As a Winnipegger, you know that when warmer weather comes around it’s time to enjoy all the sun you can. We can’t wait to have you in the Park this summer to take a stroll, enjoy a picnic, take in a concert at the Lyric Theatre, or go for a bike ride. As you plan your summer fun, here are a few ways you can help keep this space clean and green.

Take Out the Trash

The best method when bringing items with you into the Park is “Pack in, Pack out”. This means whatever you bring into the Park, please take it with you when you leave. We do have many waste and recycling bins around the Park, but they can easily be filled very quickly. Overflowing waste bins or items left by the bins can blow around littering the Park. The excess waste also attracts wasps and other animals that could be harmed from eating garbage.

Trash bins at the Park

If you are using the waste and recycling bins in the Park, please sort your waste so it can be properly disposed of or recycled. Items such as aluminum cans, juice cartons, and plastic containers can be recycled, but they must empty and clean before placing them in the recycling bin. Food waste and liquid can contaminate other items in the bin, sending them to the landfill instead of being recycled.

Please be aware that coffee cups, styrofoam containers, and plastic cutlery are not recyclable in our province’s recycling programs.

Reduce and Reuse

Eliminating waste completely is your best option! Consider packing food and drinks in reusable containers that you can bring home with you at the end of the day. This reduces the amount of waste produced in the Park and prevents overflowing bins.
Water bottle refill stations are available at the Riley Family Duck Pond shelter and at the Lyric Theatre.

Protect the Plants

Here in the Park, we have many types of plant life from the riparian forests along the river, to the beautiful flowers in the English Garden, the vegetables in the Kitchen Garden at The Leaf, and the meadow in Indigenous Peoples Garden. These are all very important to the Park’s ecosystem.

The trees along the river protect the banks from erosion and provide a corridor for wildlife. Please stay on the paths to protect the forest and the smaller plants that support this ecosystem and provide habitat for wildlife. For your own safety, please stay away from the riverbank, especially in the spring when river is high.

Blooming flowers in the gardens provide needed food to pollinators, such as bees. Please enjoy the beauty of these plants by staying on marked pathways and do not pick flowers from the gardens.

horticulturalist at the Kitchen Garden

We understand how appetizing the veggies look in the Kitchen Garden, but please let them be harvested by our horticulture team. Produce will be used in our restaurants, for animals at the Zoo, and (when possible) donated to local food banks.

The meadow in the Indigenous Peoples Garden allows for a re-establishment of native grasses and perennials, reducing the amount of mowing required in the Park. By staying on the pathways in the meadow, you are allowing these delicate perennials and grasses to establish themselves once again.

Care for Conservation Projects

In an effort to maintain and increase the diversity of wild bird species in the Park and Zoo, we build bird nesting structures such as the artificial chimney swift tower and tree swallow nest boxes. If you see bird houses throughout the Park, please do not approach them, remove them from the sites, or otherwise tamper with them.

Watch the Wildlife

Many wildlife species can be found in the Park, and it’s our goal to create a place where humans and wildlife can safely co-exist. We encourage you to watch the wildlife and document your findings on the citizen science app, iNaturalist. Please never feed wildlife in the Park, as this can lead to changes in natural behaviour, dependence on humans, and increase the risk of disease spreading in wild populations.

Wild bird in the Park

Pets in the Park

It is pretty clear we love animals at the Park and that includes your furry friends. In order to keep wildlife and your pets safe, keep your dogs leashed at all times. Dogs are permitted in all areas of the Park except the Nature Playground and the Zoo. Like always, please pick up after your pet.

We are dreaming of long summer days with the Park filled with people relishing the sun. Thank you for keeping our Park a beautiful oasis to be enjoyed by all.

Ps. Here is a map to help you plan out your visit!