The Forks National Historic Site

Today I walked through downtown Winnipeg to The Forks National Historic Site. My pictures do not do justice to this magnificent park.

The Forks, located at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, has been a meeting place for over 6,000 years. Indigenous peoples traded at The Forks, followed by European fur traders, Scottish settlers, railway pioneers and tens of thousands of immigrants.

Over the last 30 years, we have transformed this abandoned railyard into The Forks, Winnipeg’s foremost destination, with this set of goals in mind:

The Forks shall be developed as a meeting place a special and distinct, all-season gathering and recreational place at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, through a mixed-use approach including recreational, historical and cultural, institutional and supportive commercial uses.

One of many meeting places in the park.

This looks like a pit for cyclists and their tricks. I can see how they would roll in but could find no way they could ride out.

There is a large skateboard/scooter park. I was amazed how scooters seemed more popular than skateboards for kids practicing tricks.

A huge event space with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in the background to the left. I'll be visiting it tomorrow.

A fountain and falls.

My first look at the Red River from a pedestrian bridge.

Another meeting place.

A children's splash park.

A view looking across the Red River.

This bowl was amazing. The pictures do not show how large and deep it is. The rounded poles at the top show the various constellations. A plaque at the bottom lines up with each to explain each star formation.

By the river.

I made a new friend.

Where the Assiniboine joins the Red. The railway bridge on the right was transformed from railway to pedestrian.

The view of the Forks from the bridge.

A picture from my next stop, the Commons.

Winnipeg did an amazing job on this park with support from the federal and provincial governments. Others could learn from this. If in Winnipeg, I recommend taking a walk through this magnificent place.