Assiniboine Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Assiniboine Park |
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Assiniboine Park Pavilion
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| Location | 55 Pavilion Crescent Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 2N6 |
| 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, once known as City Park, is a huge and popular park in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The land for the park was first bought in 1904. The park officially opened its gates in 1909. It's located north of the Assiniboine Forest, right next to the Assiniboine River. The park gets its name from the Assiniboine people.
Assiniboine Park is really big, covering about 1,100 acres (445 hectares). About 400 acres (162 hectares) of this land are designed in a beautiful English landscape style.
The park is home to many cool attractions. These include the 700-acre (283-hectare) Assiniboine Forest and the Assiniboine Park Zoo. You can also find the historic Assiniboine Park Pavilion, lovely gardens, a sculpture garden, and even a miniature railway! There's also an outdoor theatre for shows and many other fun things to do.
Contents
Awesome Things to See and Do
Gardens and Greenhouses
The park has some amazing places to see plants and flowers.
The Conservatory (Past)
The Conservatory was one of the park's first attractions. It was a large indoor botanical garden. It housed over 8,000 different kinds of flowers, plants, and trees. These plants were not native to Manitoba but grew well in the special conditions inside. The original Palm House was built in 1914. A newer building was built around it in 1968. The Conservatory closed in April 2018. The building has since been taken down. Future plans for this space are being considered.
English Garden
The English Garden is famous across North America. It has thousands of beautiful flowers that bloom every year. This garden was created between 1926 and 1927. It covers almost three acres (1.2 hectares) with flowers, shrubs, and trees. They are all arranged in the classic English style.
The English Garden was designed to help people learn about special floriculture in Manitoba. New types of plants are added every year. There used to be a large rose garden here. It had over 400 rose bushes around a central lily pond. Today, the pond has a large fountain. The English Garden is free to visit every day.
Formal Garden
The Formal Garden is near the park's southeast entrance. It was designed in 1907 by Frederick Todd. This garden features flower beds in clear, geometric shapes. These shapes stand out from the grassy areas. Every part of this garden is perfectly symmetrical.
Leo Mol Sculpture Garden
The Leo Mol Sculpture Garden shows more than 300 artworks by Dr. Leo Mol. These include bronze and ceramic sculptures, paintings, and drawings. This garden opened in 1992. It has been made bigger twice since then.
Pavilion and Theatre Fun
Assiniboine Park Pavilion
The Assiniboine Park Pavilion is a very special building in the park. It was a big part of Winnipeg's social life in the early days. The first pavilion was built in 1908. It had a dance hall and a banquet hall. A fire destroyed it in May 1929.
The current, larger pavilion opened in May 1930. It was designed by Northwood and Chivers. Today, it is one of Winnipeg's most famous landmarks.
The Lyric Theatre
The Lyric Theatre is a big outdoor stage. It is located right next to the Pavilion. It opened in 1999. This theatre continues the tradition of outdoor shows near the Pavilion. These shows started back in the 1920s.
Assiniboine Park Zoo
The Assiniboine Park Zoo is at the west end of the park. It covers about 90 acres (36 hectares). The zoo is home to over 300 different kinds of animals. It first opened in July 1908.
Foot Bridge
The first footbridge across the Assiniboine River was built in 1908. This was when the park first opened. Later, a wider and safer bridge was needed.
A second bridge connects the St. James area with Assiniboine Park. This bridge is for walking and biking. It officially opened in May 1932. A small part of the park is north of the Assiniboine River. This bridge helps people get to the main part of the park from Portage Avenue.
Duck Pond
The serpentine Duck Pond is in the north part of the park. It is near the pedestrian footbridge from Portage Avenue. The Duck Pond was updated in the 2010s with new plants and benches. Even though it's called a duck pond, you'll usually see Canada geese swimming there.
Children's Nature and Adventure Playground
This playground opened in May 2011. It was part of the park's big redevelopment. The Children's Nature and Adventure Playground covers about 2 acres (0.8 hectares). It is right next to the Pavilion. This playground cost $6 million to build. It has a kid-sized doorway, but adults can also get through. The famous Winnie the Pooh statue is now inside this playground area.
Other Cool Features
- Old Train Display: Near Roblin Boulevard, you can see CNR 6043. This was the last steam locomotive to run regular service in Canada. It's on display thanks to the Winnipeg Railway Museum.
- Miniature Railway: The Assiniboine Park Railroad is a narrow-gauge railway. It operates in one part of the park. It even has a working steam locomotive!
- Picnic Areas: The park also has many nice spots for picnics.
Sports and Fitness
Assiniboine Park offers lots of ways to be active!
- Playgrounds: There are fun playgrounds for kids.
- Bicycle Path: You can ride your bike on the park's path.
- Baseball and Cricket: The park has fields for baseball and cricket. There are three cricket pitches and a clubhouse. It's the main place for cricket in Manitoba.
- Terry Fox Fitness Trail: This trail is named after the Canadian hero, Terry Fox. It's designed for everyone, including people with disabilities. Assiniboine Park is easy to get around for people using wheelchairs.
Helping the Forest: Assiniboine Park Riparian Forest Project
The Assiniboine Park Riparian Forest Project helps the forest along the Assiniboine River. This forest has been used a lot over the years. The project aims to help it recover and make the walking trails better. This riverbank restoration project started in 2006 and continues every summer.
The project focuses on the forest strip along the Assiniboine River inside the park. This area is very popular for recreation. Over many years, the forest has lost plants. This is due to floods, invasive plants, and people walking and biking. Heavy use has created many trails, packed-down soil, and bare ground.
Restoration work is happening in the forest. This includes careful planning and help from trail-users. They are planting new trees, removing invasive plants, and creating a main trail. The goal is to reduce the impact of recreation. This way, this natural area will be around for future generations to enjoy for many years to come.
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
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