Churchill Visit

Barbara Seith
Oct 31, 2024
2 min read

After a quick breakfast on the last morning we took the Rover back to the Launching pad and boarded a minibus for a quick Churchill tour and the Dog Sledding activity. First stop is affectionately called Polar Bear Jail (technically Polar Bear Holding Facility) for detaining bears who are too fond of trips to town. This is a way of protecting the bears – because if not relocated, they might have to be shot. We don’t like it when Polar Bears get shot.

Outside the “Jail” we saw the Polar Bear (and one Brown Bear) traps and saw the gorgeous mural painted on the back.

Churchill

Polar Bear traps

Mural on the Polar Bear Jail

Next a pit stop at the huge community center (for a town with a population of @800 people). It was built by the US/Canada/England military when they unceremoniously pulled out of town. 3,000 people and a large number of jobs lost. The center contains a school, library – of course, a hockey rink (it is Canada…), a café, a movie theater and more. Fancy for such a small town, but nice to have an indoor space this large in the great white north.

Community Center

Polar Bear slide

Outside

Welcome Sculpture

Rachel (not Hardy) and Warning sign - I'm sure she is safe there. We were told before we got off the bus -- if the guide says get on the bus -- don't hesitate, just do it.

Off to the Dog sledding (or rather carting because the 65 mph wind blew away all the snow) at https://www.wapuskadventures.com/. It was in the Boreal Forest which was lovely different habitat flush with Ravens and Canada Jays. Wonderful dogs, most of who are rescues and a lovely short ride they call the I-did-a-mile. Yup, is was a mile long. They even provided some Arctic Fox hats.

Dog sled & Musher - Photo credit: Lianne Thompson, Guide