A new natural playground, waterfront family picnic plaza and upgrades that make the beach and boardwalk more accessible to families and people with disabilities will ensure Grand Beach Provincial Park remains one of Canada’s greatest summer destinations while growing the local economy. This announcement was made by Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh.
“With kilometres of pristine, white sand, Grand Beach is a popular summer hangout for hundreds of thousands of people. I want this to be a place that Manitoba families and visitors to our province will continue to enjoy each season,” said Mackintosh. “That’s why we’re making the beach more accessible with a fully paved area from the parking lot to the new boardwalk and creating a waterfront family picnic plaza and play area.”
This year Manitoba government will give the entry plaza a facelift with a design reflecting the historical connection to the railroad, and add a wide paved walkway from the plaza that begins at the parking lot and connects directly to the west end of the boardwalk, where food and retail vendors are located, and ends with a fully accessible ramp that rolls out onto the beach.
This fall the derelict beach hotel will also be demolished to make way for the construction of a new waterfront family picnic plaza with attractive shade canopies, benches, tables and fire pits, along with a playground that uses natural features like cottonwood trees and boulders reclaimed from flood-ravaged St. Ambroise Provincial Park to create structures that encourage curiosity, creative play and exploring ecosystems.
The minister said more than $4 million of capital investments will be completed in Grand Beach by 2020 including the electrification of additional campsites and waste-water facility upgrades to help protect Lake Winnipeg. These improvements build on other recent infrastructure upgrades at Grand Beach including constructing a new, fully accessible washroom building and the extensive reconstruction of the boardwalk after storm damage in late 2010.
“With more draws like these, more families can enjoy a beautiful summer day at the water and that means more customers for our community businesses that provide food, entertainment and other services,” said Steve Strang, mayor of St. Clements. “These investments mean more stability for future development at Grand Beach that will build on its hundred-year history and ensure it becomes one of Canada’s premier summer destinations with something for everyone.”
In addition, the Blue Flag Program, which is endorsed by the United Nations, has renewed its certification of West Beach at Grand Beach Provincial Park for the second season in a row. Under the program, beaches are reviewed on 33 criteria related to water quality, environmental education, environmental management, safety and services. The standards ensure the beach is protected and that public use will not harm the ecosystem. Beaches in 46 countries are certified under the Blue Flag program, 18 beaches are certified in Canada.
“The Blue Flag certification is a highly sought-after designation that shows Grand Beach can meet international high standards for beach safety and environmental protection,” said Mackintosh. “We know that Manitobans cherish the clean and safe water found here, and we continue to work with stakeholders to ensure our water is protected.”
The minister noted there were more than 430,000 visits to Grand Beach Provincial Park last year, up 14 per cent over the last five years, and that improving the park experience is a key priority of the newly introduced parks strategy. For information on Building The Parks Province: Manitoba’s Parks Strategy, visit www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/parksstrategy.
