Winnipeg's river skating, walking trails open Friday

The popular Forks river trail is set to open Friday morning.

Officials with The Forks North Portage Partnership, which builds and maintains the trail, said it will open at 9:30 a.m. after a news conference.

Just how long it is and where it runs will be revealed then.

Crews are still working on it and parts of the river still aren't quite ready, according to a Forks spokesperson.

• Forks river trail not frozen enough for skaters, officials say

People flocked to the trail last year, which ran seven kilometres between the Assiniboine River's Hugo dock to Churchill Park on the Red River.

In 2008, the trail broke the Guinness World record for the longest naturally frozen skating trail in the world, at 8.54 kilometres.

Warming huts and five-course meals

It is not clear yet when the warming huts will make their way to the trail.

• Noodles, pants among 2014 Forks warming huts
• Pop-up restaurant on ice set for January 2014 run

Each year architects from around the world compete to have their design selected for construction.

New huts this year include three chosen from the open submission process, one from a University of Manitoba competition, one from Kelvin High School and one being designed by invited local architect Étienne Gaboury.

Also returning this year is the pop-up restaurant at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers.

RAW:almond — built of scaffolding and a white wrapping that resembles an iceberg — is set for another three-week run from Jan. 24 to Feb. 13.

Last year, the entire run was sold out in the first week as 1,300 dinner guests experienced a meal on ice and chefs braved the elements to make five-course meals in a makeshift kitchen. 

This year's version will feature an expanded dining room, a new lounge and surprise screenings of video installations.