Nestaweya River Trail now stretches over 6 km on Winnipeg rivers

Greg and Karen McCreary received "good morning" greetings from several people as they walked down to the riverfront at The Forks on Wednesday morning.

The McCrearys appreciate the pleasantness of people at Winnipeg's Nestaweya River Trail, which opened to its maximum distance for this winter on Wednesday. The six-plus-kilometre trail stretches across the Red and Assiniboine rivers.

"It's our first time down here this year to the river walk but it looks amazing," Greg McCreary said.

Clare MacKay, chief communities officer for The Forks, said people look forward to the full river trail opening every year.

The calls tend to begin in early December, MacKay says, but she is thrilled that the length of the river trail has been extended. In past years, the trail reached a maximum distance of 7.5 km.

"This has been part of our organization's life for a very long time. We weren't the first people to bring people down onto the river to skate, but it feels great to be able to offer something that everybody can access," she said.

There are three official access points to the river trail: The Forks, Hugo Docks and Churchill Drive on the Red River.

On a typical Saturday in February, the trail could see between 50,000 and 60,000 skaters, walkers, cyclists and cross-country skiers, according to MacKay.

Warming huts and maintenance

Warming huts are also expected to be put out on to the ice by the end of next week.

"It really has a massive impact on the amount of people who are getting outside and enjoying this," she said.

Manicuring the river trail takes plenty of work. Crews often flood areas of the trail at night, especially after the busiest of days.

It's a big operation to ensure that the ice is in the best condition it can be at all times, MacKay said.  

There's also a lot of technical work that goes into gauging the thickness of the ice to make sure it's safe for people to be on before sections of the trail open. MacKay still suggests a safety-first mindset.

"Always be cautious. This is still a river. This is still an entity that we cannot completely control," she said.

Liette Kelsch and Martin Micklash often take their children skating on the river trail.

They enjoyed a day date together, enjoying the trail's expansion on Wednesday.

"We like to come a couple times a year, so we are excited to go to at least one end today," Kelsch said.

"We're active people. We like just to be in nature when we can and it's beautiful. Perfect day for a skate."

'You can come together with your family'

The river trail's historical importance is equally important, says Niigaan Sinclair, Indigenous curator at The Forks.

Nestaweya means three points, and is used to mean that people came together from three directions to live in what is now known as Winnipeg — the Cree from the north, the Lakota from the west and the Anishinaabe from the south.

"The confluence of the Red and the Assiniboine rivers has such a rich history, so for people to walk it and travel it yet again, not only marks history but is also a way in which people can look toward the future," Sinclair said.

He says the river trail is especially important for families and he hopes to see more city projects that promote similar shared family experiences going forward.

"This would be a place in which you can come together with your family outside in a safe environment. Look at the earth. Look at the land. Have a fantastic time with your kids and think about the future of this place and what it should look like," Sinclair said.

"This is a place in which we have built for generations, and we would continue to. Part of that is through laughter and fun, and through community, and that's what this river trail is all about."

It's time to sharpen your blades

2 years ago

Duration 2:03

The Nestaweya River Trail officially opened today. The trail which is just over 6 kilometres spans the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Manitobans showed up to walk, bike, skate and cross-country ski on its paths.