25 July 2016
An interesting fact about Ontario Lakes: it has approximately 250,000 lakes and 62,000 miles of rivers. Most of the population is concentrated in Southern Ontario with the population in 2006 over 12 million. It is Canada's second largest province in total land area and its longest border is with Manitoba.
Our drive to our next stop near Winnipeg, Manitoba in Ile des Chenes 15 KM south was 3 hours via Hwy 17. We stopped at the Visitor Center at the Manitoba line to browse info continuing on Hwy 1. Manitoba is more agricultural, prairie and wide open. Our RV park, Arrowhead is small and convenient to Hwy 59. Our site 14 faces a tree lined area, good hookups, spotless restrooms and showers, laundry and friendly staff. Only complaint is cost of wi-fi per device and day, but a necessary expense. We only paid for 3 devices instead of 6.
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| Arrowhead RV #14 |
Manitoba is our 9th Province we have visited since 2013 and plan to visit Newfoundland and Labrador, the 10th next summer.
After settling in, we drove into Winnipeg to visit Upper Fort Garry and several other sights. First big city we have been in since leaving Hamilton, ONT. We have a long list of historic and fun things to do while we are here. Some near and some within 150km.
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| Crossing Provencher Bridge into Downtown Human Rights Museum in View |
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| Old Train Station |
Winnipeg sits at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. It has one of the largest French speaking communities outside Quebec. It is steeped in culture, commerce and tourism. More than 100 languages are spoken in the communities.Winnipeg is also vibrant in the arts, music, history, dining and shopping .Museums and parks abound.
Upper Fort Garry was the last of five forts to have been built in this area and known as the birthplace of Winnipeg is situated at the forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. Upper Fort Garry was a Hudson Bay Co. established in 1822. Severe flood damage in 1826 caused the construction of Lower Fort Garry, 32km downriver. In 1836 a new Upper Fort Garry was established near the old HBC post. In 1870 during the Red River Rebellion, the fort was seized by Louis Riel.With the decline in fur trade and the growth of Winnipeg, the fort disappeared. All that remains of Upper Fort Garry today is signage and a stone gate structure. The site sits across from Via Canada Rail Station and next to Fort Garry Hotel.
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| Entrance to Upper Fort Garry |
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| Sketch of Fort |
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| Stone Gate |
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| Hotel Fort Garry |
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| Via Canada Train Station |
We then drove to the Capitol to view the monument for the Ukrainian internment during WWI and the statue of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko. The monuments and plaques placed here memorialize those held in the Winnipeg Receiving Station from 1914-1916 who were unjustly imprisioned as "enemy aliens".
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| Capitol |
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| Internment Memorial |
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| Plaque about Shevchenko |
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| Receiving Station Plaque |
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| Statue of Ukranian Man |
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| Bitter Childhood Memories of Internment |
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| Statue of Child |
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