Local

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Too much joy (and sorrow) to leave here now

By: Marney Stapley

Posted: 09/9/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

FortWhyte Alive is a peaceful escape from the city within the city for Marney Stapley. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ) Photo Store

Enlarge Image

Marney Stapley walks along a path at FortWhyte Alive. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ) Photo Store

My kids are out of Whyte Ridge schools and we now have the freedom to move out of the area. There are a few places within walking, running or biking distance from Whyte Ridge I would miss if we moved out of the area and one of those places is a glorious path through FortWhyte Alive.

Entering off of McGillivray Boulevard gives the instant feeling of being outside the city. Immediately, you are on limestone paths far away from traffic. The only traffic you'll encounter is families with children walking, runners, cyclists, deer and possibly a goose protecting her young. The path is approximately four kilometres in length (seven kilometres return) with off-trail paths leading to ponds with suspended wooden paths and bridges.

When my children were young, we spent many hours watching them dip-netting and identifying the variety of water insects caught. We have also gone on our share of Bison Safaris.

Today you will find me running or biking through the paths, past the teepees, up the hill to the buffalo viewing point, down past the tree house and throughout the north trail. For the more adventurous, there is also a long path surrounded by very tall grass just outside the north trail of FortWhyte Alive toward Sterling Lyon Parkway and further paths connecting to the Assiniboine Forest and Assiniboine Park.

A note of caution: Watch out for hours of operation as you may find yourself locked in after hours and having to carry your bike through marsh and taking a bumpy rough detour (yes, I have done that too). I have run and cycled these paths many times over the last number of years; in times of joy and in times of sorrow. It is where I celebrate life and also more recently, grieve. It is my peaceful escape from the city within the city. I don't plan on moving from Whyte Ridge any time soon.

Marney Stapley has been a resident of Whyte Ridge for 18 years. You may see her walking throughout Whyte Ridge with her dog, Lilly. She has a husband and two daughters.

Do you have a

favourite place in Winnipeg?

We'd like to hear about it. There are no prizes to be won, but if you're published, you get to bask in the admiration of your friends and feel the glow that comes from doing something nice for your city.

Email your story to dave.connors@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 9, 2012 A6

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Local

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.