Bruce Park is a urban park located at 1966 Portage Avenue, in

Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

, Canada. The park is bordered to the south by the

Assiniboine River The Assiniboine River ( ; ) is a long river that runs through the prairies of Western Canada in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It is a tributary of the Red River. The Assiniboine is a typical meandering river with a single main channel embanked ...

, to the east by Douglas Park Road, to the west by Deer Lodge Place, and to the north by

Portage Avenue Portage or portaging (Canadian English, CA: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is ...

. The park has three

footbridge A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...

s that cross the Truro Creek, which runs through the park. Features of the park include formal flower gardens, grassland and forest naturalization areas, the A.W. Hanks Walkway, the Bruce Park Cenotaph war memorial, a playground, and a wading pool. The park is open year-round.

History

Bruce Park is named after Peter Bruce. The Bruce family were

Metis Metis or Métis, meaning "mixed" in French, may refer to: Ethnic groups * Métis, recognized Indigenous communities in Canada and the United States whose distinct culture and language emerged after early intermarriage between First Nations peopl ...

farmers that originally settled the land in the 1850s. The land where Peter Bruce lived was donated to the Municipality of St. James in 1933 under the condition that it always remains a green space for all to enjoy. In mid-May 1936, four

Boy Scout A Scout, Boy Scout, Girl Scout or, in some countries, a Pathfinder is a participant in the Scout Movement, usually aged 10–18 years, who engage in learning scoutcraft and outdoor and other special interest activities. Some Scout organizatio ...

troops in the St. James area planted trees and a lilac bush within the park. West District Troops taking part in the Arbour Day project included seventh Anglican, 33rd Soongy Tay Ay, 40th Deer Lodge, and 72nd St. James United. There is a plaque, near the Portage Avenue entrance, commemorating their contribution to the area. In 1992, the "Friends of Bruce Park" were formed to help preserve and protect the park.

Bruce Park Cenotaph

The Bruce Park Cenotaph was erected in 1936 as a centrepiece in the park to honour the memory of the men and women of St. James who died in the Great War (World War I) and approved on May 9. The St. James memorial committee donated the monument to the city of St. James on June 30, 1936. Due to the exemplary workmanship, the monument stood for over half a century. Frost damage destroyed the cenotaph in the 1980s. The current cenotaph was erected in 1990. It was dedicated at 2 pm September 30, 1990 to the memory of those who died in World War I, World War II, Korea, and to Canadian peacekeepers. The current monument is a true replica of the original cenotaph. The new cenotaph was built with $37,000 funding from St. James branch #4

Royal Canadian Legion The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian veterans' organization founded in 1925. Members include people who served in the military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial or municipal police, Royal Canadian Air, Army and Sea Cade ...

in conjunction with the city of Winnipeg St. James-Assiniboia Parks and Recreation branch.

References

External links

Historic Sites of Manitoba - Bruce ParkHistoric Sites of Manitoba - Bruce Park Cenotaph
{{Manitoba parks Parks in Winnipeg World War I memorials in Canada Cenotaphs in Canada Monuments and memorials in Manitoba Year of establishment missing St. James, Winnipeg