I Love Manitoba (16): Snakes on a Plain

Last week Manitoba Housing announced that it would do a better job snake-proofing an Inwood MB seniors' home after complaints that garter snakes were invading it on their migration back to the Narcisse Snake Dens for winter hibernation. Coincidentally, I know someone who recently moved to Winnipeg who wanted to see the dens, so a road trip was in order! Warm, sunny days in the spring and fall are the best time to see them as they sunbathe on the rocks. Unfortunately, Saturday was the least sunny, warm day of last week but we thought we would give it a shot.

The dens are in what is called the Narcisse Wildlife Management Area about an hour and a half drive from Winnipeg. They are the largest concentration of snakes in the world and attract researchers from around the world. Of course, prior to getting there was my usual dilly-dallying on the side roads....

On the way there is St. Stephen's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Pleasant Home MB, near Teulon. It was one of the first Ukrainian settlements in Manitoba c 1898. All that seems to exist now is the church.

Another stop along the way is Inwood, MB, a village of 200 people and home to  Sam and Sara, the world's largest garter snakes...

...and, apparently, a dog named Pube.

If you want to set a movie in a small prairie town Inwood has some great original architecture!

I also saw this odd row of gravestones. Seems like there was a church there for a short time in the 40's, (most of the graves are from 1940 - 1944). They got one row done, added one to a second row and that was it.

Now back to the dens.

The centre is quite simple. There are washroom facilities and a signed path takes you through the prairie with four den areas along the route.

The dens are actually underground crevasses in the limestone. Each has a large rocky opening and that's where the snakes congregate. When  you're in the wooded areas you can hear snakes absolutely everywhere around you.

We were there a bit too late in the year for "peak snake" but it was still an interesting trip.

Related:
Narcisse Snake Den Videos Nature North
Narcisse Snake Den Log Nature North

Metro Winnipeg 1969

Manitoba Historical Maps on Flickr continues to upload some great stuff. Most recently, a map series of Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg's Downtown Winnipeg, 1969.

It's definitely worth checking out! 

Scenes from Chinatown's 100th

On Saturday, September 6, 2009, Winnipeg's Chinatown held a street party to mark it's 100th year.  The event included a stage show of Chinese Opera, a Miss Chinatown pageant, dragon dances, and martial arts displays. Evening concerts included a performance by the WSO.

Hanfeng Chorus: Chinese Opera

New LG Philip Lee

There were also some displays of historical material such as certificates and photos. This was nice to see as Chinatown, for such an historical area of the city, has had very little written about it in mainstream sources:


There was, of course, the chance to wander around Chinatown without having to worry about pesky vehicles to get a look at some of the interesting and colourful buildings.

Chinatown has been in need of TLC for a lot of years. Back in the 1980s, there was an infusion of money for new residential development and the Chinese Cultural Centre. There is talk of new developments being looked at.

As the Exchange continues to thrive and become an increasingly pricey commercial and residential destination, perhaps this could herald new demand for Winnipeg's Chinatown.


Related:
Chinatown Project Under Study WFP
Winnipeg Chinese Cultural & Community Centre
Chinatown History (Cross Canada, but centres on B.C.)
Chinese Albertan History

Standing Guard at Portage and Main

I was doing a little research for my Downtown Places blog and found some interesting things about the unnamed statue at Portage and Main that is usually referred to as "World War One Soldier" or "Bank of Montreal Memorial".

The artist, James Earle Fraser, was an American and the uniform the soldier is wearing is that of a U.S. soldier, not a Canadian one. It was something first pointed out moments after the unveiling.

Fraser created the soldier right after his most famous work, The End of the Trail, which is still replicated and sold today. He then went on to create dozens of well-known pieces including the Benjamin Franklin Memorial in Philadelphia, the large justice figures at the base of the U.S. Supreme Court steps, and some pieces for Central Park in New York City.

UPDATE: My expanded December 2013 Free Press column about this story.