A hundred years ago, an ambitious councillor in Manitoba's capital city decided that he wanted to be mayor. In order to promote his campaign, he presented a plan to his fellow aldermen to purchase a tract of land along the Assiniboine River to be used as park land for the benefit of the local citizenry. He sold his idea to the council but, come election time, he lost his quest for the mayor's office and, indeed, his seat in the governing body. At least, that's the way the story goes.

Back then, the property acquired was several kilometres west of the city centre. Today, Assiniboine Park is surrounded by urban growth. And Winnipeg's citizens are justly proud of the 153 hectares (378 acres) that have been enhanced over the years with such attractions as a zoo, a conservatory, an English garden, an outdoor theatre, plus a pavilion with a fine restaurant and two floors of art galleries dedicated to the work of three Manitoba artists: Walter J. Phillips, Clarence Tillenius and Ivan Eyre. Each has taken different approaches to capture the beauty of the countryside.

Assiniboine Park draws its name from the river that runs along its northern edge, before merging with the Red River at the Forks near downtown Winnipeg. On the southern border of the park is a stand of mature trees covering some 287 hectares. The Assiniboine Forest has been kept in pristine condition, retaining all of the flora and fauna that have long considered it home. There are an estimated 900 head of deer and a multitude of smaller animals. In this, one of Canada's largest urban nature parks, the 1.5-kilometre Sagimay trail takes you to the Eve Werier Memorial Pond. If you have the time, you can explore another 8.5 kilometres of wood chip trails radiating from the Sagimay.

In the Pavilion, you can enjoy dinner at one of Winnipeg's finest restaurants, the Tavern in the Park. You can sit next to floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook a lovely flower garden, with shrubbery and a lawn that seems to go on forever. Linen table-cloths and silver tableware signal that a fine meal can be enjoyed here. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. When you finish dessert, you have enough time to pick up folding chairs from the car (you can rent chairs if you do not have your own). At 7: 30, The Lyric Theatre will present "Ballet in the Park."

Under the auspices of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Lyric Theatre's outdoor stage setting allows many students from the RWB school, professional division, to perform before an appreciative audience. No admission is charged, but volunteers pass the hat around for donations to help defray costs. The event, presented over a three-day period during the summer months, enables young artists to try new ballets, but traditional choreography is often included in the programs. Members of the Winnipeg Symphony occasionally accompany the performances.

The Lyric Theatre also presents quite a number of "free admission" events throughout the summer, e.g. country music, jazz, big band, children's days, barber-shoppers, and on and on. And I have mentioned only a few of the dozen or so gardens within the boundaries of Assiniboine Park. Others include the Rock Garden, the Butterfly Garden, the Palm House and Floral Display Greenhouse. Then there are the Formal Gardens, the Pavilion Gardens and the Conservatory Gardens. And how about a stroll around the Patrick Healey Daylily Walk, the Flats Daylily Garden and the Garden of Life.

Sports enthusiasts can choose to see such facilities as cricket pitches, field hockey, soccer pitches, volleyball courts and baseball diamonds. Need exercise? How about cycling along the river's South Bank, or perhaps jogging on the Terry Fox Fitness Trail. Kids will love the retired steam locomotive #6043 on display and, for an encore, a ride on the miniature train. The Kinsmen Discovery Centre at the Zoo will appeal to all ages. There's a Citizens Hall of Fame, and the Mayor's Grove. All this, and the usual picnic and barbecue areas.

If our ambitious councillor could come back today, I think that he would be pleased that his idea is alive and well. He would be extremely happy to know that generations of Winnipeggers and visitors have enjoyed Assiniboine Park during the past 100 years, and that the fine facility he envisioned will be available for generations to come.

Just south of Assinibione Park, you will find Fort Whyte Centre, a privately operated non-profit outdoor recreation facility. Fort Whyte features 162 hectares (400 acres) of lakes, grasslands, wetlands and woods. An old cement factory and quarry have been redesigned to include the Buffalo Stone Cafe and a Nature Shop. Land donated by farmers provides grazing for a herd of bison. Children have fun learning about the environment while fishing, climbing into the tree house, or exploring a sod house like the original pioneers built when opening up the West. Seasonal activities include birding. Winnipeg is on a migratory flyway and overhead from the Centre, thousands upon thousands of Canada geese can be seen winging their way north in the spring, south in the fall.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is known worldwide for its technical excellence and eclectic repertoire. Photo: Paul Martens

Musicians from the symphony also play at the Rainbow Stage in Kildonan Park. This is another outdoor setting in a different part of the city. Attendees are seated comfortably in theatre-style chairs and are protected from the weather by a roof and concrete walls that stop a couple of metres up, allowing summer breezes to flow through. Other Broadway musicals featured over the past 35 years have included "Fiddler on the Roof", "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", "Carousel", "Oliver" and many more. In winter, the Rainbow Stage moves indoors to the Pantages Playhouse Theatre in the historic Exchange District.

If you are really into birding, take a half-hour drive north of Winnipeg to Oak Hammock. The Canadian headquarters for Ducks Unlimited is located here. Each year, many visitors from the United Kingdom and Europe find their way to the hammock, binoculars at the ready, to spot some of the 296 species recorded there. It is estimated that as many as 400,000 water birds can be seen here on a single day during the migration season.

Camouflaged hides (pictured here), miles of trails and full programming highlight the hundreds of species of birds that can be seen at Oak Hammoch March Interpretive Centre, near Winnipeg. Photo: Travel Manitoba

You really need to reserve a few days in which to see what Manitoba offers the curious and adventurous traveller. You can visit the Inglis Grain Elevators Historic Site. At one time, some 6,000 elevators were scattered all over the western landscape. Now very few are left. Plan a visit to Lower Fort Garry to learn about the fur trade and speak with costumed interpreters. The trading post was built by the Hudson Bay Company in 1830 and is the oldest intact building of its kind in North America. Stop at the Brandon Airport to hear the story of the Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. A museum housed in one of the Air Force hangars contains 5,000 artifacts, and much memorabilia about both the plan and the thousands of young men and women who were trained in preparation for their service during the war. At Shilo, spend some time at the Royal Canadian Artillery Museum.

For some relaxation, head to Riding Mountain National Park, one of the oldest in the country. Golf on the scenic championship course. Swim in the crystal waters of Clear Lake. Drive over to Lake Audy (still within the National Park) to see a large herd of bison. About an hour south of Brandon, on the North Dakota border, lies the International Peace Garden – a symbol of friendship between two nations that have enjoyed a long and peaceful co-existence. A recent addition to the garden is a memorial constructed from twisted steel girders retrieved from the World Trade Centre. It bears the inscription "Let Peace Prevail."

Perhaps the most exciting experience of your visit to Manitoba is a flight to the port of Churchill, on Hudson Bay. Take a short cruise to see white beluga whales coming up for air right beside your boat. Then board a Tundra Buggy and go looking for polar bears. On this tour, you might also see ptarmigan, Arctic foxes, caribou, geese, swans and scads of other wildlife.

The best place on Earth to snorkel with wild beluga whales, or "sea canaries," is in Churchill, on the Hudson Bay, when thousands of them come to feed in the warm waters of the Churchill River estuary every summer in July and August. Photo: Travel Manitoba

Churchill, Manitoba, is the most accessible place in North America to see the largest concentration of polar bears in the world. Photo: Travel Manitoba

The picturesque Birdtrail Bench in Manitoba's Riding Mountain National Park offers fabulous backcountry exploring and is ideal for viewing elk, moose, hawks and signs of wolves and bears. Photo: Travel Manitoba

Packages covering your polar bear and beluga whale experience are available. Contact Travel Manitoba toll-free at 1-800-665-0040 for more information.

To learn more about Manitoba's national parks and historic sites, call toll-free at 1-888-748-2928. Visit Parks Canada on the Internet at parkscanada.pch.gc.ca.