A canoe, soon to be filled with flowers, is now part of Portage la Prairie’s growing downtown beautification efforts.
The newest addition to the west end of Saskatchewan Avenue West is a joint project between the Holiday Avenue Project committee and the local Manitoba Métis Federation chapter.
Lori Carlson-Judson, a member of the Holiday Avenue Project executive, says the canoe is their second installation of its kind. The first installation took place on the east end of town.
Carlson-Judson explains that city staff pitched in to help with the setup last week, working alongside volunteers to prepare the canoe’s base with stones.
“We had four from Manitoba Métis and three from Holiday Avenue and three from the city,” she adds. “It took a couple of hours to put that together, but next we just wait for the city to plant it along with all of their other plantings."
Honouring local roots through art
The design is about more than beautification, it’s also a nod to the city’s history.
“Portage la Prairie’s beginnings lie in First Nations,” Carlson-Judson says. “It’s got historical significance... so it was the right thing to do.”
Portage la Prairie is historically important to the Métis people and the fur trade era. The city’s location served as a crucial link between the Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba, making it a key spot for travel and trade.
The Métis community, known for its unique blend of Indigenous and European cultures, played an essential role in the area’s early economic and social development.
Today, this heritage remains an important part of Portage la Prairie’s identity and is honoured through local cultural initiatives.
Carlson-Judson mentions that the Holiday Avenue Project is all about making downtown feel vibrant and welcoming.
“We try and do what we can to support the city’s initiatives," she explains.
Garden tour tickets now on sale
Carlson-Judson also takes the opportunity to promote another upcoming community highlight, the annual Holiday Avenue Garden Tour, which returns on July 12.
“I know some people have already been asking,” she remarks. “Tickets are on sale at the supermarket, Mil-Jeanne's Flowers & Axcenz, and Solomon’s Home Garden Gifts.”
She says the event features a number of standout local properties and adds, “I know we sold out last year, so they’re a hot commodity. People do enjoy the tour.”
Tickets are $25 each.
- with files from Tylor Baer
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