1

The community of Gimli has undergone significant changes in its governing structure from its beginnings to present day. These changes have shaped the development of the community in many ways.

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Map of Canada before New Iceland joined Manitoba in 1925
1880
Canada

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Map showing New Iceland (in red) as it was from 1875 to 1881, outside of Manitoba's boundaries.
1880
Canada

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When the Icelanders first arrived the territory of Gimli and all of New Iceland fell outside of the boundaries of the then "postage stamp" province of Manitoba, and lay in an unorganized part of the District of Keewatin. The Icelandic settlers established their own laws and constitution for the running of the entire colony and this system lasted for a period of twelve years. This is a unique chapter in Canada's history.

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Map of New Iceland 1877
29 January 2006
Gimli Manitoba

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In January of 1876 a meeting was held in Gimli to elect a committee called a "town council" to temporarily run the affairs of New Iceland based on the constitution established by the Icelanders.

In 1881, Manitoba extended its boundaries and New Iceland fell under the jurisdiction of the province, although the settlers continued to abide by their own constitution until 1887, when all of New Iceland became the Municipality of Gimli. Johann Briem became the first reeve.

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Gimli, looking west from the pier
1910
Gimli,Manitoba, harbour

8

As the community developed the needs of the rural farm population and those living in the more urbanized setting began to diverge. Hence, in 1908, the Village of Gimli was legally incorporated and removed from the Rural Municipality. The first elections were held on March 31. Johannes Sigurdsson became the first mayor. The first meeting of the elected mayor and council of the Village of Gimli was held on April 8, 1908.

The first resolution passed by the newly elected council was that all business of the Village of Gimli be in English. Prior to this resolution it had been done in Icelandic.

The council then set about the daunting task of developing a village out of a rural community of 500-800 people.

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The new council of the Village of Gimli had it hands full with numerous items in the transition of a rural community into a village that first year. They dealt with a wide variety of issues. Everything from establishing herd laws to ensure that cattle,sheep and horses were not running at large to establishing the relationship that would ensue with the R.M. of Gimli. Gravel roads and wooden sidewalks were built, businesses were regulated, and the safety of fishermen was addressed by making plans for the installation of a guide-light at the end of the dock. Applications were made to the government for land grants for a park, more lots for permanent and summer homes, and a municipal building.

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In 1947 Gimli was incorporated into a Town. The town and R.M. continued to grow and the as commercial and residential development grew within the R.M. the needs of the two municipalities once again converged. As the R.M. of Gimli urbanized, the needs of the town people and R.M. people became the same making two governments redundant.

In 1997 a document was compiled entitled
"Towards a Community of Gimli" and based on the recommendations in this publication, the town and R. M. began the process of amalgation.

11

On December 22, 2002 a resolution was passed to dissolve the town of Gimli as a legal entity. A portion of the resolution reads as follows:

"WHEREAS Gimli's appeal attracted new industries and many thousands of new residents to the area, primarily settling in the adjacent and now urbanizing Rural Municipality of Gimli and

WHEREAS as a result the Town provided services for many area citizens that did not reside within its boundaries and Whereas while the concept of amalgamation of theTown and R.M. of Gimli began to be discussed at the Council tables as early as 1980, The Town Council, in 1997, urged the Council of the Rural Municipality to consider an amalgamation with the simple statement that the one community of Gimli should be governed by one government and that the long term needs of all residents would be best served if the two governments combined and

WHEREAS an agreement to merge the two Gimlis was reached in the spring of 2002 and approved by the Province of Manitoba late that summer,

THEREFORE, with great respect to all Councils who have served before us, we, as the last Council of the Town of Gimli, RESOLVE that the Town of Gimli be dissolved as a legal entity and live on forever as "Gimli" a place of peace."

The resolution was carried with four votes "for" and one "against".