From the earliest period of colonization and pioneer travel to the plains of this region and to the open prairies of the west, this site was used as a crossing for the trail taken by explorers, hunters, traders, and settlers in ox-drawn carts. This was the route taken to Fort la Reine and from it branched the trail to Fort Carlton, Fort Edmonton, the Athabasca country, and the trail south to the Mandan Country, site of the buffalo hunt.
In 1974, and again in 1979, the inundation of Portage Avenue by the flood waters of Sturgeon Creek made necessary the temporary closure of the roadway at this location. As a result of these flood events, the Portage Avenue / Sturgeon Creek Bridge crossing was constructed to provide enlarged creek flow capacity and substantially lessen the frequency of flooding at this site. On 8 December 1981, the City of Winnipeg and Lieutenant-Governor Pearl McGonigal unveiled a plaque on the northeast corner of the bridge to acknowledge the completion of the Portage Avenue Bridge over Sturgeon Creek.
Portage Trail Plaque (2010)
Source: City of WinnipegSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87865, W97.27472
denoted by symbol on the map above
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 Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 20 February 2021
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