[Wpg_Guy]

Pathway Development at The Forks Honouring Indigenous Past
September 14, 2018 12:24 PM

WINNIPEG — A popular pathway at The Forks has been named to honour the city’s Indigenous heritage.

The South Point pathway is now known as Niizhoziibean, meaning two rivers in Ojibway, and is located near where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet.


“Niizhoziibean not only embodies the spirit of the traditional past of The Forks but enhances our understanding of what this place means – a collaborative space where people have been coming together to trade, grow, and make life for millennia,” said Niigaan Sinclair, associate professor Dept. of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba.

The name was uncovered by elders Clarence and Barbara Nepinak during a ceremony on Friday.

The Forks, Ottawa and The Winnipeg Foundation is undertaking $1.2 million in improvements to the pathway that will include a 30-foot sculptural piece to be installed at the pedestrian entrance to the site from Queen Elizabeth Way.

Artists K.C. Adams, Jamie Isaac, and Val Vint were chosen through a call for submissions to create pieces on the site.

The path will also be linked to the promenade and pathway being developed on the St. Boniface side of the river, creating a full 2.5-kilometre loop between Esplanade Riel and the Norwood Bridge.

Further plans for the Niizhoziibean​ site redevelopment include:

Preserving the existing forest in South Point, across the historic rail bridge from the main Forks site.
Improving the pathway for universal accessibility.
Relocating trees for a reconfigured pathway.
Including a drum park ceremonial space.
Improving lighting.
Restoring native plants.
Installing interpretive elements to recognize Indigenous history.
Establishing a boardwalk within the forest canopy.

The federal government and The Winnipeg Foundation are each contributing $500,000, while The Forks Renewal Corporation is donating $200,000.

Future fundraising efforts will allow for an outdoor bush gallery and boardwalk within the forest canopy.

https://www.chrisd.ca/2018/09/14/nii.../#.W5wnUM5Kipo

A rendering of the sculpture that will be part of the redevelopment along the Niizhoziibean pathway


The pathway through South Point Park at The Forks has been renamed Niizhoziibean, which means two rivers in Ojibway.


The Niizhoziibean path will be part of a 2.5-kilometre loop along the riverbanks at The Forks.