Lac du Bonnet is a town in

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

, Canada located northeast of

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

on the west shore of the

Winnipeg River The Winnipeg River is a Canadian river that flows roughly northwest from Lake of the Woods in the province of Ontario to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. This river is long from the Norman Dam in Kenora to its mouth at Lake Winnipeg. Its watershed is ...

. It is surrounded by the

Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet Lac du Bonnet is a rural municipality in the province of Manitoba in western Canada, situated between the Nopiming Provincial Park to the northeast and Whiteshell Provincial Park to the southeast. The separately-administered town of Lac du Bonne ...

. The word "Bonnet" is pronounced by locals as "bonny."

History

The lake after which Lac du Bonnet takes its name was so called by the French explorer and fur trader Pierre Gaultier La Verendrye, circa 1732. The shape of the lake, itself part of the Winnipeg River, is said to have reminded him of a bonnet. The name "Lac du Bonnet" appears on a map of the explorer Joseph Derouen as early as 1760. Beginning in 1926, Lac du Bonnet was home to the #1 Wing of the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

. As a backup communication system to wireless telephone transmitters, aircraft carried pigeons aboard, and as such a pigeon rookery was established on the air force base. RCAF operations in Lac du Bonnet continued until 1937.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...

, Lac du Bonnet had a population of 1,064 living in 496 of its 549 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 1,089. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Attractions and events

On the first of July is a yearly Canada Day parade, with fireworks, carnival rides, car show, and bingo. There are also usually many other community-hosted events to attend. In November, Christmas-themed lighting is set up on the streets, kids can visit Santa, and a Christmas tree is erected. There are designated snowmobile trails into Lac du Bonnet and specific areas for

snowmobile A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

operators to park. During the weekend in early March the river is dotted with one thousand holes for the local ice fishing derby. The annual Fire & Water Music Festival takes place on August-long weekend. Artists from across the country come to perform their music.

First airmail flight

Lac du Bonnet was the location of the first airmail flight in Manitoba, on 4 October 1927. This event is commemorated with a plaque and marker on the E side of Park Avenue by 3rd Street, next to the parking lot. According to the plaque, the flight was some 85lbs of mail, taken from here to Bissett and Wadhope. Vickers_Vedette_Plaque,_Lac_du_Bonnet,_Manitoba

Vickers_Vedette_Plaque,_Lac_du_Bonnet,_Manitoba

Media

Newspapers

*''Lac du Bonnet Leader'', which published its final issue on June 27, 2013 *''Winnipeg River Echo'' *''Winnipeg River Clipper Weekly''

Radio and television

CBWT-2 first went on the air on May 27, 1968. In early 1969 the province-wide microwave system replaced the kine recordings and citizens of Lac Du Bonnet have had live television since then. * CBWT-2 Channel 4 ( CBC) * CICA Channel 44 (

TVO TVO (stylized as tvo), formerly known as TVOntario, is a publicly funded English-language educational television network and media organization serving the Canadian province of Ontario. It operates flagship station CICA-DT (channel 19) in To ...

)

References

External links

Official site for Lac du Bonnet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba Towns in Manitoba Hudson's Bay Company trading posts Urban municipalities in Eastman Region, Manitoba