Churchill is so very different from other parts of the world, and it can be overwhelming to teach yourself about the ins and outs of this place. So who better to learn from than three born-and-raised Churchillians!
Meet Brendan, Joe and Sandra! Brendan and Joe are part of the Frontiers North team and Sandra is a terrific local artist. All three have spent the majority if not all of their lives in Churchill. Growing up in the Polar Bear Capital of the World, they have the northern wisdom to help guide you through your visit to this iconic destination.
Pictured left: Brendan, pictured centre: Joe, pictured right: Sandra
We asked them a series of questions to help you learn a little more about their one-of-a-kind community.
1. What is your favourite restaurant in Churchill? What Churchill dish is a must try?
©Frontiers North Adventures
Brendan: Tundra Pub pizza is my go-to! The Tundra Pub is seasonal, so it’s sort of like when the ice cream stand finally opens up for the summer.
Joe: My favourite restaurant has to be the Tundra Pub. Even before I was with Frontiers North, I couldn’t wait until the first day that the Tundra was open for the season! In fact, I was THE first patron of the year for maybe 6 or 7 years running; camped out on the front porch until the doors were unlocked, making sure I was the first!
Sandra: Tundra Pub is the fave, hands down! Favourite dish is a toss up between the fish tacos and tundra salad...oh heck, let’s have both!
Looks like the Tundra Pub is unanimous across the board with all of our locals!
2. What Churchill pastime do you think all visitors should experience?
©Alex Cupeiro
Brendan: Find a nice location based on the season and watch a Churchill sunset.
Joe: There seems to be something for everyone, depending on the season. For me, I always tell folks that they have to dip their toe in Hudson Bay. I assume everyone is a geography nerd like me, so I get excited telling people that when they are in the water, they’re not in Manitoba anymore, but in Nunavut, as the border is the high tide mark! And not only that, but they are in a bay of the Arctic Ocean! So that’s my recommendation, but of course it must be done safely with polar bears in mind.
Sandra: A bonfire or picnic on the beach watching the long sunset or sunrise.
3. What is your favourite thing to do in summer?
©Abby Matheson
Brendan: Hangout on the coast line. The wind off the Hudson Bay helps keep the mosquitos down!
Joe: I like going for drives. Churchill may not have any roads leading in or out, but there are over 100 km’s of roads and trails in the area that are all open (snow-free!) in the summertime, with a good chunk of them that follow the Hudson Bay coast. You never know what you’ll see, but it’s hard to beat that ocean breeze on a nice sunny summer day.
Sandra: See question #2, I love a bonfire or picnic on the beach!
4. How do you pass the time in the freezing cold winters?
©Lynn Cullen
Brendan: I spend a lot of time on my snowmobile visiting our various cabins and stocking up the freezer with wild game.
Joe: Believe it or not, I’m actually much more of a fan of the cold weather than I am the warm that summer brings. Winter in Churchill means there’s no bugs, and most of the polar bears are out on the frozen Hudson Bay, so I do a lot more walking around. We’re also very lucky to have the Town Centre Complex which has great recreational facilities to keep us busy in the winter. I spend a lot of time in the arena playing hockey, or watching my niece play. Even when it’s freezing cold outside, I still manage to find the coldest building I can! Like I said, I love the cold. Oh, and looking up at the northern lights. You sometimes forget how cold you are when you’ve been looking straight up as the minutes turn to hours!
Sandra: Long winter walks with the ravens at -50C, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, hunting, enjoying cabin time, cooking, exploring different ethnic cuisines (many Churchill folks are fantastic cooks), dinner parties, reading, artistic ventures, researching and booking warm vacations and online shopping for vacation clothes.
5. What is the best kept secret in Churchill?
©Frontiers North Adventures
Brendan: The locals! Churchillians are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet.
Joe: Churchill can be a place of discovery, even when you’ve read up on all the history, all the wildlife guidebooks, internet research, all the restaurant reviews… A phrase I hear a lot from people who visit us is “I had no idea!” From a culinary treasure like the Dan’s Diner experience across the Churchill River in the middle of winter, to the friendliness of the locals. I think perhaps the best kept secret that people discover when they’re here is the endless stories the locals have, especially the indigenous knowledge keepers. Those who pass on the great oral tradition of times long gone by, are treasures. Even as someone who’s been here since 1987, I am still amazed at all the things I learn about my home from them.
Sandra: I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you.
6. Where is the best place to take a photo of the whole town?
©Liz Robinson
Brendan: From a helicopter. Helicopters offer a great view of the landscape. Not accessible to visitors, but the Port of Churchill also offers a great birds eye view of the Town of Churchill.
Joe: If you want to get the whole entire town in a picture, then I’ve got the place for you: the top of the grain elevator! Now, it’s not exactly a public photography spot. I had the luxury of that beautiful view when I worked at the port for 10 years. For me, it’s hard to top. You’re so high, you can actually see the lights of the Tundra Buggy Lodge at night from almost 30km away! But a very close 2nd would be from up by the cemetery. With a wide-angle lens, you can get the entire town AND the port in the background, along with the Churchill River.
Sandra: From the top of the port or from a helicopter.
7. Any tips on how to crush trivia nights at the legion?
©Frontiers North Adventures
Brendan: Befriend Joe Stover and Jim Baldwin. Jim and Joe are Frontiers North staff members who are usually on the top of the trivia leaderboard.
Joe: Pay attention to the clue round for sure! Other than that, try and surround yourself with teammates who have a different set of knowledge, as the themes of the rounds can be all over the place. But really, win or lose, you’re going to have a great time!
Sandra: Get to know the quizmaster’s favourite beverage and spare no expense. Just kidding! Make sure that your team has a wide knowledge base and a fun attitude.
8. If you’re looking for a special gift for someone, where do you shop?
Painted rock by local artist Sandra Cook ©Frontiers North Adventures
Brendan: The local gift shops are great at bringing in items that also appeals to local shoppers.
Joe: Churchill has a bunch of different gift shops. The best part of that, is that they’re all unique, and have a different sort of items for each of them. I always start at Fifty Eight North as it’s in the typical wheelhouse of the people I buy for, both young and old. I always end up at the Arctic Trading Company as well as the Wapusk Adventures shop. Once I’ve hit up those three, my shopping list is usually check off!
Sandra: Local artists/artisans! That being said, Fifty Eight North represents several local and Manitoban makers, and the staff are knowledgeable of local crafters and are willing to pass on contact info.
See the painted rock by Sandra cook above!
9. What is your favourite thing about Churchill?
©Alex Cupeiro
Brendan: The accessibility to the wilderness is my favourite thing about Churchill. I can walk out my front door and drive my snowmobile or ATV right into the open wild.
Joe: My favourite thing about Churchill is simply that I get to call it my home. My family is here, my friends are here, my life is here. It’s the place that is most familiar to me, and feels like my safe place as well. The world can be, and has been, very chaotic. But when I’m home, I feel like I can breathe and be my authentic self. I can’t wait to plant even more roots here as I’ll be marrying the love of my life soon, and hoping to raise our family in this town we love so much.
Sandra: I have lived 43 of my 55 years here and have yet to feel that I have explored all of the wild nature in the area, the natural beauty of this place still takes my breath away!