ...
and a small
wharf
A wharf, quay (, also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more Berth (moorings), berths ...
which was used for commercial fishing until the cod fishery moratorium in 1992. The community is somewhat of a
tourist
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism ...
attraction because it is one of the smallest and oldest communities in Newfoundland. In addition, there are several restored homes that are excellent examples of outport architecture, including the restored "Orange Hall" which was once a meeting hall for the Orange Order.
Demographics
In the
2021 Census of Population
The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...
conducted by
Statistics Canada, Keels had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
See also
*
List of communities in Newfoundland and Labrador
This article lists unincorporated communities of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Incorporated towns and cities are incorporated municipalities and can be found on List of municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Newfoundla ...
References
{{Subdivisions of Newfoundland and Labrador, towns=yes, ICG=yes
Towns in Newfoundland and Labrador