The Forks (French: La Fourche) is a historic site, meeting place, and green space in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba located at the confluence of the Red River and the Assiniboine River. The Forks was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1974 due to its status as a cultural landscape that bore witness to six thousand years of human activity. The site’s 5.5-hectare (14-acre; 0.021 sq mi) grounds are open year-round.
Facilities
Beginning as two adjacent stables for competing rail companies, the horse stalls were joined together by a courtyard and bridges and became what is now known as The Forks Market.
The Forks Market features a six-story tower with a viewing platform accessible by stairs or an elevator and interpretive panels with information on the site’s history. Bed Bug Exterminator Winnipeg
The market also comprises two stories of vendors selling everything from fresh fruit, bread, meat, and wine to cigars and aromatherapy products to crafts and artworks from 300 local and Canadian artisans.
In mid-2016, the Forks completed a $2.5-million renovation of the food hall into a feature called The Common, including a new beer and wine kiosk.
Outside, located directly between The Forks Market and Johnston Terminal, The Forks Market Plaza features fountains, canopies, dancing programs, several open performance spaces, and patios. In the winter, the Plaza is home to an artificially-cooled skating rink under a canopy and lights.
Johnston Terminal
Across the courtyard from the Forks Market is the four-story Johnston Terminal building. It was built in 1930 as a warehouse and freight-forwarding facility erected by Carter-Halls-Aldinger Company and cost an estimated $134,700. After a substantial addition in 1930, the warehouse was one of the largest in Winnipeg, containing over 9,300 square meters (100,000 sq ft) of usable space. It was occupied by National Storage and Cartage until 1961 and was leased to the Johnston National Cartage Company for the next 15 years. Vacated in 1977, the building was unoccupied until the site’s redevelopment into The Forks. The developers, Artis REIT, continue to own and manage Johnston Terminal.
Manitoba Children’s Museum
Located next to the Modena Celebration Circle, the Manitoba Children’s Museum is a non-profit, charitable children’s museum featuring twelve permanent galleries. Opened initially at a different location in 1986, the museum’s moved to its current building at the Forks in 1994. The museum is now housed in the former Kinsmen Building, the oldest surviving train repair facility in Manitoba, built-in 1889.
The museum underwent $10 million in renovations in 2011, including the addition of the Buhler Welcome Centre.
Address: 1 Forks Market Rd, Winnipeg, MB
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