Chapel Arm is a settlement in Newfoundland, Canada, located at the southeast corner of Trinity Bay, approximately 100 km (62 mi) west of St. John's and two km (one and a half miles)[3] from the Trans-Canada Highway.

Chapel Arm
Town
Chapel Arm is located in Newfoundland
Chapel Arm
Chapel Arm
Location of Chapel Arm in Newfoundland
Coordinates: 47°31′13.52″N 53°40′20.75″W / 47.5204222°N 53.6724306°W / 47.5204222; -53.6724306
CountryCanada
Province Newfoundland and Labrador
Government
 • MayorTyler Murphy
 • Member of ParliamentChurence Rogers (Lib)
 • Member of the House of AssemblyJeff Dwyer (PC)
Area
 • Land28.11 km2 (10.85 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
 • Total
446
 • Density15.9/km2 (41/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−03:30 (Newfoundland Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−02:30
Area code709
Highways Route 1 (TCH)
Route 201
Route 202
Websitechapelarm.ca

With the exception of a few families, the religious denominations are Anglican and Roman Catholic. It has two churches, two parish halls, an LOL hall and a modern elementary school serving the communities of Chapel Arm, Normans Cove, Bellevue and Long Harbour. It has a doctor's office, municipal building, post office, pharmacist, hardware store, and several auto garages.

The majority of people in Chapel Arm own their own homes. There is a well constructed breakwater with landing and docking facilities and a community building used for storage. There are banking facilities and a clinic located at Whitbourne about 13 km (eight miles) away.

With the ongoing construction of the Vale Canada hydro-metallurgical facility in Long Harbour, Chapel Arm has seen a sharp spike in employment and prosperity over the last several years.

Name origin

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No one is sure how Chapel Arm got its name. According to M. F. Howley, it was named for Lieutenant Edward Chappell, who sailed up Trinity Bay in 1818 (Encyclopedia of J.R. Smallwood). Historical records would suggest this claim to be incorrect. Early records of Trinity and the records of Benjamin Lester, a Poole merchant working there, mentions: "on November 10, 1767 sent sloop to Chapple for a load of birch and ships timbers that was left there".

The name of Chapel Arm goes back to 1765–1772, when James Cook and Michael Lane surveyed the coastal waters of Trinity Bay. Chapel Arm was more likely named for the spire-shaped headlands which can be seen as you enter this beautiful arm, since these headlands resemble a church or chapel roof.[citation needed]

The latter is the theory accepted by the majority of the population today.

Demographics

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In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Chapel Arm had a population of 446 living in 204 of its 241 total private dwellings, a change of -2.4% from its 2016 population of 457. With a land area of 28.08 km2 (10.84 sq mi), it had a population density of 15.9/km2 (41.1/sq mi) in 2021.[2][1]

See also

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47°31′00″N 53°40′00″W / 47.51667°N 53.66667°W / 47.51667; -53.66667

References

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  1. ^ a b "Census Profile, 2016 Census: Chapel Arm, Town [Census subdivision], Newfoundland and Labrador". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, census divisions and census subdivisions (municipalities), Newfoundland and Labrador". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  3. ^ Observation, Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Earth Sciences Sector, Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth. "Place names - Chapel Arm". www4.rncan.gc.ca. Retrieved January 22, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)