Bringing the Kings Park waterfall back to life

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/09/2018 (2664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Did you know September is Landscape Architecture Month in Manitoba? Every year, the Manitoba Association of Landscape Architects compiles a growing list of events around Winnipeg to celebrate Landscape Architecture in the province.

Be sure to follow MALA on Instagram @mala.landscape.architects and on Twitter @mala_net. Join the conversation by posting your own pictures of your favourite outdoor spaces with the hashtag #MBLAmonth to learn more about what Landscape Architects do.

Landscape Architects contribute to every outdoor space you use in southwest Winnipeg. They create and rejuvenate landscapes ranging from local parks, sports fields, trails and streetscapes, to plazas, waterparks, playgrounds, gardens and more.

Long-time visitors to Kings Park will notice a familiar sound resurfacing as a feature which has been dormant since the 1990s regains life. Thanks to the work of David Wagner Landscape Architects, the waterfall fountain once again flows through — and down — the middle of Kings Park.

This feature previously pumped water from the river through the waterfall system and down into the park’s human-made lake but it had fallen into disrepair after muddy and silty water proved too much for its mechanical systems. Since then, it has laid quiet — until this summer.

The revitalization of this older landscape feature was revealed as a priority in landscape architect-led community meetings, leading to this being the first step in realizing the future master plan for Kings Park.

Rebuilding the waterfall and, eventually, the lake, required surveying the existing condition of both and providing several solutions for review. David Wagner Landscape Architects investigated several alternatives to supply water for a retrofitted waterfall which included river water, well water and City water.

In the redesign of the waterfall, existing rock edges were restored, and where possible, the material was salvaged and retained for use in future projects.

The resulting waterfall fountain begins in the upper basin and falls over four waterfall drops running through a ripple channel at each level before collecting in the bottom pool. Benches, pathways, and plants create nooks along the water to sit or play and enjoy the sound of babbling water or the cool air beneath the pines. Stones set into the bottom ripple channel link the park’s pathway system through the project, allowing visitors to discover the project as they walk through the park.

For those unfamiliar with or new to the area, Kings Park is designed as a regional park primarily in the English landscape style with apparent influences from eastern garden designs. Elements well known in the park at that time were a small pagoda, two arched bridges, playing fields and the waterfall mentioned above.

The 2015 Kings Park Re-investment Strategy, developed by David Wagner Associates, can be found online for those interested in learning more about the plans for the park.

For more information, please visit www.mala.net.