Little-known parks boast big facilities

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/07/2010 (5819 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

No, no, you’re still in the city, even though there are horses in the pasture on your right and the airport lights are dimming way behind you in the distance.

Way out north of Saskatchewan Avenue, seemingly halfway to Regina, sits one of four enormous city parks where thousands go to play soccer, softball, ultimate, rugby, football, all kinds of activities at complexes unknown to virtually everyone else in Winnipeg.

Optimist Park near Saskatchewan, Buhler Park way, way out Dugald Road, Maple Grove Park off St. Mary’s Road and John Blumberg Park west on the Trans-Canada Highway are massive places — but off the beaten track, largely invisible.

“A lot of people don’t know these sites exist,” says Jack Lubinski, the city’s superintendent of parks services, northern area and downtown.

Maybe you’ve seen the lights off in the distance from some of the ball diamonds, or from a convoy of vehicles leaving, seemingly appearing in the middle of nowhere.

Maple Grove is the largest at 58 hectares, nestled just north of the Perimeter Highway along the Red River. It’s ultimate territory.

“Part of the park is leased to the Manitoba Organization of Disc Sports. They have three ultimate disc fields and they have two more planned,” says Lubinski.

The St. Vital Mustangs have leased two football fields, a practice field and a field house, while “Manitoba Rugby has five fields leased and a sand volleyball court,” he said. There are also an off-leash dog park and a boat launch.

Buhler Park in Transcona is 56 hectares, eight softball diamonds in two four-diamond clusters, some with lights, a baseball diamond, three soccer pitches, and concession stands. The Transcona Trails Association has a network of walking and fitness trails.

The most frequently seen of the big four is John Blumberg, with some of its soccer pitches right along the south side of Highway 1.

The Manitoba Softball Association has four diamonds in a nifty cluster with fences, bleachers, concessions, lights, and washrooms, with three more diamonds to the south towards the Assiniboine River.

“We also have 10 soccer pitches managed by (the city’s) parks and open space,” said Lubinski.

And then there’s Optimist Park — you’ve really got to want to go there, because chances are slim you’ll stumble across it by accident.

At 18 hectares, it’s the smallest of the four.

St. James-Assiniboia Minor Baseball Association has five baseball diamonds at Optimist Park.

“There are two combination soccer and football fields — flag football plays out there. We also have community gardens there as well,” Lubinski pointed out.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca