Another Roadside Attraction: The Fish

As stated back on April 20, HBIC will be using the summer to visit various cities and towns in Manitoba to document all the interesting, weird, and fun statues found in these communities while seeking out some local hockey stories as well. With me needing to head south down Highway 75 towards the Canada-US border, I thought I'd make a little detour and begin this fun project with a quick stop in Dominion City, Manitoba where we'll discover our first roadside attraction!

Dominion City sits on Provincial Highway 201 just east of Letellier, Manitoba. The total travel time from Winnipeg is approximately one hour as it sits 93 kilometers away from the Manitoba capital. It also sits about 20 kilometers north of the Canada-US border with the 2021 Canadian Census showing the town holding a population of 320 people. Maybe Dominion City should be classified as a village?

Jokes aside, you may be wondering how Dominion City came to be, and it's mostly due to the railway. As per the plaque to the right posted by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Dominion City is where the final spike for the first railway line built in western Canada was driven into the ground on December 3, 1878. The railway ran from St. Boniface in Winnipeg south to Emerson at the Canada-US border and connected western Canada to the eastern Canada and the United States. Rather than building a railway that ran through Canada at a much higher cost, linking western Canada to the US rail lines was a much more cost-effective option. The railway brought prosperity to the region, making Dominion City an important piece of that route.

What About The Statue?

We'll start with the sign because, as it says, the statue is called "The Fish". The description, however, is far more interesting as the statue is a recreation of a 15.5-foot, 406lbs sturgeon that was caught in the nearby Roseau River by Sandy Waddell on October 27, 1903. The female sturgeon was estimated to be 150 years-old and was full of caviar. The sturgeon was hauled by horse-and-buggy back to town. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the lake sturgeon is Manitoba's largest freshwater fish, and is currently being monitored by several groups to ensure their long-term viability in Manitoba's rivers.

As a side note, fish eggs are usually called "roe", but "caviar" specifically refers to salted, cured roe from the sturgeon family. While the eggs weren't salted or cured prior to "The Fish" being caught, I imagine they became caviar once the fishing party arrived in Dominion City with their catch. Celebrations were to be had!

So what does this stature look like, you ask? Here's "The Fish"!

If I do have one tiny complaint, it's that there was no notation anywhere around "The Fish" as to when the statue was erected. It would be interesting to know when the town decided to memorialize the sturgeon, but that info was nowhere to be found at the site.

What's The Hockey Connection?

You might be wondering how a town with 320 people would have a big hockey connection, but current Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Denton Mateychuk hails from Dominion City! Mateychuk has played 120 games with the Blue Jackets, but he showed up in a big way this season as the Blue Jackets pushed for a playoff spot. In total, he has amassed 17 goals and 27 assists after being selected 12th-overall in 2022, but he scored 13 goals and 18 assists in 75 games this season. He's also a former Moose Jaw Warriors captain, he played with the Eastman Selects in Manitoba, and spent time with the Cleveland Monsters as he worked to earn a Blue Jackets roster spot.

Mateychuk will get a second chance to wear the maple leaf this May as he was selected to join Team Canada for the IIHF World Championship in Zurich and Fribourg. He played for Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship where he recorded four assists in five games, and Canada will be looking for another solid performance when Mateychuk hits the ice on the blue line in Switzerland!

There's our first look at one of the roadside attractions you'll find in Manitoba if you plan on touring the province. "The Fish" isn't the most picturesque statue I'll feature here, but the history behind that sturgeon and the town of Dominion City is pretty interesting. And having an up-and-coming NHL defenceman born in the town adds another layer if you're interested in visiting Dominion City, Manitoba!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!