Tourism Winnipeg

The Loop - Winnipeg's Urban Walking Trail - 2016

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The Loop Walk along this historic loop to explore Winnipeg's unique architectural, cultural and contemporary icons and landmarks. 1. The Forks – Winnipeg's number one tourist destination with more than four million visitors annually; for over 6,000 years has been a meeting site for Aboriginal groups, European fur traders, Métis buffalo hunters, Scottish settlers, riverboat workers, railway pioneers, and tens of thousands of immigrants. 2. Esplanade Riel – Named in honour of one of Manitoba's founders, Louis Riel, this bridge has become an icon of Winnipeg's skyline. 3. Louis Riel's Tombstone – Prominent Métis leader Louis Riel was found guilty of treason for his role in the 1885 rebellion and hanged on November 16, 1885. 4. St. Boniface Cathedral – In 1906, Archbishop Langevin blessed the cornerstone of what became one of the most impressive churches in Western Canada. 5. Archbishop's House – Built in 1864, one of the oldest stone buildings in Western Canada. 6. St. Boniface University – Established in 1818, the only French language University and oldest post-secondary institution in Western Canada. 7. Provencher School – Earliest Catholic school in the Red River settlement established in 1818, where Gabrielle Roy taught Grade 1 from 1930-1936. 8. St. Joseph Academy – Established in 1898 as a convent and girls' school, acclaimed author Gabrielle Roy received her early education at the school. 9. Provencher Park – Site of the original St. Boniface College that was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1922. 10. St. Boniface City Hall & Sculpture Gardens – Now home to Tourisme Riel, was designed by architect Victor Horwood and completed in 1906. Take a walk through its impressive sculpture garden. 11. Joseph Royal Park – Commemorates a leading figure in the francophone community, Joseph Royal, who founded French newspapers Le Métis in 1871 and La Liberté in 1913. 12. Canadian Museum for Human Rights – The first national museum to be built outside of the Ottawa region, filled with dynamic content on human rights in Canada and the world. 13. Shaw Park – Home of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, professional minor league baseball team, and used as the 1999 Pan Am Games baseball venue. 14. Stephen Juba Park – Named for Winnipeg's longest serving mayor Stephen Juba, was once home to shipping docks used by early merchants and now anchors downtown's residential development. 15. Selkirk Settlers Statue – Sculpted by Gerald Laing, commemorates Scottish immigrants "who sought freedom, hope and justice beyond their native shores". 16. James Avenue Pumping Station – Considered one of the most sophisticated in the world in 1906, drew water from the Red River that was sent to 70 downtown fire hydrants. 17. Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre – Established in 1958 and is considered one of the oldest English language regional theatres in Canada. 18. Pantages Playhouse Theatre – Created in 1913, the vaudeville theatre has showcased greats like The Marx Brothers, Stan Laurel, Buster Keaton, Harry Houdini, and Milton Berle. 19. Centennial Concert Hall – Opened in 1968 and showcases performances by Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. 20. The Manitoba Museum – The province's largest museum and science centre, home to a planetarium and science gallery with over 100 hands-on exhibits. 21. City Hall – Completed in 1966 and comprised of a two-storey council chambers and six-storey administration building. 22. Chinese Cultural Centre – Located in Winnipeg's Chinatown, houses the only Chinese library in Manitoba. For a taste of traditional cuisine, visit one of the restaurants in the area. 23. Red River College Campus – Built using the facades of six heritage buildings and three new structures, the campus is home to over 2,000 students. 24. Union Bank Tower – Built in 1904, the tower is the oldest existing skyscraper in Canada and became home to Red River College's Paterson GlobalFoods Institute for culinary arts in 2013. 25. Old Market Square & The Cube – The Exchange District's hub of activity with many popular festivals and events throughout the year. The Cube is a state-of-the-art, open-air, performance venue built in 2010. 26. Ashdown Store – Opened in 1894 as a large and ready supply goods store and named after James Ashdown, an early Winnipeg pioneer and businessman. 27. Albert and McDermot – The city's most popular gathering place in the early 1900's, "Newspaper Row" was home to the Manitoba Free Press, the Winnipeg Tribune, and the Winnipeg Telegram. 28. Portage and Main & Bank of Montreal – One of Canada's most famous intersections and referenced in music by Neil Young, Randy Bachman, and Stompin' Tom Connors. Completed in 1913, the Bank of Montreal is one of the most compelling heritage and iconic buildings in the city. 29. Tourism Winnipeg – For more information on Winnipeg, visit the Tourism Winnipeg office located on the third floor of the Paris Building, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 30. MTS Centre – Once home to Eaton's department store, is one of North America's busiest event facilities and home to the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets since 2011. Rub the left toe of the Timothy Eaton's statue on the second floor for good luck. 31. The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre (The Met) – Originally opened in 1920 as a luxurious movie palace, it reopened in 2012 as a restaurant, lounge, and multi-purpose event centre. 32. Holy Trinity Anglican Church – Constructed in 1884 and home to the city's largest pipe organ. 33. Millennium Library – Opened in 1977 as Centennial Library, it was renamed and extensively renovated in 2005 to serve 5,000 visitors a day. 34. Millennium Square – Completed in 2012 and features a plaza, urban wetland, windmills, wooden walkway, birch trees, and public art. 35. St. Mary's Cathedral – Originally built in 1880, the Roman Catholic cathedral was renovated with a new façade in 1896. 36. RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg – Opened in 1975 and located in the SHED (sports, hospitality, and entertainment district), the centre has completed a major expansion in 2016 to almost double its size. 37. Manitoba Hydro Place – Opened in 2009 as the headquarters for Manitoba Hydro, the building is the only tower in Canada to receive platinum certification for its adherence to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), making it the most energy efficient tower in North America. 38. Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet – Founded in 1939, is the second-oldest ballet company in North America and the oldest surviving dance company in Canada. 39. The Bay – Founded by Royal Charter in 1670, the Hudson's Bay Company is the oldest trading company in the world. The store's opening day in Winnipeg in 1926 welcomed 50,000 customers. 40. Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) – Established in 1912, the WAG is the oldest civic art gallery in Canada with the world's largest collection of Inuit art – more than 13,000 pieces. 41. Archives of Manitoba – The official government archive of Manitoba and home to Hudson's Bay Company's archives. 42. Vaughan Street Jail – Winnipeg's oldest remaining public building that opened in 1883, was the execution site of serial killer Earle Nelson, nicknamed The Gorilla Killer who was suspected of murdering nearly 30 women by strangulation. 43. Memorial Park – Opened in 1961 in honour of the sacrifices made by members of the Canadian Forces; visit the statue of William Stephenson, best known for his wartime intelligence codename Intrepid and considered to be one of the real-life inspirations for James Bond. 44. The Legislative Building – Visit Manitoba's number one citizen, the beloved "Golden Boy," who is perched atop the Manitoba Legislative Building. Completed in 1920, take in the nationally acclaimed Hermetic Code Tour. 45. The Legislative Gardens – Enjoy the beauty of the flowers, plants, memorials, and statues -- including the iconic Louis Riel statue; you'll also encounter some of the bears used for the 2005 "Bears on Broadway" campaign that raised funds and awareness for cancer prevention. 46. Dalnavert Museum – The 1895 restored home of Sir Hugh John Macdonald, son of Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first Prime Minister. 47. The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre – Built in 1913 by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway as a luxury hotel, the hotel is rumoured to be haunted with ghosts. 48. Upper Fort Garry Gate – After being destroyed in a floor in 1826, this gate was rebuilt by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1835. In 2015, the Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park was opened to preserve and protect the significant history of this landmark site. 49. Union Station – Designed by New York's Grand Central Station architects and opened in 1909, has served as a place of arrival for thousands of immigrants starting new lives and a place of departure for thousands of First and Second World War soldiers never to return home. Approximate distance and walking time: 9.5 km, 3.5 hours For more information, visit www.tourismwinnipeg.com/theloop 300 - 259 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3B 2A9 1-855-PEG-CITY (734-2489) info@tourismwinnipeg.com @tourismwpg tourismwinnipeg Visit Winnipeg onlyinthepeg TOURISM WINNIPEG IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER STOPS ALONG YOUR WAY: A. Saint-Boniface Museum – Built in 1844 as the convent for the Grey Nuns and first hospital in Western Canada, the museum is the largest oak log building in North America featuring a mix of many French-Canadian design influences. B. Gabrielle Roy House – Three-time Governor General Literary Award and Order of Canada recipient, Gabrielle Roy is widely considered to be one of the most important francophone writers in Canadian history and one of the most influential Canadian authors. C. Centre culturel franco-manitobain – The centre has been a jewel of the French-speaking cultural scene for over 40 years, housing an art gallery, dance studios and the St. Boniface Historical Society which preserves the treasures of the Franco-Manitoban and Métis history. D. Le Cercle Molière – Le Cercle Molière is the oldest francophone theatre group in North America; productions run between Septem- ber and March. E. Fort Gibraltar – Originally built at the forks of the Red and Assiniboine rivers in 1810, the fort was a North West Company fur trade post. F. The Marlborough Hotel – Originally named the Olympia, the hotel opened in 1914 and has hosted many celebrity guests over the years including Sir Winston Churchill in 1925. G. Burton Cummings Theatre – Originally named the Walker The- atre, after its owner Corliss Powers Walker, it opened in 1907 with Puccini's new opera Madame Butterfly. H. Central Park – An important urban gathering place in the commu- nity that recently underwent a major redevelopment. I. Portage Place – Mixed-use shopping mall and home to Prairie Theatre Exchange, a professional theatre school, and downtown's YM/YWCA location. J. Law Courts – Built in 1916 by architects Victor Horwood and Samuel Hooper. K. Lieutenant Governor's House – This stately three-storey man- sion was built in 1883 and has 23 rooms and 11 bathrooms. L. Variety Heritage Adventure Playground – Calling all children! Parks Canada and Variety, the Children's Charity of Manitoba have teamed up to bring The Forks' history to life through the one-of-a-kind Variety Heritage Adventure Park. Come imagine, explore and, most of all, enjoy! 25 12 34 37 48 47 40 13 4 Courtesy Zyron Paul Felix Courtesy Dan Harper Courtesy Leif Norman Courtesy Scott Carnegie Courtesy Ernest Mayer Courtesy Phuong Nguyen Courtesy Ryan McBride

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