RM of Stuartburn - Places to Go

The Rural Municipality of Stuartburn offers a welcoming blend of small communities, local businesses, natural landscapes, and recreational and cultural experiences that reflect the character of southeastern Manitoba.

Communities 

The RM of Stuartburn is made up of small, close-knit communities, each with its own history, local events, and strong sense of community pride. Residents and visitors alike will find welcoming faces and a deep connection to the land and heritage of the area.

• Gardenton: Gardenton is rich in history including St. Michael's, the first permanent Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church built in Canada and the Gardenton Truss Bridge, the last of its kind in Manitoba.
• Stuartburn: Stuartburn is famous for recreation on the Roseau River including tubing in summer and snowshoeing in winter.
• Sundown: A deep and rich Ukrainian heritage in sundown is evident with multiple historic churches and cemeteries, and their annial fall supper of Ukrainian cuisine. 
• Vita: Serving as the trading and recreation hub in the RM of Stuartburn, the friendly community of Vita offers retail shops, restaurants, hotel, curling rink and arena.
• Zhoda: meaning the "agreement" in Ukrainian, was first settled by mostly Ukrainian farmers around 1909 but is now a diverse community centred on their active community hall.

Whether you prefer quiet camping surrounded by nature or staying in nearby small-town lodging, the RM of Stuartburn and surrounding area offer simple, comfortable options that let you experience rural Manitoba at your own pace.

• Vita Hotel: enjoy an evening meal and sleep accommodations located within our municipality in the town of Vita. 
• Gardenton Park: Is a beautiful location to enjoy some quality time camping. 

Food, Drink & Shopping 

Local businesses across the RM provide essential services and friendly, personalized shopping experiences. From grocery and convenience services to small eateries and local shops, you’ll find everything you need close to home.

• Clearview Co-op: locations in Vita. The Clearview Co-op is not just a fuel and propane stop with a convenience store, they also offer the peace-of-mind of a 24-hour cardlock for member cardholders. Ran out of milk, bread, margarine or other basic groceries? Co-op’s got you covered. It also has handy laundromat and car wash. 
• Dueck's Drug Store: Dueck Drug Store is the only pharmacy in the region, with two generations of pharmacists reliably serving residents in our community. It is located on Railway Avenue in Vita for in-person service but also delivers all in-stock products and prescriptions. just give them a call to place your order by Thursday for Friday morning delivery. In addition to a full-service pharmacy and over-the-counter medications, you will find personal care items, a selection of office supplies, toys and gifts, and a lottery centre. Call the friendly team at Dueck’s for more information at (204) 425-3473.
• Fresh Factory: The Fresh Factory is a friendly, small-town grocery store located in Vita that carries pretty much all the products you’d expect from a larger grocery store. Come in and enjoy tasty baked goods from St. Pierre Bakery, Manitoba-made New Bothwell Cheese, and fresh meat from the deli along with all your grocery and household necessities. For more information call (204) 425-7761.
• Sumthing Special: With everything you need for a special occasion, Sumthing Special is a gift shop, liquor vendor and hard ice-cream retailer, conveniently located in the heart of Vita. Whether it’s a special occasion and you need or you’re just in the mood to celebrate with some champagne, Sumthing Special has what you need. They also sell a wide range of Manitoba-made home décor and gift items
• M&J restaurant: 
• Vita Hotel

Recreation Facilities 

Community recreation in the RM is supported by dedicated volunteers and local committees. Facilities and programs across the municipality provide opportunities for sport, leisure, and community gatherings for all ages.

Museums & Heritage 

The RM of Stuartburn reflects a strong pioneer and agricultural heritage. Local museums and heritage sites preserve and share stories of settlement, farming, and community development in the region.

• Gardenton Ukrainian Museum: The Ukrainian Museum, located in Gardenton Park, is a small treasury of local Ukrainian culture. It features household items, traditional clothing and farming tools – all donated by local residents who are the founding families of these communities. The museum is a precious piece of the area’s history and is worth the trip to see. And don’t forget to walk the grounds where you’ll see a traditional thatched-roof home. 

Historic Sites 

Travelling through the RM reveals historic churches, homesteads, and landmarks that highlight the area’s cultural and settlement history—ideal for photography, learning, and exploration.

• Gardenton Truss Bridge: The Gardenton Truss Bridge is a municipal heritage site just east of Gardenton. Built in 1918, this timber through truss bridge spans 81 feet (25 meters) of the Roseau River. Over the years, the Gardenton Bridge has remained a single lane and has survived through floods and ice jams. For a unique perspective, check it out as you’re tubing down the Roseau River.

Churches 

The RM is home to a number of historic churches and cemeteries that reflect the diverse cultural and spiritual roots of the community, making it a meaningful area for genealogy and local history research.

• Historic St. Michael's Ukrainian Orthodox Church: Is located in Gardenton. St. Michaels is a unique part of Ukrainian-Canadian culture as the oldest existing Ukrainian church in Canada, built by Ukrainian settlers in 1897. It is the first permanent Ukrainian church to have been built in Canada.
• New St. Michael's Ukrainian Orthodox Church: Located in Gardenton. This church and cemetery are still in use. It was built in 1935
• St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Church: Is located in Vita. Built in 1920 and still in use, this church is right in town and easy to access.
• Ascension of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church: Located in Sundown. This church was built for the second time in 1931
• Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church: Located in Sundown. This church and cemetery, still in operation for special services, was built in 1940. And it’s right in town, so it’s easy to access.
• St. Elias Ukrainian Orthodox Church: located in Sundown. St. Elias, constructed in 1950 and a provincially established historical site, has a bell tower and cemetery. 
• Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church: Located in Stuartburn, Established in 1898 and built in 1911, Holy Trinity is still in use.

Community Parks 

Parks within and around the RM of Stuartburn offer quiet green spaces, picnic areas, and playgrounds—providing accessible outdoor enjoyment for residents and visitors.

• Gardenton Park: The Gardenton Park is a sprawling community park that features a hall, an outdoor stage, playground, baseball diamonds and the Ukrainian Heritage Museum. The park is home to events like the Gardenton Festival, fall suppers, bake sales, dances and more. The park also boasts the Gardenton Hill, a local landmark known for winter sledding.
• Vita Rest Area: Located in the heart of Vita right on Provincial Hwy 201 as you drive in to town from either west or east, you can’t miss the Vita Rest Stop. It is a five-acre site that is anchored by a pole shed that houses the occasional farmer’s market and includes a brand new play structure, picnic tables, outdoor workout equipment, walking paths, planters and green space. The park is adjacent to amenities such as grocery and drug stores, restaurants and hotel.

Prairies & Forests 

RM of Stuartburn is known for its unique mix of prairie and forest landscapes, including parts of the Sandilands Provincial Forest. These natural areas support wildlife, outdoor recreation, and a strong connection to Manitoba’s natural environment.

Rat River Wildlife Management Area: 

The Rat River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) encompasses a carefully managed marshland, surrounded by upland habitats of aspen and oak forest interspersed with remnant patches of native tall grass prairie. The marsh plays an important hydrological role in the region by absorbing spring meltwaters destined for the Rat River, thereby contributing to local flood mitigation. In turn, this wetland provides an important breeding and staging habitat for a wide variety of waterfowl during the spring migration period.

Avian diversity within the WMA is notable. Species such as black and Forster’s terns, marsh wren, Wilson’s snipe, red-winged and yellow-headed blackbirds, and swamp sparrow are frequently observed. Of particular significance is the presence of the least bittern, a rare and highly secretive member of the heron family. Detection of this species is often first achieved through its distinctive call ("coo-coo-coo”), followed by careful observation within dense reed beds, where its exceptional camouflage makes visual confirmation challenging.

Within the upland forested areas, ovenbirds and red-eyed vireos are commonly present. Along meadow edges, observers may encounter species such as the common yellowthroat, clay-coloured sparrow, and the grey catbird, identifiable by its characteristic cat-like vocalizations.

Stuartburn Wildlife Management Area

The Stuartburn Wildlife Management Area (WMA) protects one of North America’s most threatened ecosystems—tall grass prairie. With less than one percent of original tallgrass prairie remaining, the conservation of this habitat is of critical ecological importance. The Stuartburn WMA forms part of the broader Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, managed collaboratively by several conservation organizations committed to the protection and restoration of this rare ecosystem.

A visit to the WMA provides a valuable opportunity to experience a landscape reminiscent of the historic prairie that once extended from the Red River Valley to Texas. During mid-summer, visitors would have witnessed towering native grasses in rich hues of red, blue, purple, and gold, interspersed with a diverse array of wildflowers contributing to a dynamic and visually rich environment. This landscape also supports a wide range of pollinators, including butterflies and other insects, which play a vital role in the ecological health of the prairie system.

Although reduced in extent and diversity from its historical state, the WMA continues to support numerous rare and significant species, including the Western Prairie Fringed Orchid and the Dakota skipper. Visitors are encouraged to bring appropriate field guides for identification purposes. Photography is the preferred method of documentation, as the removal of any plant material is strictly prohibited.

The Stuartburn WMA also provides important habitat for a variety of prairie-dependent bird species not commonly found elsewhere. The combination of tall grass prairie, aspen parkland, and sedge meadow ecosystems supports both resident and migratory neo-tropical bird populations. Species recorded within the area include upland sandpiper, sandhill crane, black-billed cuckoo, whip-poor-will, sharp-tailed grouse, sedge wren, Nelson’s sparrow, Le Conte’s sparrow, and bobolink. Mammalian and other wildlife species such as white-tailed deer, coyotes, foxes, and occasional sightings of black bear and wild turkey are also present. Visitors are advised to consult current hunting regulations for applicable seasons and restrictions.