FortWhyte Alive facts for kids
FortWhyte Alive! Logo
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| Formation | 1983 |
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| Type | Nature preserve |
| Headquarters | 1961 McCreary Rd. |
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Region
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Winnipeg Metro Region |
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Official language
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English |
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President and CEO
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Liz Wilson |
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Vice-President
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Ian Barnett |
| Dr. Gordon Goldsborough Debbie Grenier Richard Enright Tammy Johnson Jody S. Langhan Shannon Magnusson Amy May Justice Michel A. Monnin Tanis Ostermann Sacha Paul Dr. Brian Postl Liz Prall, Chair Sprague Richardson Susan Schmidt Brian Thiessen, Past Chair Paul Vogt Liz Wilson, President & CEO |
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Formerly called
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Fort Whyte Nature Centre |
FortWhyte Alive is a special place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is an environmental education and recreation center. This large park helps people learn about nature and have fun outdoors. It is located in southwest Winnipeg, right along the path where Canada geese fly during their migrations.
Contents
Explore FortWhyte's Natural Spaces
FortWhyte Alive covers about 640 acres (259 hectares) of land. This includes prairies, lakes, forests, and wetlands. It is a great place to see nature up close.
- Bison Prairie: There's a 70-acre (28-hectare) prairie where you can see bison. You can also learn about their history.
- Nature Trails: Over 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) of trails let you explore.
- Fun Features: You can find a family treehouse and floating boardwalks.
- Wildlife: Keep an eye out for songbirds, deer, and waterfowl living freely.
Activities and Fun at FortWhyte
FortWhyte Alive offers many activities all year round. Over 100,000 visitors come here every year.
- Warm Weather Fun:
- You can go fishing in the lakes.
- Try canoeing on the water.
- Enjoy hiking on the trails.
- Go bird-watching and spot different kinds of birds.
- Winter Adventures:
- Experience ice fishing when the lakes freeze.
- Go snowshoeing through the snowy trails.
- Enjoy skating on the ice.
- Have fun tobogganing down hills.
The Alloway Reception Centre is a large building for visitors. It has a Nature Shop where you can buy souvenirs. There's also the Buffalo Stone Café if you get hungry.
Learning About Our Environment
The Interpretive Centre is a big building full of exhibits. It helps you learn about nature and how to protect our planet.
- Aquarium of the Prairies: This is Manitoba's largest indoor aquarium. You can see many fish and water creatures.
- Other Exhibits: Explore the Prairie Partners Room and the Touch Museum. Learn about climate change in the Climate Change Greenhouse. See how prairie soils work in the dioramas. All these exhibits teach about the environment and living in a way that helps the planet.
FortWhyte Alive is a great example of sustainable development. This means using resources wisely so they are still there for the future. The center was built on land that used to be a clay mine and a cement factory. Now, it's a beautiful natural space. FortWhyte teaches that a healthy economy and a healthy environment depend on each other.
The center wants to help everyone understand the natural world. It encourages actions that lead to sustainable living. This includes looking at how humans have interacted with the environment in the past, present, and future.
Educational Programs and Community Involvement
FortWhyte Alive offers many programs for students and the public.
- School Programs: Almost 30,000 school children visit each year. They learn about nature in both French and English. These programs help students understand their role in keeping our planet healthy.
- FortWhyte Farms: This special program helps young people learn about farming in the city. They gain social and job skills in a beautiful natural setting.
- Public Programs: FortWhyte offers workshops and activities for all ages. These programs help people appreciate the natural world in every season.
More than 300 volunteers help at FortWhyte Alive. They do everything from planning how the center is run to leading school and public programs.
Getting to FortWhyte Alive
FortWhyte Alive is located within Winnipeg. However, it is not currently served by the city's public transit system.
