Canadian Destinations

Take a walk through Winnipeg’s riverfront downtown

By Sandy Campbell

Photo by Sandy Campbell

If you know nothing else about Winnipeg, you have probably heard of the Red River floods. The river is a defining feature of the city, in the same way that the North Saskatchewan defines Edmonton. On a recent visit to Winnipeg, I spent a little time exploring the downtown and the riverfront.

This summer, if you walk along the riverside parks in front of the Manitoba Legislative Building, you can see cracking mud flats left by the spring floods. If you want to see more of the river, there is a tour boat excursion that leaves regularly from the Forks.

The Forks is the spot where the Red River and Assiniboine River join. This area, which has been used as a meeting place for 6,000 years, has been redeveloped from railway warehouses into a district of trendy shops and restaurants and a lively atmosphere. Performers in the outdoor performance area range from pipe bands to mimes.

Anyone who enjoys food presentation as art and is looking for a very special dinner might try Sydney’s, which features excellent quality food with a local flavour, an extensive wine list and great service.

Winnipeg has wonderful architecture. On the west side of The Forks is the original Union Station, built 1911, which still operates as a railway station. Passing through is like stepping back into the heyday of transcontinental rail. It even smells like an historic building, in a good way.

As you step out of the station, you are just a block from the grand old Fort Gary Hotel. The hotel, much of which has been lovingly restored, faces onto Broadway, a wide formal avenue with treed boulevards. If for nothing else, it is worth going into the hotel to have a cup of tea, just to enjoy the Victorian opulence and elegance.

If you travel further up Broadway, you will see many apartment blocks and houses that feature interesting architectural detail. At the intersection of Broadway and Memorial Boulevard you come to the government district.

On the north side of Broadway is the impressive Law Courts building. Across Broadway is the Manitoba Legislative Building, tours of which are offered hourly through July and August.

As you approach the Legislative Building, you are immediately struck by the large black marble statue of Queen Victoria, which is mentioned in Rose Fyleman’s famous poem Winnipeg at Christmas.

“Snow upon the housetops, snow along the street,
And Queen Victoria in her chair
Has snow upon her snowy hair
And snow upon her feet.”

Looking to the top of the Legislative Building’s dome you see the Golden Boy, who symbolizes Manitoba. He carries a torch and a sheaf of wheat and had amazing adventures before he was installed on top of the Legislature.

The statue was cast in a French foundry, which was bombed in WWI. Having survived that attack, he was put on a wheat ship bound for Canada, but the ship was commandeered as a troop carrier. He travelled around on the ship until the war ended and he finally made his way to Winnipeg.

On the south lawn of the Legislature is another notable statue, that of Louis Riel. However, it is not the controversial statue of a contorted Riel between two walls that graced this lawn when I last visited.

This Riel, by Winnipeg artist Miguel Joyal, is a well-dressed confident statesman, standing proudly, document in hand, looking out over the river.

In 1995, the original statue by Marcien Lemay and Etienne Gaboury was moved to College Universitaire de St. Boniface, again surrounded by controversy.

The south lawns of the legislature also contain a relatively new sculpture installation. Bears on Broadway was originally an installation of 61 large concrete polar bears, which were set along the boulevard on Broadway in 2005.

The bears were created to celebrate CancerCare Manitoba’s 75th anniversary. Each bear was decorated by one of 51 Manitoba artists and given a unique name. Many of the bears were bought by businesses and were moved to head offices. However, 18 of the bears are now making their homes on the lawns along Assiniboine Avenue.

Of course, Winnipeg has much more to offer: Assiniboia Downs, Polo Park, the Blue Bombers, casinos, theatre, bookstores, galleries and museums, but if you have just a little time to spend, a wander through the downtown riverfront will provide a fine day’s entertainment.

If You Go:

Manitoba Legislative Building www.gov.mb.ca/legtour/legbld.html

Fort Garry Hotel www.fortgarryhotel.com

Sydney’s at the Forks www.sydneysattheforks.com/web/index.html

Union Station www.virtual.heritagewinnipeg.com/vignettes/vignettes_127W.htm