Bay Roberts, Coley's Point

Sites of Interest
Bay Roberts Interpretation Centre
The Cable Office Heritage Structure
Christopher Pratt Art Gallery
"The Road to Yesterday" Museum
Cable Office Concourse Area
Veterans Quay Marina
The Klondyke Causeway

Things To Do
Bay Roberts East Heritage Hiking Trail
The Coish Walking Trail
Recreational Activities
Klondyke Concert

Major Events
Spring into Summer - June 8th
Canada Day Festivities - July 1st
Klondyke Days - July 25 - Aug 5
Hallowe’en Activities - October 31st
Bonfire Night - November 5th
Festival of Lights - Dec 1- Jan 6
Winter Carnival - March 21 - 24

Bay Roberts, population 5237 (2001 census), is the 10th largest town in the province. The town’s new Interpretation Centre on Veterans’ Memorial Drive features information, displays, arts, and crafts from all over the region.

In addition to an extensive organized recreational program, the community has a number of planned activities during the summer, including Canada Day Celebrations and Klondyke Days with the Klondyke Concert, one of the largest Provincial Summer Concerts.

The Veterans’ Quay Marina, located in the heart of the town, is used by many pleasure craft visiting the area. The Coish Walking Trail follows the shoreline around the bottom of the harbour. The Coish, which means riverhead in Ireland, was named by the early Irish residents who settled there.

The restored Bay Roberts Cable Building (the former Western Union Building), a Provincial Heritage Structure, contains the "Road To Yesterday" Museum, the Archives, and the Christopher Pratt Art Gallery on upper level; and Town Council Chambers on the lower level. Across the street is a beautifully constructed concourse area which overlooks Bay Roberts harbour.

Popular museum exhibits are the Kopper Kettle Tea Room and the General Store from the Mercantile Exhibit. Exhibits were donated by the community and reflect the town lifestyle before Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949. The general store contains elements from a number of the town’s general stores.

Bay Roberts East Shoreline Heritage Walk is a trail that winds through the earliest settlement of Bay Roberts (Juggler's Cove and French's Cove). Along the trail are remains of rock walls, foundations, root cellars and grave sites. The trail includes picnic areas and washrooms.

Bay Roberts provides major transportation, distribution, and services. The harbour, one of the largest and safest in the province with year round operations, contributes to the town's economic growth. The town has superior recreational and park facilities and programs, including an indoor swimming pool, the Bay Arena, 5 playgrounds, a large recreational field with outdoor lighting, and tennis courts.The town's growing resential areas show a pride of ownership which contribute to overall impression of peacefulness and beauty.

“Summer People”(people who have summer homes on the Baccalieu Trail) and weekend visitors are important tourists in Bay Roberts. Businesses such as Morgan’s Furniture and Wescal Department Store offer services to people all across the province.

Coley’s Point, part of the municipality of Bay Roberts, is located on a tip of land on the South side of Bay Roberts Harbour.

In 1896 the Klondyke Causeway was completed across the harbour to Bay Roberts, facilitating transportation and providing easier access for the residents of Coley's Point to the services and facilities offered by the larger community.

The Klondyke Causeway was built by hand by local residents. People began building the causeway on a volunteer basis; however, in 1897, there was a complete failure of the Labrador fishery, so many people in the community were without employment or money. The government agreed to pay people to finish the causeway. People compared the project to the Klondike Gold Rush, and so the Causeway got its name - with a slightly different spelling.

Two of Newfoundland�s well known writers were born on Coley�s Point. Ted Russell wrote "The Chronicles of Uncle Mose" and other radio plays including � The Holdin' Ground.� He is recognized as one of the first and foremost writers to use Newfoundland outport settings and characters as personifications of themes which, while appearing to be local, are actually universal in their scope and appeal.� ( Quoted from Memorial University of Newfoundland, Archival Treasures from the Files of The Gazette.) Award-winning playwright David French, author of the critically acclaimed Saltwater Moon, was also born at Coley's Point.

The Churches of various Christian denominations played an important role the development of Coley�s Point, as they did in all communities on the Baccalieu Trail. Around the Trail, the Church still plays an important role in community life.