Why travel abroad when there is so much to do and see in Westman and the constituency of Turtle Mountain!
When we were in government for seven and a half years, one of our economic development strategies included tourism. When communities can attract visitors, money is spent in the hospitality industry and in other local businesses. With the Canadian Human Rights Museum, the newly opened the Leaf at Assiniboine Park, the expansion at the Winnipeg Arts Gallery (including the largest collection of contemporary Inuit art), and the extensive renovations to the Manitoba Museum, we have many attractions to bring tourists to Winnipeg. Now we also need to attract those tourists to venture beyond the Perimeter Highway and drive out to Westman and discover our many attractions.
Many Manitobans have been to tourist destinations in Westman and Parkland, including Riding Mountain National Park and Clear Lake, Duck Mountain Provincial Park, Asessippi Ski Area and Resort, and Spruce Woods Provincial Park.
But when it comes to the Turtle Mountain constituency, we are proud to say that we have one of the most attractive landscapes in Manitoba. It is such eye relief to drive towards the elevations of the prairie escarpment after the sameness of the Red River Valley lowlands. I was born and raised in the Asessippi Region where I could see the rise of the Riding Mountain from my second storey bedroom on our family dairy farm. I feel at home when I start the drive up the escarpment in the constituency of Turtle Mountain. And while driving towards Turtle Mountain, you will be able to take in the rolling hills, the yellow canola fields, pastures, and many beautiful communities.
I was honoured to be appointed by Premier Pallister to the board of the International Peace Garden in 2018 to represent the Manitoba Government and to work with North Dakota to invest in Garden and move it from the best kept secret to an international destination. The former Premier and the Governor of North Dakota, Doug Bergum, (both grew up in the rural area of their jurisdiction) had a vision to make the International Peace Garden a world class tourist destination to attract people from around the world to celebrate peace between two nations.
Over the past five years, together we have invested over $20 Million to revitalize many attractions in the garden. We have now added a new greenhouse to the existing conservatory to house the most diverse cactus and succulents collection in the world, added new cabins for summer workers that can be rented to tourists for the rest of the year, renovated the Willis Pavilion (great facility for weddings), and added a nature themed kids’ playground.
We are currently hoping to receive a commitment from the new Manitoba government and North Dakota to renovate the beautiful Heritage Lodge, the oldest building on the site (constructed in 1938), so we will have an additional facility for wedding receptions and other events. Once these three major facilities are revitalized, IPG could easily host three-day conferences: Willis Pavilion could host opening receptions, the Heritage Lodge could accommodate a causal theme dinner and the Conservatory could host a formal dinner.
When we held the 90th Anniversary of the Garden, I had the opportunity to have a conversation with the North Dakota Governor and he mentioned that he would like to see a new peace tower to replace the old one that had to be demolished several years ago. It was an iconic symbol for the Garden. The Governor envisions a tower that would allow guests to go to the top to take in the amazing view down the 49th parallel showing both our countries. The governor and I both agreed that we would like to see both federal governments involved to come together to erect a new tower. When I had the opportunity to talk Gail Asper, who led the establishment of the Canadian Human Rights Museum, she told me when you build a tower they will come from around to world to see the amazing view, especially of the gorgeous Turtle Mountains, and to look for miles down the international border.
The completion of the International Peace Tower, would create an international attraction for tourists to drive north to south, instead of east to west in each of our countries. We should not only work with North Dakota, but also with South Dakota to have tourist travel to tourism destinations including: the Black Hills of South Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt National Park (includes Medora and Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library) and International Peace Garden. With this strategy, we could see an increased volume of traffic through all parts of Turtle Mountain Constituency.
One of the nicest drives from Winnipeg to the Turtle Mountain is along the newly rebuilt highway #23 with the beautiful rolling hills. Tourists can drive down highway #23 and return to Winnipeg on highway #3 taking advantage of the many tourist attractions. It seems like every community in the region has their own fascinating museum. You have to take in the following attractions in the region including Nellie’s Homes of Manitou (Nellie McClung Heritage Site), Pilot Mound & District Museum, Manitoba World War I Museum in La Riviere, the New Somerset Museum, Argyle Museum in Baldur, Clay Banks Bison Jump, Badger Creek Museum, Turtle Mountain Flywheel Club in Killarney, Belmont Museum, Irvin Goodon International Wildlife Museum and Beckoning Hills Museum in Boissevain, Hart-Cam Museum in Hartney, Antler River Historical Museum in Melita, Virden Pioneer Home Museum in Virden and Musee Des Pionniers in Notre Dame.
The biggest opportunity we have in Turtle Mountain is to work with the State of North Dakota, and both Canadian and American federal governments to come together and create a world-class tourist destination that will attract people from around the world to come to International Peace Garden to celebrate the peace between two countries with the longest undefended border in the world.
The last time we had a conflict with our neighbour goes back to 1812. And we weren’t even a country then!
Doyle Piwniuk is the MLA for Turtle Mountain. His column will help promote knowledge and undestanding about this amazing part of our province.
