Assiniboine Park
Assiniboine Park | |
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Location | 55 Pavilion Crescent Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 2N6 |
Coordinates | 49°51′46″N 97°14′40″W / 49.86278°N 97.24444°W |
Area | 1,100 acres (450 ha) |
Created | 1904 |
Open | July 7, 1908 |
Public transit access | 11 Portage-Kildonan (Mon.–Sat. evening, Sunday/Holidays) 18 North Main-Corydon (Weekends/Holidays) 21 Portage Express (Mon.–Sat.) 67 Charleswood Express 79 Charleswood |
Assiniboine Park (formerly known as City Park)[1] is a park in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, located along the Assiniboine River.
The Winnipeg Public Parks Board was formed in 1893, and purchased the initial land for the park in 1904. Although in use before then, the park officially opened in 1909.
The park includes the 700-acre (280 ha)
Prominent attractions
CN U-1-d Mountain numbered 6043 is on display
Conservatory and gardens
There is evidence that Henry Sandham Griffith designed a landscape layout for the park in April 1894.[3]
One of the earliest park features and a major indoor attraction, The Conservatory is a
It was announced in early 2018 that the Assiniboine Park Conservatory would close permanently in April 2018 due to ongoing renovation costs and it reaching the end of its "useful life". The building has since been demolished, and usage of the existing space has not been determined. In 2018 a group of citizens spoke out about the future Diversity Gardens, that visitors will have to pay an admission fee like at the Zoo, and that this will cause lower income citizens to be unable to afford to visit the new displays.[5]
Known throughout
The English Garden is open free of charge to the public every day of the year.
The Formal Garden, located at the southeast park entrance,[6] was designed in 1907 by Frederick Todd as part of the original park. It features flower beds in sharply defined geometric shapes that stand out from the grassy areas. Each of the beds, as well as the overall design, is symmetrical.[7]
The Leo Mol Sculpture Garden displays more than three hundred works by Dr. Leo Mol, including bronze and ceramic sculptures, paintings and drawings. Opened in 1992, the sculpture garden has been expanded twice since.[8]
Pavilion and theatre
The park's signature feature, the Assiniboine Park Pavilion became a focus of early Winnipeg's social life. Originally designed by John D. Atchison and built in 1908, it included a dance hall, a banquet hall, lunch and catering. The 90-foot (27 m) tower contained the pump and water tower for the park's water system. It was destroyed by fire in May 1929. The current larger pavilion was designed by architects Northwood and Chivers, and was opened in May 1930. It is today one of Winnipeg's most familiar landmarks.[2]
The Lyric Theatre is a large outdoor stage located next to the Pavilion. Opened in 1999, it carries on the tradition of
Zoo
The 90 acres (36 ha) Assiniboine Park Zoo is at the western end of the park just north of the main parking area,[6] and is home to over 300 animal species. It initially opened in July 1908.[9]
Foot bridge
The first foot bridge across the Assiniboine River was built in 1908 when the Park had initially opened.[9] However, in later years it was determined that a wider and safer bridge would be needed.
A second bridge, connecting the district of
Children's Nature and Adventure Playground
Opened in May 2011 as part of the Park's redevelopment, a 0.81 ha (2-acre) Children's Nature and Adventure Playground was built as a
Other
Adjacent to Roblin Boulevard, the last steam locomotive to run scheduled service in Canada, CNR 6043, Class U-1-d, 4-8-2, is on permanent display courtesy of the
Toward the north of the park, and just to one side of the pedestrian footbridge from Portage Avenue is the serpentine duck pond. Originally a fenced area, in the 2010s the duck pond was upgraded with new plants and benches. Although called a duck pond, it is more common to find Canada geese swimming there.
The park also includes picnic areas.
Sports
The park offers playgrounds, a bicycle path, baseball and cricket fields with three cricket pitches (upper and lower grounds) and a clubhouse on site. The park is the Manitoba Cricket League's premier facility for hosting club cricket.
The Terry Fox Fitness Trail, dedicated to the Canadian humanitarian's memory, is designed for disabled and non-disabled individuals alike. Assiniboine Park is wheelchair-accessible.
Assiniboine Park Riparian Forest Project
The Assiniboine Park Riparian Forest Project purposes to help the riparian forest recover from heavy use and enhance the recreational trail experience. The ongoing riverbank restoration project, begun in 2006,[13] continues each summer.[citation needed]
The project concerns the strip of forest along the
Restoration is underway in the forest through careful planning, cooperation from trail-users and efforts such as tree planting, invasive species removal and creating a main trail. The project's aim is that by reducing the impact of recreation in the forest, this natural area will still be around for generations to enjoy 100 years from now.[13]
Gallery
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Assiniboine River
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Leo Mol Sculpture Garden in Assiniboine Park
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Tulip Festival 2009 in Sculpture Garden, Assiniboine Park
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Leo Mol Sculpture Garden in Assiniboine Park
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Leo Mol Sculpture Garden in Assiniboine Park
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The Assiniboine Park Pavilion as seen from the south.
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Assiniboine Park miniature train
See also
Further reading
Spector, David (2019). Assiniboine Park: Designing and Developing a People's Playground. Great Plains Publications.
References
- ^ "University of Alberta Libraries". peel.library.ualberta.ca. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Assiniboine Park Pavilion" (PDF). winnipeg.ca. Winnipeg Historical Buildings Committee. 30 January 1982. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ^ "Henry Sandham Griffith". Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ISBN 9781773370125.
- ^ Thorpe, Ryan (April 1, 2018). "Protesters pan proposed fees for The Leaf". Winnipeg Free Press. p. A3.
- ^ a b "Assiniboine Park Map" (PDF). assiniboinepark.ca. Assiniboine Park Conservancy. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ^ "Formal Garden". assiniboinepark.ca. Assiniboine Park Conservancy. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ^ "Leo Mol, Winnipeg sculptor, dies at 94". CBC News. 6 July 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
- ^ a b "Opening of City Park". Winnipeg Free Press. June 24, 1908. p. 11.
- ^ "Foot Bridge". www.winnipegarchitecture.ca. Retrieved 2019-11-30.
- ^ Germano, Daniela (July 31, 2011). "Let Us Play". Winnipeg Free Press. p. A14.
- ^ "Surviving Steam Locomotives in Manitoba". www.steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
- ^ a b c Wiebe, Lindsey (July 6, 2009). "Rescuing the forest, one tree at a time: Assiniboine Park undergoes crucial makeover". Winnipeg Free Press. p. A2.
External links
- Assiniboine Park (official website)