WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA

Winnipeg and Oak Marsh Interpretative Center

Winnipeg, meaning meeting of muddy waters, is very flat. The Assiniboini River runs into the Red River there. The east side of the river was settled by the French, the west side by the English.  Two large, distinct areas remain today. In the French Quarter, the signs are in French first, English second. One half of Manitoba’s population lives in Winnipeg.

Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan are Canada’s three Prairie Provinces. Manitoba, also known as the keystone province, is the easternmost province, and is nearly in the geographic center of the country. Manitoba is derived from an Indian word meaning Great Spirit and in 1870 was the fifth province to join the union.

The province is divided into three sections, north to south.  In the north is the sub arctic, in the center is the Canadian shield or boreal forest, and in the south are the low lands or grasslands.

In 1997 the Red River flooded reaching several miles wide. When I saw it, it was a mere few hundred feet across. Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba, two large lakes, are north of Winnipeg. Interlake, the area between the lakes, has a large Icelandic settlement. Winnipeg is home to both the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba.

The Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Center, located 40 miles outside of Winnipeg covers 36 square kilometers, of which 9000 acres are under wildlife management. Originally St. Andrews Bog covered 450 square kilometers, but by 1960 the bog was nearly dry. In the 70s and 80s the Federal and Provincial governments, along with Ducks Unlimited, reclaimed the bog, and changed its name to Oak Hammock. Why Oak Hammock? Once upon a time there was a hamlet between two oak groves where people often hung hammocks between the trees, hence the name. The Interpretative Center opened in 1993. At the time of my visit there were 200,000 migrating water fowl in residence.         

The center is one of the finest I’ve ever visited.  The hands-on activities were inviting. A TV monitor, attached to a remote camera in the marsh, provided an extensive view, way beyond that of the naked eye. Computers had neat information for one to access. Metal rubbings, lovely wildlife displays, fish tanks containing marsh fish, various puzzles, and a water tank with sand were among the many offerings. A fair size theater was available for presentations.

The center entertains 40,000 school children each year in a four month time frame of April-May and September-October.

Outside, it was windy and chilly, but a docent explained, “The marsh contains marsh, meadows, tall grass prairies, lure crops, and aspen and oak bluffs. There are 25 kilometers of hiking trails and dyke walkways in the park. 25,000 muskrats live in the marsh along with many insects, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals like rabbits, deer, and beaver. Since 280 species of birds migrate through the area, the marsh is one of the best bird viewing spots in North America.”

It was a very interesting and informative morning, certainly worth the ride on a cold windy day.