Recreation & Economic Development Opportunities

Multi-Year Floodway Recreation Development Underway

Plan (2.68mb)

Multi-Year Landscaping and Recreation Strategy Plan - (2.68mb)

The Manitoba Floodway Authority (MFA) is moving forward with a multi-year landscaping and recreational development strategy for the expanded floodway.

Based on the Opportunities Concept Plan, which was developed over a number of years with input from recreational stakeholders and the general public, the initiative involves a number of components including:

• A multi-use, non-motorized, four-season trail along the west side of the floodway that can be used for walking, hiking, and biking in the summer and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter
• Trail linkages to the province’s trail network including the Trans-Canada Trail
• A grass route, including a natural trail, along the east side of the floodway that can be used for kiteboarding and equestrian uses in the summer and a Sno-Man trail in the winter
• A greenway landscaping and tree planting initiative including native and naturalized grass
• Staging areas and a low level crossing to support recreational activity
• Hay lease opportunities for agricultural producers
• Community gardens
• Signs and floodway interpretation program

The MFA will construct a floodway service access on the west side of the floodway to support the emergency and operational needs of the floodway. When not in use for floodway purposes, the public will be able to use the floodway service access as a recreational trail for pedestrian and non-motorized activities.

The MFA has established a five kilometre (3.1 miles) asphalt section of the floodway service access between Garven Road and Dunning Road in the Birds Hill region. A gravel floodway service access will be constructed for the remainder of the 48 km (29 miles) long floodway channel.

To enhance the recreational use along the floodway and to ensure public safety, the MFA is also constructing a pedestrian bridge over PTH 59 Highway to provide safe access into Birds Hill Provincial Park.

Construction of recreational amenities is currently underway. Phase 1 of the initiative and the first sections of the floodway service access are scheduled to be open for public use in late 2011.

Construction of the Floodway Service Access and Floodway Trail

Construction of the PTH 59 Pedestrian Overpass Bridge

As one of the largest capital projects in Manitoba history, the expansion of the Red River Floodway has the potential to create recreation and economic opportunities for municipalities, individuals, organizations and businesses.

Announcements

May 2009: Opportunities Concept Plan – Executive Summary (1.76mb)

February 13, 2009: Public Invited to Attend Floodway Recreation Open House (40kb)

June 2, 2008: Recreational and Economic Development Planning for the Expanded Floodway Moves Forward (50.2kb)

December 7, 2007: Duff Roblin to be Honoured with New Park Reserve (71kb)

Background

On March 18, 2004 - The Manitoba Floodway Authority (MFA) issued an Expression of Interest to solicit public input into potential recreational and economic opportunities related to the floodway. Subsequently, on January 13, 2005, the Manitoba Floodway Authority (MFA) released a "Recreation and Economic Development Opportunities Report" that identifies potential future opportunities and outlines next steps associated with the Red River Floodway expansion project.

The report reflects ideas received from a public call for expressions of interest last spring, as part of MFA's extensive public consultation process. MFA received over fifty written submissions from the public and additional suggestions through a series of public open houses and meetings with municipal governments and stakeholder groups.

As part of the expression of interest, MFA identified a number of working principles to guide future recreation activities including compatibility with the primary purpose of floodway expansion, minimal ongoing maintenance costs to taxpayers, stakeholder participation and environmental stewardship.

It recommends next steps and serves as a general framework for pursuing future opportunities and partnerships. To this end, MFA will:

• Establish a Floodway Recreation Working Group to examine issues of recreational use along the floodway including overall planning and design work process, liability issues, ongoing maintenance and financial support
  
  
• Consider a multi-use, four season greenway trail and designated snowmobile trails along the floodway within the project's pre-design
  
  
• Initiate a formal process that will allow Manitobans to access the excavated earth from the floodway channel
  
  
• Consider creating a virtual reality 3D floodway model to demonstrate the floodway's operation, recreate flood scenarios and potentially assist emergency preparedness efforts
  
  
• Initiate further consultation with local municipal governments and stakeholders before proceeding with any detailed design plans
  

Based on the working principles and further examination by the MFA staff, the following activities will not be pursued as part of the initiative:

• Proposals that require water in the floodway
  
  
• Acquisition of additional lands for the sole purpose of recreational development
  
  
• Development of a ski-hill

Other highlights of the floodway recreation and economic development:

• September, 2005 - Rivers West, a not-for-profit organization, which works to develop and promote the Red River Corridor as a destination for tourists, received $175,000 from the Governments of Canada and Manitoba under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to undertake a preliminary study to identify current and potential future recreational opportunities along an expanded floodway. Rivers West contracted with a consortium of consultants consisting of RAS Consulting, TetrES Consultants and InterGroup consultants to conduct the preliminary study.
  
  
• December 7, 2007 – The Government of Canada and the Government of Manitoba announced $3.2 million in funding to establish Duff Roblin Provincial Park at the site of the Inlet Control Structure.
  
  
• In 2007, the MFA established an Opportunities Working Group, consisting of key stakeholders and government representatives to provide guidance and input to the MFA in the development of a recreational and economic development plan for the expanded floodway. The working group consisted of the Manitoba Recreational Trails Association, Rivers West, and Sport Manitoba along with various Manitoba Government Departments (Culture, Heritage & Tourism; Infrastructure & Transportation; Conservation; Water Stewardship; Aboriginal & Northern Affairs; Intergovernmental Affairs; Community & Economic Development Committee of Cabinet; Agriculture; Family Services and Housing; and Finance).
  
  
• June 2, 2008 – The MFA retained the landscape architect and planning firm of Hilderman Thomas Frank Cram, leading a consortium of local firms including McKay Finnigan and Associates, MMM Group, Prairie Habitats Inc., Fort Whyte Alive, Number Ten Architectural Group and various tourism and economic development specialists, to consult recreational users, non-governmental organizations, local municipalities, and other organizations and to develop an Opportunities Concept Plan (OCP).
  
  
• February 13, 2009 – The MFA announced Public Open Houses to provide information and to solicit input from the public regarding the proposed Opportunities Concept Plan.
  
  
• May 2009 – The proposed Opportunities Concept Plan was submitted to the MFA for review.
  
  
• 2009/10 – The Floodway Trail Pilot Project was undertaken and the Opportunities Concept Plan was finalized.
  
  

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