Esplanade Riel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Esplanade Riel |
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Esplanade Riel pedestrian bridge
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| Coordinates | 49°53′26.8″N 97°7′37.0″W / 49.890778°N 97.126944°W |
| Crosses | Red River |
| Locale | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Official name | Esplanade Riel |
| Maintained by | City of Winnipeg |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Side-spar cable-stayed bridge |
| Total length | 197 metres (646 ft) |
| Width | 7 metres (23 ft) |
| Height | Top of the pylon is 57 metres (187 ft) above the bridge deck, and the bridge deck is about 11 metres (36 ft) above the water level. |
| Number of spans | 2 |
| History | |
| Designer | Guy Préfontaine and Étienne Gaboury |
| Construction begin | 2003 |
| Construction end | 2004 |
The Esplanade Riel is a special bridge for people walking and biking in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It crosses the Red River. This bridge connects downtown Winnipeg with St. Boniface. It is named in honor of Louis Riel, an important historical figure.
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What is the Esplanade Riel Bridge?
The Esplanade Riel is a side-spar cable-stayed bridge. This means it has a tall tower (called a pylon) on one side. Strong cables connect the pylon to the bridge deck. This design helps support the bridge.
The Esplanade Riel is built next to the Provencher Bridge. The Provencher Bridge carries cars and other vehicles. The Esplanade Riel is only for people walking or cycling.
A Bridge Like No Other
What makes the Esplanade Riel truly unique is that it has a restaurant right on the bridge itself. This makes it the only bridge in North America with a restaurant. The base of its tower has a special curved area. This area provides space for shops and the restaurant.
The bridge has become a famous landmark in Winnipeg. You can often see it in pictures and videos promoting the city.
Building the Bridge
The Esplanade Riel opened for people to walk on in 2003. Its grand opening was in the summer of 2004. Architects Guy Préfontaine and Étienne Gaboury worked together to design this unique bridge. The original drawings for the bridge are kept at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.
The Esplanade Riel was part of a bigger construction project. This project was called the Provencher Twin Bridges project. It cost $72 million. The project included building the new four-lane Provencher Bridge. It also created new roads and sidewalks. These new paths link the bridges to Downtown Winnipeg and Waterfront Drive.
Restaurants on the Bridge
Over the years, several restaurants have called the Esplanade Riel home. The first restaurant was a Salisbury House. This is a chain of restaurants popular in Winnipeg.
Later, a French restaurant called Chez Sophie sur le pont opened in 2013. "Sur le pont" means "on the bridge" in French. This restaurant was run by Stephane and Sophie Wild, who are from France. Chez Sophie closed in February 2015.
In July 2015, a new restaurant named Mon Ami Louis opened. It offered more casual food. Mon Ami Louis operated on the bridge until it closed in 2020.
