Community Profiles
Robert's Arm
Trail: Beothuk Trail HWY 380
Mayor: Daphne Parsons
Deputy Mayor: Derrick Hicks
Councillors: Percy Paddock, Aubrey Goulding, Darlene Terry-Payne, Terrence Rideout
Address: P.O. Box 10, A0J 1R0
Telephone: (709) 652-3331
Fax: (709) 652-3079
Email: town.robertsarm [at] nf.aibn.com
Availability: Monday - Friday; 9:00am - 4:00pm
Introduction:
Robert's Arm is a unique little town which lies beside Crescent Lake, a majestic body of water which boasts picturesque surroundings. The economic roots of this community are trenched in the forestry. Robert's Arm is equipped with a good service sector and maintains some fisher people. This community has the unique feature of being built around Crescent Lake which is home to "Cressie", the local Lochness monster. One tourist attraction is the Hazel Nut and Adventure Trail. This trail is approximately 10 km (2.5 km have been completed from Robert's Arm highway to Crescent Lake Narrows).
Population:
Population of Roberts Arm is 841.
History:
By the Mid 1950's, Roberts Arm had developed into a local service centre. Local tradition says the community was first named "Rabbits Arm" by people from nearby islands who visited each fall and winter to trap and cut timber. In the 1911 Census, the name of Roberts Arm was being used. Local tradition says its name was changed to honor a prominent resident, John Roberts.
Permanent settlement of the area was probably predated by visits of the Beothuk, who were known to have frequented nearby South Brook, Little Bay Islands and Long Island. Because Roberts Arm is located a fair distance from good inshore fishing grounds, there were no permanent settlers until around 1870.
In 1878, lumbermen discovered an ore body, and 30 to 40 miners were sinking shafts about three-quarters of a mile inland near Rabbits Arm Pond (now Crescent Lake). Captain Philip Cleary who held the mineral rights to the area, sent samples to the Betts Cove Mining Co., who then leased the site and sent a mining engineer to develop it.
The Rabbit's Arm Mine yielded 1260 tons of ore which graded 28% copper from 1879 to 1881. The ore was transported to crushers on the south side of Crescent Lake before it was transported to the harbour on a tramway. Work was suspended in 1881. The mine was not opened again until 1924. In three years it produced another 2000 tons of ore.
Roberts Arm was first listed in the 1884 Census with 121 residents. Many of these relocated from nearby communities. When the mine closed the population declined, but some miners found work nearby at Pilley's Island, others returned to the fishery.
The late 1930's marked a dramatic turnaround for Roberts Arm. The community began to grow rapidly in 1937 when Bowater's obtained a permit to export pulpwood. At the outset, however, there was labor unrest at Roberts Arm, one of the first loggers' strikes in the country occurred in October 1937. The loggers went on strike over pay rates and living conditions in the camps. Although there was tense stand-off between the loggers and Bowaters, the loggers backed down when faced with losing employment. By 1945 many families from nearby communities had made Roberts Arm their home.
Early residents of Roberts Arm were predominantly Wesleyan Methodists, who build a school/chapel in 1880. The Salvation Arm and Pentecostal Assemblies also build churches and schools when the population began to increase dramatically. In the late 1970's, the growing Pentecostal population opened the R.W. Parsons Academy and Collegiate.
Fishing Industry
There are a number of fishermen in the town. There are full-time and part-time fisher-persons in Robert's Arm.
Forestry Industry
Sawmill
Logging Contractor
Commercial Trade
Complete Business Directory
Housing
There are 378 households in the town with 375 of them occupied.
Education
There is one school located within the town.
Postal Service
There is a post office located in the town with full service to the public including full counter service and post office boxes are available to the residents.
Media
Newspaper(s)
Television (Cable)
Library
Community TV Channel
CAP Site
Cellular Tower
Health & Welfare
Roberts Arm Medical Clinic is open 3 days a week by three doctors from Central Newfoundland Health Care Centre in Grand Falls
Fire Protection
The town has a volunteer fire department with 25 firefighters.
Transportation
Community Travel
Bus Travel
Airport (Deer Lake)
Emergency Service
Utilities & Power
Aliant Telecom
NewTel Mobility
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro
Persona
Water Supply & Sanitation
Main water supply (Chlorinated, Gravity-Flow system).
Sewage system.
Green Bay South Waste Management.
Social and Cultural Data
There are three churches located in town.
United
Salvation Army
Pentecost
Tourism and Recreation
Walking trail/Hiking trail
Fishing
Salmon brook
Heritage House
Fitness centre
Playground
Multi-purpose recreation centre
Clubs and Organizations
Recreation committee
Fire Department
Active Living Club
