Elm Park, Winnipeg

Coordinates: 49°51′18″N 97°07′01″W / 49.85500°N 97.11694°W / 49.85500; -97.11694 Elm Park is a neighbourhood in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is located in the northern section of the district of St. Vital, and is bounded by the Red River on the north, St. Mary's Road on the east, Fermor Avenue on the south, and Dunkirk Drive on the west. As of the 2006 census, Elm Park had a population of 1,710.^[1]

History

A single-storey white stucco church with a large elm tree spreading overhead.

St. Mark's Anglican Church in Elm Park

The neighbourhoods of Elm Park and Kingston Crescent (located to the west of Dunkirk Drive) were originally a park founded by Albert William Austin's Winnipeg Street Railway Company in 1890. The trolley company had recently extended a line to just north of the Red River along what is now Osborne Street; by founding Elm Park directly across the river from the end of the trolley line, Austin hoped to increase off-peak and weekend use of the line.^[2] The trolley company built a pontoon bridge for foot traffic, and Elm Park soon became a popular summertime destination for Winnipeg residents.

A two-storey concrete and red brick fire hall. There are three large doors for vehicles, one regular door, and two windows.

The St. Vital Fire Hall in Elm Park sheltered evacuees during the 1950 Red River Flood, and is still used as a working fire hall and as a museum.

The popularity of Elm Park waned in the 1910s. It closed in approximately 1912 when the pontoon bridge was replaced by a steel truss bridge. Eventually the lands to the east of Dunkirk Drive were bought by the City of St. Vital; the new neighbourhood was named Elm Park after the former park.^[3] Although most of the land in the east of the new neighbourhood was converted into single-family housing (with some apartment buildings along St. Mary's Road), most of the land in the southwest corner was converted into the home of the Winnipeg Canoe Club, eventually becoming a private golf course.^[4] There are also three small public parks remaining of what was once Elm Park - Dean Finlay Park on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Killarney Street, Carey Park on Elm Park Road, and St. Vital Memorial Park on Fermor Avenue.^[5] Many of the older oak, ash, elm, and cottonwood trees were retained during development and line the streets of the current subdivision.

Many buildings in Elm Park were damaged by the 1950 Red River Flood. The neighbourhood was one of the worst hit areas in the city.^[6] The St. Vital Fire Hall, which was opened in 1914, sheltered refugees during the flood and was featured in a Life magazine article about the disaster.^[7]

In 1960, the municipality of St. Vital moved into a new City Hall located in Elm Park directly south of the fire hall.^[8] The building is still in use as a municipal office for the City of Winnipeg.

Elm Park was protected during the 2009 Red River flood by both the Red River Floodway and by the use of sandbags on Kingston Row.

Amenities

Elm Park is the home of Glenlawn Collegiate, Windsor School, the South Winnipeg YM/YWCA, and St. Mark's Anglican Church. It is in the federal riding of Saint Boniface and the provincial riding of St. Vital.

References

↑ "Elm Park" (PDF). 2006 Census Data. City of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, web site. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
↑ "Elm Park information". Closed Canadian Parks. Coaster Enthusiasts of Canada. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
↑ H.G.W. (1932-01-28). "St Vital's Phenomenal Development Reviewed". Volume 7, No. 1. St. Vital Lance. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
↑ "Elm Park Rd Winnipeg, MB". Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
↑ Sherlock's Map of Winnipeg and Surrounding Areas. Map 25. ISBN 978-1-895229-67-7.
↑ Review of Historic Flood Data from the Red River Floodway Authority. Accessed 1 August 2009.
↑ "Refugees and pets crowding St. Vital Fire Hall". Life Magazine, May 1, 1950. Accessed August 1, 2009.
↑ History of St. Vital Fire Hall. Accessed October 8, 2009.

Neighbourhoods in Winnipeg

Agassi Airport Alpine Place Amber Trails Archwood Armstrong's Point Beaumont Betsworth Birchwood Booth Bridgwater Forest Broadway–Assiniboine Brockville Brooklands Bruce Park Buchanan Burrows–Keewatin Burrows Central Canterbury Park Centennial Central Park Central St. Boniface Chalmers Charleswood Chinatown Cloutier Drive Colony Crescent Park Crescentwood Crestview Dakota Crossing Daniel McIntyre Deer Lodge Dufferin Dufresne Eaglemere Earl Grey East Elmwood East Kildonan Ebby–Wentworth Edgeland Elm Park Elmhurst Elmwood Eric Coy Exchange District Fort Richmond Fort Rouge Garden City Glendale Glenelm Glenwood Grant Park Grassie Heritage Park Holden Inkster–Faraday Inkster Gardens Island Lakes J.B. Mitchell Jameswood Jefferson Kensington Kern Park Kil-cona Park Kildare–Redonda Kildonan Drive King Edward Kingston Crescent Kirkfield Lavalee Leila–McPhillips Triangle Linden Woods Logan–CPR Lord Roberts Lord Selkirk Park Luxton Maginot Mandalay West Margaret Park Marlton Mathers Maybank McMillan Meadowood Meadows Melrose Minnetonka Minto Mission Gardens Montcalm Munroe East Munroe West Mynarski Niakwa Park Niakwa Place Norberry Normand Park North Point Douglas North St. Boniface Norwood East Norwood West Old Tuxedo Osborne Village Parc La Salle Peguis Pembina Strip Point Road Portage–Ellice Pulberry Radisson Richmond Lakes Richmond West Ridgedale Ridgewood South River East River Heights River Park South River West Park Riverbend Rivergrove Riverview Robertson Roblin Park Rockwood Roslyn Rosser–Old Kildonan Rossmere–A Rossmere–B Royalwood Sargent Park Seven Oaks Shaughnessy Park Silver Heights Sir John Franklin South Point Douglas South Portage South Tuxedo Southboine Southdale Southland Park Spence Springfield North Springfield South St. George St. James-Assiniboia St. John's Park St. John's St. Matthews St. Norbert St. Vital Perimeter South Sturgeon Creek Talbot–Grey Templeton–Sinclair The Maples Tissot Transcona South Trappistes Tuxedo Tyndall Park University Valhalla Valley Gardens Varennes Varsity View Vialoux Victoria Crescent Victoria West Vista Waverley Heights Wellington Crescent West Alexander West Broadway West Wolseley Westdale Weston Westwood Whyte Ridge Wildwood Park Wilkes South William Whyte Victoria West Windsor Park Wolseley Woodhaven Worthington

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