Twin Lakes Beach, Manitoba

Twin Lakes Beach (French: Plage Twin Lakes), also known locally by many as simply "Twin Beaches," is a beach / community located in the Canadian province of Manitoba, on Lake Manitoba. It is about 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-west of the provincial capital Winnipeg. Twin Lakes Beach is located in both the Rural Municipality of St. Laurent (French: la Municipalité Rurale de Saint-Laurent) and the Rural Municipality of Woodlands, and is near the town of St. Laurent.

Situated on a natural isthmus, dividing Lake Francis and Lake Manitoba, Twin Lakes Beach was formed by the natural process of sand accumulating between the two bodies of water over a period of years when it was transferred from the bank of one lake to the bank of another lake by wind and water. The sand then continues to build up, eventually forming a sand dune. Plants are able to strive on this natural dune, because after a storm occurs on the lake, the water levels increase, washing dead seaweed, as well as other organic matter, onto the sand, and after many years of decomposition, the compost turns to soil, acting as a fertilizer for local plant life. As a result, grass, plants, and wildlife are now native to the area. The water, however, continuously laps the shore, due to moving air and currents, leaving a section of the dune eroded where sand remains, forming a beach.

Lake Francis is a relatively small lake, with a high percentage of water area being marsh and wetlands. Lake Manitoba, however, is Manitoba's third largest lake. This body of water can be described as a long, wide, but shallow hyposaline lake, which does not support a wetland ecosystem, but yet is home to many species of fish and waterfowl which dwell in the area. Lake Manitoba boasts a high number of cottage dwellings and sandy beaches, mainly occupied in the summer months. The area around Twin Lakes Beach & St. Laurent is composed of reasonably fertile land, suitable for crops; the land that is not as fertile is used for pastures, grasslands, or land to be surveyed into future private properties. There are also an abundance of trees and forests around the area.

The earliest records of civilization (of course long after Aboriginal peoples inhabited Manitoba, prior to dated history) around the Twin Lakes Beach and St. Laurent area began in the early 19th century, when the McKay family, of Metis descent, were one of the first families to settle in St. Laurent, on the shores of Lake Manitoba. The family found all the resources that they found important to them - fishing, hunting, and agriculture. The community grew, attracting new immigrants to the province who were looking for an affordable, resourceful way of life.

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