MHS Resources: History in Manitoba Parks

Please note: This is a work in progress, and information will be added as it becomes available. Please send corrections and updates to webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.

Park Name	Municipality	Comments
Dave Abel	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Dave Abel.
Alexander Ridge	RM of Thompson	Named for educator and conservationist D. J. Alexander
Alexandra	Winnipeg	See Johnston Park
Anderson	Winnipeg	Named for horticulturist Edwin A. Anderson
Archambault	Winnipeg	Named for community activists Geoff and Regan Archambault
Thomas Armstrong	Winnipeg	Named for East Kildonan municipal official Thomas Armstrong
Susan Auch	Winnipeg	Named for athlete Susan Auch
Neil Bardal	Winnipeg	Named for undertaker Neil O. Bardal
Leon Bell	Winnipeg	Named for musician and pharmacist Leon Bell
Benjaminson	Winnipeg	Named for early pioneer Skuli Benjaminson (1879-1970)
Benson	Winnipeg	At the southwestern corner of McMillan Avenue and Cockburn Street; named for long-time residents of the Fort Rouge neighbourhood, Edward Joseph “Ed” Benson and his wife, Marjorie Elizabeth Benson (c1907-1994)
Birds Hill	Springfield	Named for members of the Bird family who pioneered in this region
Henri Boux	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Henri Boux
Alex Bridge	Winnipeg	Named for Fort Garry municipal official and community activist Alexander James Dryton Bridge
Bruce	Winnipeg	Named for early resident Peter Bruce.
Gladys Bunn	Winnipeg	Named for music teacher Gladys A. Bunn
Fred Byle	West St. Paul	Named for municipal official Fred Byle
Thelma J. Call	Winnipeg	Named for educator Thelma Jean Opseth Call
Carey	Winnipeg	Named for St. Vital municipal official and naturalist Harold Eric Carey.
Tom Chester	Winnipeg	Named for golf pro Thomas P. Chester
Chester Square	Winnipeg	Named for the Chester family who ran a general store at the corner of Elmhurst Street and Roblin Boulevard, along with the Varsity View post office
Chochinov	Winnipeg	Named for dairy farmers Jacob Lazer “Yankel” Chochinov (1885-1979) and his wife, Tauba “Fanny” Mazarsky (c1889-?).
Arthur E. Christensen	West St. Paul
Sir Winston Churchill	Winnipeg	Named for British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965).
Inderjit Claire	Winnipeg	Named for educator and community activist Inderjit Singh Claire
Clark	Winnipeg	Named for physician Charles Whitfield Clark
Thomas F. Copeland	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official Thomas F. Copeland.
Andrew Currie	Winnipeg	Named for educator, athlete, and civil servant Andrew “Andy” Currie.
Daly Gardens	Winnipeg	Named for businessman Denis Daly
Roy Davis	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Roy Davis
De Graaf	Winnipeg	Commemorates the De Graaf [De Graff] family which homesteaded and farmed in what is now the Harbourview South neighbourhood.
John De Graff	Winnipeg	Named for market gardener and North Kildonan municipal councillor John De Graff.
De Groot	Winnipeg	Named for Albert “Al” de Groot (1922-1962) and his brother Arthur “Art” de Groot (1924-1996)
John Dickson	Winnipeg	Named for North Kildonan Mayor John Dickson
Dufferin	Winnipeg	Named for Lord Dufferin, Governor-General of Canada from 1872 to 1878, who visited Winnipeg with his wife in 1877.
Ron Duhamel	Winnipeg	Named for politician Ronald J. Duhamel.
Jae Eadie	Winnipeg	Named for municipal councilor Jae Eadie.
King Edward	Winnipeg	Named for the British monarch King Edward VII (1841-1910).
Dean Finlay	Winnipeg	Named for educator John Dean Finlay, it was dedicated and opened officially on 17 October 1997. Dignitaries attending the ceremony included Mayor Susan Thompson, Councillor Al Golden, and St. Vital MLA Shirley Render. The park is adjacent to the Community Centre that Finlay helped to found, and Windsor School where he taught. [1]
El Tassi	Winnipeg	Named in 2015 for businessman Abdo “Albert” El Tassi and his wife Samira.
Elva Fletcher	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Elva Fletcher
Enderton	Winnipeg	Named for realtor Charles Henry Enderton
Sir John Franklin	Winnipeg	Named for explorer Sir John Franklin
Frog Plain	Winnipeg
Don Gerrie	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official Donald Ira “Don” Gerrie
Elzear Goulet	Winnipeg	Named for Metis leader Elzéar Goulet
Louis Greenburgh	Winnipeg	Named for Louis Greenburgh, a probation officer and one of Canada’s more decorated Second World War pilots.
Guay	Winnipeg	Named for pioneer Abraham Guay
Merle Guberman	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Merle Guberman
Halter	Winnipeg	Named for businessman Maurice Halter
George Heshka	Winnipeg	Named for education George Nicholos Heshka
Hethrington	Winnipeg	See Will and Jeanine Richard
Heubach	Winnipeg	Named for real estate developer Frederick William Heubach
Gary Hobson	Winnipeg	Named for the Fort Garry municipal official and community activist Gary Ross Hobson
T. R. Hodgson	Winnipeg	Named for civil servant Thomas Rupert Hodgson
Hap Hopkinson	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Harry “Hap” Hopkinson.
Ronald Houston	Winnipeg	Named for Winnipeg Police Department Detective Ronald Edward “Sam” Houston.
Michael Hrushovetz	Winnipeg	Named for North Kildonan market gardener Michael Hrushovetz.
Clara Hughes	Winnipeg	Named for Olympian Clara Hughes
Hyland	East St. Paul	Named for Winnipeg entrepreneur John Leonard Hyland
Victoria Jason	Winnipeg	Named for Arctic kayak adventurer Victoria Jason
Michaelle Jean	Winnipeg	Named for Michaelle Jean, the 27th Governor-General of Canada
Johnston	Winnipeg	Named for Arthur Eaton Johnston.
David Johnston	Winnipeg	Named for school board trustee David Johnston
J. Frank Johnston	Winnipeg	Named for St. James Alderman, Deputy Mayor of Winnipeg, and MLA John Franklin “Frank” Johnston.
Ted Jones	Winnipeg	Named for Lord Roberts Community Centre Sports Director, Edward Owen “Ted” Jones (c1925-1964).
Stephen Juba	Winnipeg	Named for municipal politician Stephen Juba
Jurkowski	Winnipeg	Formerly known as Melrose Park, this park was renamed on 17 April 1993 to commemorate the volunteerism and community service of Polish immigrants Joseph Jurkowski (c1892-1962), Kazimira Jurkowski (1898-1977), and their family.
Dr. Morley R. Kare	Winnipeg	Named for nutritional research Morley Richard Kare
Kirkbridge	Winnipeg
Kitchener	Winnipeg	Named for British military commander Horatio Herbert Kitchener (1850-1916)
Kiwanis Happyland	Winnipeg
Stanley Knowles	Winnipeg	Named for long-serving parliamentarian Stanley Howard Knowles
Gerry Kuik	Winnipeg	Named for Transcona businessmen and community activist Gerry Kuik
Lake Shirley	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official Shirley Timm-Rudolph
Jules Mager	Winnipeg	Named for market gardener and municipal official Jules Henry Mager
Joe Malone	Winnipeg	Formerly known as Kenaston Park, in 1982 it was renamed in commemoration of Joe Malone, who coached hockey and soccer at the Sir John Franklin Community Club. [4]
Helene Marsh	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Helene Beghin Marsh
Martin	Winnipeg	Named for Lieutenant-Colonel G. J. Martin who was killed on a military training accident on 9 June 1969
McBeth	Winnipeg	Named for pioneer Alexander McBeth
Billy McCann	Winnipeg	Named for airman William Alexander “Billy” McCann (1921-1942)
Nellie McClung	Winnipeg	Named for feminist and politician Nellie Letitia McClung
McFadyen	Winnipeg	Named for building contractor Charles Holmes McFadyen
McGeachan	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official John McKenzie “Jock” McGeachan
McKittrick	Winnipeg	Named for real estate developer Martin T. McKittrick
Art McOuat	Winnipeg	Named for community activist and municipal official Martin Arthur “Art” McOuat
Glenn McWhinney	Winnipeg	Named for athlete and community activist Glenn “Keeper” McWhinney
Isobel Melville	Winnipeg	Named for curator of the Transcona Museum, Isobel Melville
Midwinter	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official Charles Midwinter
Milne	Dunnottar	Named for community activist William George Milne
Morantz	Winnipeg	Named for the Morantz family
Morrissette	Winnipeg	Named for the Morrissette family of Charleswood
Munson	Winnipeg	Named for lawyer John Henry Munson
Andrew Mynarski VC	Winnipeg	Named for war hero Andrew Charles Mynarski
Theodore Niizhotay	Winnipeg	Formerly Wellington Park, it was renamed in November 2022 for Theodore “Ted” Fontaine
Norquay	Winnipeg	Named for early Manitoba Premier John Norquay
Ernie O’Dowda	Winnipeg	Named for sports activist Ernie O’Dowda
Jill Officer	Winnipeg	This River East arena/splashpad was renamed for athlete Jill Officer, a former resident of the neighbourhood who was a member of the 2014 Canadian Olympic Championship Women’s Curling Team at Sochi, Russia. The park renaming was announced at a ceremony on 14 June 2014. [2]
George Olive	Winnipeg	Named for MLA and Transcona Mayor George Edward Olive
Harry Paul	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official H. S. Paul, later renamed Florence Pierce Park
Paulicello	Winnipeg	Named for the Paulicello family of Transcona for their contributions to the community
Oscar Paulson	Winnipeg	Named for building contractor Oscar Paulson
Jacob Penner	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official Jacob Penner
Pat Phillips	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Pat Thomas Phillips
Florence Pierce	Winnipeg	Named for teacher and municipal official Florence Pierce
Pollock Island	Winnipeg	Named for Edward Pollock and his mother Tina Pollock
Tommy Prince MM	Winnipeg	Named for war hero Thomas George "Tommy" Prince
Helen Promislow	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official Helen Promislow
William Reid	Winnipeg	Named for horticulturist William D. Reid.
Will and Jeanine Richard	Winnipeg	Named for architect Willis Herman “Will” Richard (1943-2014) and his wife Jeanine Lively (1943-2010)
Rivers Edge	West St. Paul
Dr. Jose Rizal	Winnipeg	Named for Filipino icon Dr. Jose P. Rizal (1861-1896)
Duff Roblin	Winnipeg	Named for politican Dufferin Roblin
Hal Rogers	Winnipeg	Named for Canadian Kinsman founder Harold Allin Rogers (1899-1994)
Roosevelt	Winnipeg	Named for the 32nd American President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), the park was established in November 1942 with amenities added the following year. [3]
Wayne Ruff	Winnipeg	Named for educator and administrator Wayne Ruff. Formerly known as Darwin Park, this 4.1-acre park backing onto the Darwin School, it was renamed at a ceremony on 17 September 2015 attended by Louis Riel School Division (LRSD) school trustee Hugh Coburn, City Councillor Brian Mayes (St. Vital Ward), and MLA Theresa Oswald. Ruff contributed 50 years of service to the community, as a teacher, coach, Vice-Principal (at Varennes School), Principal (at Dakota Collegiate and Minnetonka School), Assistant Superintendent (?-1988), and School Trustee (2003-2014) of the LRSD.
Scurfield	Winnipeg	Named for real estate developer Ralph Thomas Scurfield and educator Jack Milburn Scurfield
Dr. Jim Shaver	Winnipeg	Named for cleric James M. “Jim” Shaver
Shevchenko	Winnipeg	Named for Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko
Edward Shindleman	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Edward “Eddie” Shindleman
Dr. Louis Slotin	Winnipeg	Named for atomic scientist Louis Slotin
Don Smith	Winnipeg	Named for community activist, municipal official, athlete and coach Donald Beresford "Don" Smith, this 9.6-acre site was opened officially on 26 September 1991.
John Steel	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official John Donald Steel
Toilers	Winnipeg	Named for the Winnipeg Toilers Basketball Club
Tokarz	Winnipeg	Born at Poland in 1882, Jan “John” Tokarz immigrated to Canada in 1903 and settled in the Municipality of Kildonan. In 1907, he married Polish immigrant Katarzyna “Katherine” (?-1966) at Winnipeg and they had seven children. The family operated a dairy farm on Lot 20 of Old Kildonan from 1930 to 1966.
Transcona Kinsmen	Winnipeg	Named for the former Kinsmen Club of Transcona
Victor Valde	Winnipeg	Named for airman Victor Lewis Valde (1929-1944)
Amber Vasas	Winnipeg	Named for accident victim Amber Vasas.
Beryl Watts	Winnipeg	Named for community activist Eunice Beryl Routley Watts
Westview	Winnipeg	Named for the expansive vista found from atop the park’s hill.
Frank Whyte	Winnipeg
William Whyte	Winnipeg	Named for railwayman William Methven Whyte
Wightman Green	Winnipeg	Named for municipal official Reginald Frederick Wightman
Willis Road	West St. Paul
John Yuzyk	Winnipeg	Named for John Yuzyk

Sources:

1. “A park to call his own,” Winnipeg Free Press South Community Review, 22 October 1997, page 1.

2. “Jill Officer getting a park named after her in North Kildonan,” Winnipeg Free Press, 14 April 2014.

3. “New park and playground take names of Churchill, Roosevelt,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 November 1942, page 13. “Playground attendance 195,675 boys and girls,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 March 1943, page 5.

4. “Park to be dedicated,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 June 1982, page 69.

We thank Jill Paskewitz and Lynn Roseman for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 24 November 2022