Ukrainian settlers began arriving in this area, in what is now the Municipality of Harrison Park, in 1899. Teacher Michael Onofreyo of Jackfish Lake School suggested they name the district Ozerna, meaning “lakes” in Ukrainian, due to the abundance of small lakes in the vicinity. The first church service was held in 1902, conducted by Rev. A. Delaere in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Prosken, southwest of the present church. The Proskens also donated a three-acre site for a church and cemetery. Here, in 1902, the first church was built of logs under Delaere’s guidance. A larger church was constructed in 1933 by builder Sefron Snihurovich of Winnipeg. Paintings on the church walls were made in 1949 by Edmonton artist Peter Lipinski.
A plaque on the church grounds was erected in 1999, on the 95th anniversary of the church’s founding and the centenary of Ukrainian settlement in the area. There is also a cemetery on the grounds. The building is a municipally designated historic site (1998).
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church (August 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Interior of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church (October 2017)
Source: George Penner
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery (October 2017)
Source: George PennerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N50.46782, W100.09524
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites
A list of burials in this cemetery is available from the Manitoba Genealogical Society, including a searchable online database available to members at the MGS Manitoba Name Index (MANI). Some additional information is contained in the 1996 MGS publication Carved in Stone: Manitoba Cemeteries and Burial Sites, revised edition, Special Projects Publication, 106 pages.
Ukrainian Catholic Churches of Winnipeg Archeparchy by Anna Maria Kowcz-Baran, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 1991, pages 168-170.
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church (SE24-17-20W, Sandy Lake area), Manitoba Historic Resources Branch.
We thank Jim Carter for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and George Penner.
Page revised: 11 April 2024
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