Once upon a time at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers in Winnipeg was a tangled and rather unsavoury mess of crumbling old rail company buildings, shacks and warehouses.
But even then this area was still a special place, a hidden jewel for heritage. For thousands of years this spot, dubbed The Forks and now a designated national historic site, was a meeting place for First Nations peoples, and later for early European fur traders, settlers and immigrants.
And then 30 years ago an inspirational notion turned the former CN East Yards area into something unique and magical, a modern-day meeting place for citizens, and a focal point for out-of-town visitors whose only idea of Winnipeg was that it was possibly the coldest place on Earth in winter.
The scribbler just came back from a holiday in Winnipeg, long my favourite major Canadian city, and a tour of the 14-acre transformed downtown area was near the top of my list of must-sees.
Well, they sure did create something magical there. They transformed old railway stables and buildings into marketplaces for shopping, a children's museum, a youth theatre, a hotel, a large outdoor stage and more. Everything now complements the abundance of open park spaces, all of them carefully manicured and adorned with public art under the shadow of the recently constructed and already iconic Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
And then there is the Plaza at the Forks, a monster 44,000-square-foot skatepark -- billed as Canada's best and largest urban skate plaza and bowl complex -- that was constructed in concert with the museum, a place fully in alignment with The Forks' long history of being a meeting place.
Calgary's New Line Skateparks was one of the partners that created the skatepark's design. The company will soon bring a new concept creation for Innisfailians to consider for their top-of-the-line skatepark, which won't be anywhere near the size of Winnipeg's, but still impressive. Local skateboarders brought many of the concept ideas forward during an open house last spring.
Mayor Brian Spiller and many town councillors are excited about the possibilities that could make the new skatepark a spectacular meeting place for Innisfailians, not just for members of the skateboard and BMX communities.
But it's also important to ensure the new skatepark works in concert with other amenities, so successfully done in Winnipeg.
There is a proposal it could be built near the Innisfail Aquatic Centre, which of course is close to the ball diamonds and the horseshoe facility. But let's not rule out its proximity to the Innisfail and District Historical Village. And maybe town planners should go beyond the present, and think about what would also be a good fit for the area in the years to come.
Perhaps a modern-day concert hall, a facility the town desperately needs. Not only would the area be a focal point for sports and recreation, it could also be the centre for arts, culture and heritage – just like The Forks in Winnipeg.
Yes, dream big. Winnipeg did just that, and today more than four million visitors check out The Forks every year, a huge boost to the economy and a safe place for young and old.
I am going back to Winnipeg in early September to have a more in-depth chat with locals about how The Forks, especially its gorgeous skatepark, has impacted the community. I feel quite confident it's been a total game changer.
