One of Winnipeg’s first parks is still a favourite destination for many By Tania Moffat A
ssiniboine Park has been a draw for people of all ages since it opened in 1909. It was designed by Freder- ick G. Todd of Montreal, a former colleague of the
famous Frederick Law Olmstead, who designed Central Park in New York. Created in 1904, it was the ninth city park to be set aside on lands that were so designated by the City of Winnipeg after the Public Parks Act was passed in 1892. Today, people come here to escape their fast-paced lives, to
get in touch with nature and enjoy the park’s natural beauty. The main entrance is from Roblin Boulevard but you can access the park from Portage Avenue via a footbridge that was built in 1932. The park spans over 153 hectares (402 acres). It encompasses the Assiniboine Forest which is one of the largest urban forests in Canada. Recreational paths, some originally laid out as bridle
paths, meander through the park and connect to the forest. Fields are set up for teams to play a game of croquet, soccer, volleyball and even cricket. The original Assiniboine Park Pavilion, built in 1908, was
22 • Fall 2016
destroyed by fire in May 1929. Its replacement was opened in May 1930 and is still one of Winnipeg's most familiar landmarks. It became the focus of early Winnipeg's social life. Over the years, the Pavilion has gone through a series of
renovations, the latest officially re-opened Sept. 28, 2016. This also marked the launch of WAG@ThePark, a new partnership between Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. The Pavilion Gallery Museum features works by three renowned Manitoba artists: Clar- ence Tillenius, Ivan Eyre and Walter J. Phillips. A gallery of Winnie the Pooh (currently closed) is usually on display. Adjacent to Roblin Boulevard, the last steam locomo-
tive to run scheduled service in Canada, CNR 6043, is on permanent display courtesy of the Winnipeg Railway Museum. Assiniboine Park’s operations have been transferred
from the City of Winnipeg to the not-for-profit Assini- boine Park Conservancy. In addition to the redevelop- ment of the zoo, the new children's garden and the duck
localgardener.net
All photos courtesy of the Assiniboine Conservancy.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80