From summers with grandpa to sketching with mom, Assiniboine Park Conservatory remembered as 'magical place'

Winnipeg remembers the Assiniboine Park Conservatory as a warm, inviting refuge from harsh winter air — as well as a place to get married, celebrate anniversaries, draw, paint and, of course, commune with beautiful and exotic plants.

This weekend is the last before the Conservatory closes to make way for the new Diversity Gardens, which Assiniboine Park staff hope to see open in 2020.

The current building, more than 100 years old, has outlived its usefulness, said Gerald Dieleman, project director for the new gardens.

CBC asked Winnipeggers about their favourite memories of the Conservatory before it closes for good on Monday.

Looking for bananas

"I used to bring the kids when they were little, especially in the wintertime, just to get out," said Noreen Colassare.

"One of the big things was we always looked for the bananas in the banana trees. There's no bananas there today."

Summers with grandpa

"In the '90s, my grandfather Chris Halliday worked at the Conservatory," said Sheena Westwater.

"I spent my summers with my grandpa, helping him feed the fish, cleaning Noah's Ark, watering the plants, etc. Every time I go to the Conservatory, it reminds me of my childhood and how grateful I was to spend it with my grampy," who died in 2009, said Westwater.

"I always loved having lunch (egg salad or tuna) with my grampy upstairs and getting to walk behind the brick walls. I thought I was so special. 

"Over the years the Conservatory has been a place we always took friends and family to visit. Here is a picture of my daughter at 20 months walking around. She loved the stairs.

Sketching a 'magical place'

"When I was nine or 10, we lived about an hour and a half from the city, so it was a big deal to come to Winnipeg," said Erin McCallum.

"One cold day, my mom decided to take just her and I for a special outing. It was the middle of winter and she brought her paints and I brought my little sketchbook, and we just spent a lovely afternoon is this warm, green, magical place, just the two of us, sketching plants together.

"It was like an oasis of greener things and mysterious secrets, making you believe spring would come again. It made me feel so special to spend that time with her and to have her share her skills with me."

Memories of England

"When we first moved here, like 17 years ago, it was a lovely place to come with the kids, when the restaurant was open as well. It was just brilliant," said Gregory Webb.

"So the kids like it here. Now they're both grown up and we love it here. It's a shame to see it go.

"They used to enjoy looking at the plants and the animals and the butterflies used to be in here. They just liked the place. Brings back memories of being in England."

Wedding photography

"This tree right here, this beautiful Norfolk pine, I remember seeing that when I was a kid. And now they're going to cut it down — it's so sad. It's too bad," said Ben Selinowski.

"I used to come here on a regular basis. I was a wedding photographer.… A fellow named Mike Rebeck used to work here, and he used to let me in anytime I wanted to. Sometimes we'd come here in the wintertime and it was miserable and cold, and late at night and after regular hours, he would let me in and say 'Just knock on the door, and I'll let you in."

Looking forward to new centre

"It makes me calm and relaxed because there's less movement, there's not as much noise," said Fern Surrett. "The zoo is fine for the animals, but if somebody wants to contemplate, I think a greenhouse is a great place to do it.

"What gives me hope is they're going to be building new greenhouses and they're in the process of building the new centre, the biodiversity centre, which is terrific. And so I'm looking forward to visiting that."