Riverwalk at The Forks is already high and dry
First section of walkway open for the season; was entirely submerged for only 18 days this spring
The first portion of the riverwalk at The Forks is open for the summer.
After a minor spring flood, the Red River and lower Assiniboine receded below the level of the riverwalk on Wednesday, according to Winnipeg's public works department.
The Forks immediately cleaned its portion of the walk, which opened to pedestrians on Thursday.
Over the weekend, The Forks will reinstall lighting, garbage and recycling bins, handrails and information panels along the walk, Forks marketing co-ordinator Larissa Peck said in a statement.
The City of Winnipeg will soon clean its portion of the riverwalk, along Assiniboine Avenue, while Parks Canada will follow suit along the Red River, Peck said.
The riverwalk was submerged entirely this spring for 18 days, from April 22 to May 9.
In 2017, it was submerged for 78 days, from Feb. 28 until May 16.
It was not submerged at all during the spring of 2016, but was submerged for two weeks in June that year due to heavy rains.
A report published by the province in 2016 stated it would be impractical to use the Red River Floodway to control river levels throughout the summer and fall due to the negative upstream effects of operating the control structure.