About Portage La Prairie Portage La Prairie
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
About Portage la Prairie Portage la Prairie... The City of Possibilities! From the beginning, the site for Portage la Prairie has been ideal for transportation, trade, growth and beauty. Photo courtesy of Dennis Wiens Photo courtesy of Dennis Photo courtesy of Diane VanAert Photo courtesy of John Nielsen hen Canada’s vast western lands were wild and free, this was the Wplace on the Assiniboine River known as “Prairie Portage” — the swift- est overland link between the waters of the Assiniboine and Red River systems and those of Lake Manitoba. Portage la Prairie’s place in the world has grown with the times from its rich history to a present day bustling business centre. Located in south central Manitoba on the picturesque Assiniboine River, Portage la Prairie is, and has always been, an important transportation cen- tre, dating back to its inception as a fur trading post. Today, it is connected to the rest of Canada via the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway systems, with service from both major railroads, a trans-continental bus service, and air through Southport. Strategically situated in the centre of the continent astride major east- west transportation routes, (only forty-five minutes west of Winnipeg, one hour north of the international border, and one hour east of Brandon) Portage la Prairie is in an ideal position to accommodate additional 3 About Portage la Prairie industries. Residents of Portage la Prairie utilize the Assiniboine River as their water source. A flood-con- trol dam provides an ideal reservoir which ensures more than adequate water supply for all the community’s needs. The quality of the treated water is extremely high and there is ample capacity for additional water production. Agriculture and related processing and services remains the major industrial focus of our area. Affordable land prices, good drainage and excel- lent soil conditions have been conducive to the high agricultural output of our region. The farming community of the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie produces many speciality crops such as carrots, onions, asparagus, parsnips, broccoli, beans, rutabagas, cauliflower, peas, potatoes, various grains and oil seeds, strawberries, saskatoon berries, raspberries and much, much more. Much of the R.M. of Portage la Prairie is under irrigation, and additional acreage can be incorporated into the existing irrigation system. The diverse agricultural production of the Portage area has drawn many food processing plants to the city. Portage la Prairie residents are also extremely proud of their education system, health care services, multitude of recreational facilities, arts and cultural opportunities, housing selection, service clubs, religious services and the range of media services. Wildlife also abounds in the area as it is home to one of the nation’s largest flocks of Canada geese. WE’RE MORE THAN JUST STRAWBERRIES & POTATOES For its relatively small size, Portage la Prairie offers top-notch attractions. Visitors can spend hours visiting the museum or enjoying the natural beauty of Island Park. In the winter, our Island of Lights, Santa’s Parade of Lights and Western Canadian Pond Hockey Championships help to speed up the cold months. No matter what your interests are, we can fill your leisure time with plenty of exciting and unique experiences. Year round, there is always a lot to see and do in our city! SETTLEMENT SERVICES Portage la Prairie has a Settlement Services Program, located on the 2nd floor at the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre to assist newcomers with their settlement needs in our community and into our country. The Settlement Service office is an informational hub where newcomers can find the services needed to assist them in having meaningful and rewarding lives in a new community. Settlement Service Program staff work together with volunteers and citizens from a variety of backgrounds to make your arrival as pleasant and smooth as possible and your future stay in our com- munity lasting and rewarding. They assist you with a wide range of services such as housing, employment, Manitoba Driver’s License, Manitoba Health, Social Insurance, English as an Additional Language classes, and more. For more information call 204-857-6304 or visit the website at www.learningcentre.net 4 Attractions PCU CENTRE 245 Royal Road South, Island Park PCU Centre - Come ride the waves at the PCU Centre which houses Manitoba’s largest indoor wave pool, a large water slide, lazy river, zero depth beach like entry, tots area, swimming lanes, 14 person hot tub, a private party room and much more! The PCU Centre also features two NHL regulation size indoor arenas, one with seating capacity for 1675, an indoor walking track, 4,000 square foot fitness centre, canteen, as well as meeting and special event facilities Situated adjacent to the outdoor waterpark, Splash Island, and on the scenic Island Park, the PCU Centre is the ideal place for recreation, sport and gatherings. This facility is managed by the Portage Regional Recreation Authority Inc. (PRRA) For more information call 204-857-7772, email [email protected] or visit our website at www.PCUCentre.ca HILL’S DRUG STORE 200 Saskatchewan Ave. E. Portage la Prairie, MB R1N OK9 (204) 857-4631 HILL’S CLINIC KEN BEVERLY RHONDA MICHELLE BETH PHARMACY MAREK PHILLIPS KITCHEN HUYBER WILSON 140 – 9th Street S.E. Portage la Prairie, MB R1N 3V5 HILL’S DRUG STORE HILL’S CLINIC PHARMACY (204) 239-1368 7 Attractions EXHIBITION GROUNDS On the Island Exhibition Grounds – Portage’s exhibition grounds are located next to Island Park, Splash Island, Portage Golf Club and the PCU Centre. The office, MNP exhibition building and livestock barns provide additional facilities for a variety of events. The PORTAGEX Campground is open from May to September and provides water and electrical sites, with free Wi-Fi, group and weekly rates. For more info, please call 204-857-3231, email [email protected] or visit our website at www.portageex.com. ARBORETUM Located on Island Park The Arboretum is an educational collection of prairie hardy trees, shrubs and vines. A wheelchair accessible pathway joins a series of stations giving information on plants, horticulture, forestry and wildlife. The Arboretum is free to the public and is an ideal outdoor classroom to learn about plants and their importance to the environment. The Arboretum covers 4 acres and has over 200 different types of plants. With each visit you will have a new impres- sion of the plants that contribute to the prairie landscape. PORTAGE GOLF CLUB Located on Island Park Portage Golf Club - Play one of Manitoba’s most enjoyable rural golf courses established in 1922. This 18-hole golf course provides a challenging but enjoyable golfing experience in a quiet setting. Par 70, 6355 yards Slope 117 — fully licensed clubhouse and course, Pro Shop, rental clubs and carts are available. Call the Portage Golf Club at 204-857-6177 or visit our website at www.portagegolfclub.ca. SOUTHPORT GOLF CLUB Located at Southport Southport Golf Course - features Portage la Prairie’s only driving range to complement the 9 hole course. For players of any skill level, Southport Golf Course also features a full dining facility for hosting tournaments or a bite to eat before or after your round. To book a tee time call 204 428-3174 8 Attractions FORT LA REINE MUSEUM AND PIONEER VILLAGE Junction of Hwy 1A East & Hwy 26 The Fort la Reine Museum is dedicated to preserving and pre- senting the heritage of the Canadian Prairies as well as the history of the City and Municipality of Portage la Prairie. Experience history with more than 25 differ- ent buildings displaying thousands of individual artifacts including pre- European contact First Nation’s artifacts to more modern collec- tions including historic fire trucks, a historic print shop, “Fisher’s” general store, the West Prospect School, St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church, The West Prospect Church, hand hewn log struc- tures, and historic homes. The museum pays homage to the beginnings of Canada’s National railway, with historic railcars including “le Rideau”, the personal rail car of Sir William Van Horne. Also the museum offers a supe- rior military collection, houses the largest indoor collection of Allis Chalmers agricultural tractors and heavy equipment in the world, and is home to the Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame. Visit www.fortlareinemuseum.ca or call 204-857-3259 for more information. Photo courtesy of John Nielsen PORTAGE SPILLWAY 100 Old Bridge Road, Portage la Prairie —WAYSIDE PARK 204-870-1140 One kilometer south of the Portage riverbendorchards.ca la Prairie by-pass is a day use area SASKATOONS • RASPBERRIES with facilities for wheelchair bound GOOSEBERRIES • CHERRIES individuals. The beautiful park is com- plete with picnic areas and is the favourite local water recreation spot for fishing and boating. 9 Attractions TRAIN WATCHER’S DELIGHT With the mainlines of Canada’s principal railways being within a block of each other, Portage la Prairie is an ideal place for train lovers to come and watch trains! Mile long freights go east and west carrying a variety of com- modities. The Via Train makes a daily stop at Portage la Prairie’s 1908 Union Station/Bus Depot. The 1893 CPR Station, a desig- nated heritage site, is being reno- vated for use as a railway inter- pretive museum. Photo courtesy of John Nielsen PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE FARMERS MARKET Located at the PCU Centre (245 Royal Road South) Portage la Prairie has a year round farmers market! The Portage Farmers Market features seasonal veggies, fruits, preserves, baking, handcrafted jewelry, sewn items, hand thrown pottery, knitting, crochet, and home based businesses. Visit them on Facebook for more information http://www.facebook.com/PortageFarmersMarket COMMUNITY WALKWAY Crescent Road Portage la Prairie has a beau- tiful and illuminated 5.2 km (3.2-mile) Community Walkway along picturesque Crescent Lake.