Destination Case Study: The Forks

At the heart of the city, where the Assiniboine and Red Rivers meet, lies The Forks. By examining the site’s history, its current offerings and its future goals, it’s easy to see how The Forks offers best practices in intentional destination development.

Winnipeg is situated on Treaty 1 Territory, the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Cree, Ojibway-Cree, Dene and Dakota, and the Homeland of the Métis Nation.

At the heart of the city, where the Assiniboine and Red Rivers meet, lies The Forks. Since the mid 1980s, this 54-acre dynamic urban destination — once a burned-out field with empty railway buildings and, before that, a meeting place for Indigenous bison harvesters that was used for over 5,000 years — has been transformed to include beautiful open, accessible public spaces popular with both locals and guests.

The space is a valuable case study for successful destination development, winter tourism, public spaces, environmental sustainability, Indigenous partnerships and community-led initiatives. By examining the site’s history, its current offerings and its future goals, it’s easy to see how The Forks offers best practices in intentional destination development.

Source: The Forks Case Study prepared for Destination Canada’s Knowledge Hub, July 2023

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