Join Katie Buckberger for a 2 hour guided tour of the Churchill drive Parkway. Katie will share the history of the area (pontoon bridge, river park, remnants of the park) and talk about native plants and their uses, interesting finds in the old park, and how the City of Winnipeg's maintenance of the parkway has affected these precious plants and their ecosystem.
Starting at the Tot Lot in Churchill Drive Park beside the Osborne Street overpass, Katie will share a brief history of the neighbourhood and take participants on a stroll down a path through part of the river forest where they will see the remnants of River Park (1880's-1920's), such as the bear pit. Participants will admire the gigantic cottonwoods on the way out, and discuss how the landscape along the river has changed over the years. Impacted by the City of Winnipeg's landscaping tactics, the walk explores the effect this has had on the area's native plant life. Picking up the pace down Churchill Drive Parkway, the tour will stop at the Sierra Club Canada's native plant garden and talk about traditional plant uses. Lastly, the tour will pass by beaver flats (where many trees fall victim to beavers) and end the walk at a beautiful community garden and orchard from Sustainable South Osborne.
Meeting Place
Walk starts at the Churchill Drive Tot Lot. Walk Leader will have a distinct woven basket in hand.
Accessibility
Walk will be on a mostly gravel path, though may veer off slightly. There will be uneven surfaces. Most able bodied folks will do fine with runners on. There are several benches to sit down on along the way. There may be boats going by or cars revving their engines quite loudly in the distance. Bring a hat, sunscreen, water, a snack, and bug spray.
- Uneven terrain (steep slopes/stairs/barriers)
- Pet-friendly
- Fast-paced, covering lots of ground
