Grunthal, Manitoba

Grunthal (German: Grünthal) is an unincorporated community recognized as a local urban district[1] in the Rural Municipality of Hanover, Manitoba, located 15 miles southwest of Steinbach, and about 50 minutes south of Winnipeg. It had a population of 1,680 in 2016.[2]

Grunthal
Grunthal Location of Grunthal in Manitoba
Coordinates: 49°24′24″N 96°51′29″W
Country	Canada
Province	Manitoba
Region	Eastman
Established	1876
Government
• MP (Provencher)	Ted Falk (CPC)
• MLA (La Verendrye)	Dennis Smook (PC)
Area
• Total	2.83 km2 (1.09 sq mi)
Elevation	268 m (879 ft)
Population  (2016)
• Total	1,680
• Density	593.70/km2 (1,537.7/sq mi)
• Change 2006-11	35.8%
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Website	http://www.grunthal.ca

The area that is now known as Grunthal was originally lands of the nomadic Ojibway-speaking Anishinabe people. On 3 August 1871 the Anishinabe people signed Treaty 1 and moved onto reserves such as the Brokenhead Indian Reserve and Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation Reserve.[3] The community of Grunthal was settled in 1876 by Plautdietsch-speaking Mennonites immigrants, from Imperial Russia, specifically the Bergthal Colony.[4]Grunthal was one of dozens of village of what was known as the East Reserve, an area set aside by the Canadian government for Mennonite settlement, and it is now populated with their descendants, as well as people of Ukrainian and German descent and other ethnicities. The name Grunthal means "Green Valley" in German.

Tourist attractions include Grunthal's Annual Fairdays held on the third weekend in August; it features a parade and a rodeo, among other activities. Schools include the K to Grade 4 South Oaks School and the Grades 5 to 12 Green Valley School, all part of the Hanover School Division. Grunthal includes a variety of Mennonite churches, and businesses. Its economy is primarily agrarian-based. Grunthal is also host to one of the best motocross tracks in Manitoba, in past years the track hosted numerous Canadian Motocross National events with the country's top riders coming to race. Grunthal is home to the Grunthal Red Wings, hockey teams ranging from squirts to senior.