A plaque in the East Kildonan Park at the corner of Kildonan Drive and Bronx Place highlights the canoe trip of East Kildonan residents Don Starkell and sons Dana and Jeff. They started a 19,620-kilometre, nearly two-year paddle to Brazil, South America from the nearby bank of the Red River on 1 June 1980. Later stolen, the plaque was replaced during the summer of 2014.
The park was developed by the Lions Club of East Kildonan in 1961 and presented to the East Kildonan Parks Board on 18 June 1962. It is the site where some surviors from the Battle of Seven Oaks came ashore after swimming for their lives from Cuthbert Grant and his men. They were helped ashore by Chief Peguis and his men who were here at the time of the battle.
Paddle to the Amazon Plaque (2010)
Source: City of Winnipeg
Replacement Paddle to the Amazon Plaque (September 2014)
Source: Jim SmithSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.92798, W97.10847
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Donald George “Don” Starkell (1932-2012)
Information for this page was provided by The City of Winnipeg’s Planning, Property and Development Department, which acknowledges the contribution of the Government of Manitoba through its Heritage Grants Program.
This page was prepared by Jim Smith and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 6 March 2021
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