The famous quote states “build it and they will come,” and come they did to the Nestaweya River Trail presented by The Winnipeg Foundation. Since the opening of this year’s season on January 1, 2023, approximately 220,000 people used the River Trail.Winnipeggers had plenty of time and space to enjoy this year’s Nestaweya River Trail presented by The Winnipeg Foundation as the frozen playground was open for 72 days, and covered over 6KM with skating and walking trails from Churchill Drive on the Red River to the Hugo Docks on the Assiniboine River. This year’s 72 day open season eclipses last year’s 70 days, and was only three days shy of tying the record 75 days the Trail was open in 2019. The shortest the Trail has ever been open was 33 days in 2017.
The Nestaweya River Trail presented by The Winnipeg Foundation has officially closed for the season. Check out some fun facts regarding this year's River Trail:
- Recycled Christmas trees decorating the Trail (now being chipped and will be spread around The Forks site in spring): 695
- Nestaweya River Trail crew members: 12
- Total years of River Trail experience cumulative between crew members: 49
- Water pumped from the river to flood the Trail: over 3 million litres
- Warming Huts on the Trail: 26
- Cell phones recovered: 1
- Coffee consumed by crew: 186 litres
- Distance covered by the ice resurfacing machine: 1,185 km
- Thickest measurement of ice on the Trail: 35"
- Holes augured (for measurement and pumping purposes): 1,450
We can't wait to see you out on the river again next season! Thank you to our ongoing partner, The Winnipeg Foundation, along with the hard-working River Trail team, Winnipeg Trails, and everyone who ventured out on the Trail.