Sam recalls that when they built the buildings they were placed far apart and had sand enclosing them, so that if there was an explosion that it would blow straight up, rather than spread sideways. The first Plant Manager was a gentleman called Mr. Dean Irvine. Sam relates that you had to change into your…

The C-l-L contact dates back to the early part of 1929 when a Mr. Loftus of the firm “Aikins, Loftus and Aikins” approached the Council of the Municipality of St. Clements to discuss the purchase of a 1200 acre tract of land just south of the Village of East Selkirk. By August, 1929, Mr. Loftus…

Mr. Arthur Doidge learned his trade of Pottery in Peterborough, Ont. He came to Manitoba and settled in East Selkirk in the 1870’s. He built for himself a business in East Selkirk called the “Doidge’s Pottery Works” and his large plant was situated about 150 yards south of where the old CPR Right-of-Way crossed Cooks…

At one time five brickyards operated in the East Selkirk area. They were west of Cooks Creek and run down as far as the Red River. The brick from these plants were used in the Towns of East and West Selkirk and also for the Roundhouse on the east side of the Red River. The…

St. Clements has the only Brick making plant in Manitoba. It has been stated that “Brick is the oldest manufactured building material known to man.” The earliest known manufacture and use of brick can be dated at about 6800 B.C. from the ancient Jericho ruins. The clays and shale of Manitoba are quite extensive and…

Some of the most intriguing/dangerous history of our municipality involves the old CIL plant known as Brainerd Works. Developed as one of the safest work plants of its time, it manufactured extreme explosives for mining operations in Western Canada. Discussions for the Canadian Industries Limited (CIL) plant were initiated in early 1929. Mr. Loftus, from…