Prairie Pulse 903; Margaret Redmond; Assiniboine Park CEO

>>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "PRAIRIE PULSE."
COMING UP A LITTLE BIT LATER IN
THE SHOW, WE'LL PROFILE SINGER/SONG WRITER, BRENDA
WEILER, BUT FIRST JOINING ME NOW
IS THE ASSINIBOINE PARK
CONSERVANCY CEO FROM WINNIPEG, MARGARET REDMOND.
THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AS WE GET STARTED, TELL THE
FOLKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
YOURSELF AND YOUR BACKGROUND.
>> WELL, I'M A LAWYER BY BACKGROUND.
I WORKED FOR YEARS IN THE -- IN
A GREEN INDUSTRY IN WINNIPEG,
SORT OF AN INTERNATIONAL ROLE,
BUT I AM A THIRD-GENERATION
WINNIPEGER WHO ALL MY LIFE
ENJOYED THE ASSINIBOINE PARK
LIVED A COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM IT
FOR MOST OF MY GROWING UP YEARS,
AND REALLY, IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT I FELT WAS
IMPORTANT TO BECOME INVOLVED IN,
TO GIVE BACK TO MY CITY.
>> WELL, NOW, AS CEO, HOW LONG
HAVE YOU BEEN THE CEO OF THE PARK?
>> THREE YEARS.
>> THREE YEARS?
>> YES.
>> AND KIND OF, YOSH SAID YOU
LIVED CLOSE, SO THERE WAS A
INTRK BUT HOW DID YOU END UP --
I MEAN, WERE YOU VOLUNTEERING BEFORE?
HOW DID YOU END UP BECOMING THE CEO?
>> WELL, THEY DID A NATIONAL
SEARCH FOR THE CEO, AND WHEN
THIS ENTITY WAS CREATED, IT WAS
JUST CREATED IN 2008, AND
REALLY, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR
SOMEONE THAT COULD REALLY DRIVE
SORT OF THE STRATEGIC DECISIONS
AROUND HOW DO YOU TAKE A MAJOR
URBAN PARK IN A CITY, TAKE
MANAGEMENT OF IT OVER FROM THE
CITY GOVERNMENT, AND TURN IT
INTO A MAJOR ATTRACTION AND
BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACE AND REALLY
RETURN IT TO ITS ORIGINAL ROOTS
AS A CENTERPIECE OF OUR CITY,
AND SO THEY WERE LOOKING FOR
SOMEBODY FROM A VERY BROAD BACKGROUND.
I BROUGHT LEGAL SKILLS, COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING,
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, ALL THE
THINGS THAT HAD TO HAPPEN FOR
THIS MASSIVE VISION FOR THIS
PARK TO BE -- TO BECOME A REALITY.
>> MARGARET, MANY OF THE PRAERP
PUBLIC VIEW -- PRAIRIE PUBLIC
VIEWERS, AND, OF COURSE,
WINNIPEGERS WOULD BE, BUT WE'VE
GONE A DOCUMENTARY ON IT AND
PROFILED IT ON THE RED RIVER
SHOW CASE, BUT TELL THE FOLKS
OUT THERE, WHAT IS ASSINIBOINE
PARK AND TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
>> IT'S MANY THINGS.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL URBAN GREEN SPACE.
IT'S 1100 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE
IN THE MIDDLE OF WINNIPEG.
NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL FIND
EVEN IN THE REST OF CANADA.
IT'S -- IT HAS A CONSERVATORY IN
IT, IT HAS A 90-ACRE ZOO IN IT,
A BEAUTIFUL HERITAGE BUILDING
CALLED THE PAVILION THAT HAS ART
GALLERIESES, THERE'S RESTAURANTS
IN THE PARK, AND MILES OF BEAUTIFUL WALKING PATHS AND
GREEN SPACE AND SPORTS FIELDS,
AND CRICKET FIELDS, YOU CAN SEE
CRICKET BEING PLAYED THERE ON
ANY WEEKEND, AND IT'S REALLY A
SORT OF CENTERPIECE TO THE
WINNIPEG AND MANITOBA COMMUNITY.
>> WELL, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO
TAKE TIME MAYBE TO TALK ABOUT AS
MANY OF THOSE AS WE CAN AS YOU
MENTIONED, BUT TELL US ABOUT
SOME OF THE HISTORY THEN AND HOW THIS WAS CREATED.
>> WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY
INTERESTING HISTORY AND REALLY
SPEAKS TO THE VISION OF MUNICIPAL LEADERS.
IT WAS CREATED IN 1904.
THE MAYOR AT THE TIME BOUGHT UP
ALL THIS LAND THAT AT THAT TIME
WAS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE
CITY, WAS REALLY FARMLAND, BUT
FORESEE THE NEED FOR SORT OF AN
URBAN OASIS AS THE CITY GREW AND
VERY MUCH A MOVEMENT THAT WAS
HAPPENING ACROSS NORTH AMERICA
TO CREATE URBAN GREEN SPACES,
AND THE SAME HISTORY SORT OF
BEHIND CENTRAL PARK IN NEW YORK
BEING A BIG EXAMPLE OF THAT.
AND SO APPARENTLY THAT MAYOR AND
THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME
ACTUALLY GOT VOTED OUT THE NEXT
ELECTION BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SAW
THIS AS SUCH AN OUTRAGEOUS MOVE,
AND THAT'S HARD TO BELIEVE NOW,
GIVEN WHAT A CENTERPIECE IT HAS
BECOME FOR OUR CITY, AND ANYONE
WHO GREW UP THERE IN THE LAST
THREE GENERATIONS REMEMBERS THAT
PARK AS PART OF THE -- OF THEIR LIVES.
AND THEN THEY HIRED A DESIGNER
WHO WAS A PROTO JAY OF --
PROTEGE OF FREDERICK OLMSTEAD, A
HORTICULTURIST BEHIND THE DESIGN
OF THE FAMOUS CHICAGO WORLD'S
FAIR AND SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS
PARKS IN NORTH AMERICA ARE OLMSTEADIAN PARKS, AND
ASSINIBOINE IS THE LARGEST ONE
IN CANADA OTHER THAN MOUNT ROYAL
IN MONTREAL, AND THAT DESIGN IS
REALLY PART OF WHAT MAKES THAT
PARK SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE AND
REALLY IT IS A HISTORIC SPACE
FOR CANADA AND NORTH AMERICA AND
ONE THAT WE FELT DESERVED TOSH
RESTORED -- TO BE RESTORED AND
BE THERE FOR MANY, MANY, MANY GENERATIONS TO COME.
>> A LOT OF TIMES VISIONARIES
AREN'T KNOWN TO BE VISIONARIES AT THE TIME, ARE THEY.
>> EXACTLY.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
DIFFERENT ASPECTS IN THE PARK.
THE ZOO IS A KEY COMPONENT, I
THINK YOU SAID 90 ACRES AND TELL
US ABOUT THAT AND THE JOURN MI TO CHURCHILL EXHIBIT.
>> THE ZOO WAS REALLY -- MOST OF
THE INVESTMENT INTO THAT ZOO
HAPPENED IN THE 1960s AND EARLY
'70s, TO IT HAS BEEN A NEED OF A
MAJOR INVESTMENT FOR QUITE SOME
TIME AND THAT'S PART OF THE
CONSERVANCY'S JOB, TO REALLY
CREATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF
WHAT AN ANIMAL EXHIBIT LIKE A ZOO SHOULD BE IN.
OUR VISION IS TO CREATE AN
ANIMAL CONSERVATION AND
EDUCATION CENTER IN THAT SPACE
THAT IS NOW KNOWN AS ASSINIBOINE
PARK ZOO, AND REALLY CREATE A
SPACE WHERE INSTEAD OF GOING
THROUGH THE ZOO AND EXPERIENCING
A COLLECTION OF ANIMALS THAT MAY
NOT NECESSARILY BE THEMED IN ANY
WAY, THIS IS TO CREATE MUCH
LARGER SPACES FOR ANIMALS TO BE
EXHIBITED IN HABITAT THAT IS AS
CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THEIR
NATURAL HABITAT, AND IMMERSE THE
VISITOR IN WHATEVER PART OF THE
WORLD WE ARE TRYING TO RECREATE
FOR THEM AND THE LARGEST PART OF
THE ZOO WILL BE FOCUSED ON
RECREATING MAN ANYBODY TOEB BA
END -- MANITOBA ENVIRONMENT, SO
OUR VISION IS THAT WHEN YOU
ENTER THE ZOO, YOU WILL CREATE A
JOURNEY THROUGH THE PRAIRIE AND
THE FOREST AND IMMERSED IN THAT
LANDSCAPE AND ENTERED INTO THE
FAR NORTH OF MANNY TOEB BARKS
SO -- MAN TI TOEB BA, SO WE'RE
TALKING YOI ON A JOURNEY FROM
CHURCHILL, AND YOU WILL ARRIVE
IN OUR FIRST PHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT, THE JOURNEY TO
CHURCHILL, WHICH IS ABOUT A $70
MILLION PIECE OF DEVELOPMENT
THAT WILL DISPLAY ARCTIC SPECIES, CARIBOU, MUSK OX,
SWANS, AND THE CENTERPIECE WILL
BE POLAR BEARS AND RING FIELDS
REPRESENTING WHAT CHURCHILL,
MANITOBA, IS KNOWN ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR.
THERE ARE 10 ACRES OF FACE FOR
THE POLAR BEARS, THREE DIFFERENT
EXHIBITS, ONE VERY MUCH LIKE THE
OPPORTUNITY DRA, ONE VERY MUCH
THEM OUT ON THE ICE IN CHURCHILL
WHERE YOU WILL LITERALLY SEE
THEM IN POOLS, YOU WILL WALK
THROUGH TUNNELS -- POLAR BEARS
WILL BE SWIMMING ABOVE AND
AROUND YOU AND FIELDS WILL BE --
SEALS WILL BE ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THAT TUNNEL SWIMMING ABOVE
AND AROUND YOU AND YOU WILL
EMERGE OUT TO WHAT WILL BE VERY
MUCH LIKE THE WAPUSK NATIONAL
PARK, ONE OF CANADA'S NEWEST
NATIONAL PARKS THERE TO PROTECT
POLAR BEARS AND WE RECREATING
ALL OF THAT GEOGRAPHY AND GIVING
THESE ANIMALS A MASSIVE SPACE
AND USING THEM AS AMBASSADORS TO
TALK ABOUT THE THREAT TO POLAR
BEARS AND NORTHERN SPECIES
CREATED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND
THE MELTING ICECAP, AND REALLY
HAVE PEOPLE RESPECT THESE
ANIMALS WHEN THEY SEE THEM IN
THIS MAGNIFICENT ENVIRONMENT.
>> AND I UNDERSTOOD YOU TO SAY
IT'S OPEN EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR?
>> THE ZOO IS OPEN EVERY DAY OF
THE YEAR, AND THE EXHIBIT I JUST
DESCRIBED WILL BE OPEN IN 2013.
>> AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
INTERNATIONAL POLAR BEAR CONSERVATION CENTER?
>> THAT'S ANOTHER COMPONENT OF
THE JOURNEY TO CHURCHILL EXHIBIT.
IT WILL ACTUALLY OPEN AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
IT'S A BUILDING THAT WILL HOUSE
INTERPRETIVE MATERIALS, ALSO
SERVE A RESEARCH ROLE TO SUPPORT
OUR COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION
OF NORTHERN SPECIES AND OF POLAR BEARS IN PARTICULAR.
IT WILL BE VERY MUCH A CENTER OF
EDUCATION AND A VIRTUAL CENTER
FOR ALL PEOPLE RESEARCHING
NORTHERN SPECIES AND THE THREATS TO THOSE SPECIES.
AND ATTACHED TO THAT WILL BE THE
FORMER BEAR DENS OF THE PARK
THAT HAVE NOW BEEN RENOVATED AND
ARE NOW CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING
ORPHANED POLAR BEAR CUBS WHO ARE
OFTEN ORPHANED AROUND THIS TIME
OF THE YEAR, LATER INTO THE
FALL, EITHER THE MOTHERS HAVE
STARVED TO DEATH BECAUSE THEY
HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT ON
THE ICE SOON ENOUGH TO FEED, OR
HAVE BEEN SHOT AND THESE CUBS
THAT ARE LEFT ORPHANED ARE EITHER LEFT TO STARVE OR
ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE EUTHANIZED
BY CONSERVATION PEOPLE.
SO THROUGH THE PROVINCE OF MANITOBA SUPPORT AND THEIR
COMMITMENT TO SAVING THESE CUBS,
THESE EXHIBITS HAVE BEEN
RENOVATED TO ACCEPT ANY CUB THAT
NEEDS TO BE RESCUED FROM THE FAR NORTH.
IT WILL BE BROUGHT TO WINNIPEG
BY MANITOBA CONSERVATION AND
THOSE CUBS WILL BE BROUGHT BACK
TO HEALTH, TRANSITIONED, AND
PEOPLE VISITING THE ZOO CAN,
THROUGH CAMERAS, FOLLOW THEIR
DEVELOPMENT AND ULTIMATELY THESE
CUBS WILL BE TRANSITIONED INTO
ZOOS THAT MEET MANITOBA STANDARDS FOR HOUSING POLAR
BEARS AND HOPEFULLY INTO OUR NEW
JOURNEY TO CHURCHILL EXHIBIT.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
THAT'S GREAT.
WELL, A LOT OF NEW THINGS HERE.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FAMILY
CENTER AND WITH THAT, THE CHILDREN'S GARDEN?
>> YES.
WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON IN THE
PARK, AND THIS SUMMER, A LOT OF
NEW THINGS OPENED, ONE BEING
THIS MAGNIFICENT CHILDREN'S
NATURE PLAYGROUND THAT IS -- A
LOT OF PEOPLE DESCRIBE IT AS
WALKING INTO A DOCTOR SUES
STORY, AND -- A DR. SEUSS STORY
AND I THINK THEY CAP PURR THAT WELL.
IT'S A VERY MAGICAL PLACE THAT
HAS COMBINED BEAUTIFUL GARDEN
FEATURES BUT VERY WHIMSICAL WITH
PLAY ELEMENTS THAT WILL NOT BE
FOUND IN ANY OTHER PLAYGROUND IN
NORTH AMERICA AND IT WAS DESIGN
TO BE VERY UNIQUE, A VERY
SPECIAL PLACES ON ON THE EDGE OF
THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL NEW ENLARGED
DUCK POND THAT IS ALSO A SKATING
RINK IN THE WINTER AND THE NEW
QUALICO FAMILY CENTER THAT WILL
OPEN AT THE END OF NOVEMBER ON
THE EDGE OF BOTH OF THOSE DEVELOPMENTS IT WILL HAVE A
CASUAL RESTAURANT FOR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH.
YOU CAN RENT IT FOR WEDDINGS AND OTHER EVENTS.
IT WILL HAVE A FIREPLACE LOUNGE
AND ONE WING OF IT WILL HAVE, WE
CALL IT THE ACORN ACTIVITY ROOM
AND ON ANY GIVEN DAY, THERE WILL
BE CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES OCCURRING IN THAT ROOM.
YOU CAN COME IN AND DO CRAFTS.
THERE MAY BE CHILDREN'S
ENTERTAINERS THERE FROM TIME TO
TIME, BUT THE BUILDING IS REALLY
PICTURED AS BEING SORT OF THAT
CENTRAL PULSING HEART OF THE PARK ON ANY GIVEN DAY.
>> WELL, WITH ALL THESE
ACTIVITIES AND MAYBE -- CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT -- THERE'S A $200
MILLION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN CURRENTLY UNDERWAY?
>> YES, SO ALL THESE PROJECTS I
TALKED ABOUT ARE ALL PART OF
WHAT WE CALL THE "IMAGINE A
PLACE" CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS A
10-WE'RE DEVELOPMENT PLAN THE --
10-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE
PARK, SO REALLY SET IT ON THE
RIGHT PATH FOR THE NEXT 100
YEARS, TO MAKE SURE IT REMAINS A
RELEVANT COMMUNITY SPACE AND
BECOMES A MONUMENT FOR TOURISM
TO WINNIPEG AND MAEB TONE BA.
IT'S A PART OF A MUCH MORE
MASSIVE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE ZOO
THAT WILL OCCUR OVER THE NEXT
TEN YEARS, BUT THE CENTERPIECE
OF THAT BEING THE JOURNEY TO
CHURCHILL, BUT CREATING THAT
ANIMAL CONSERVATION CENTER, THAT
IS WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR OVER THE LONG-TERM.
THE THREE PROJECTS THAT I
MENTIONED, THE PLAY GROUND, THE
DUCK POND, THE FAMILY CENTER,
AND THEN AFTER THAT, IN THE
AROUND 2017, WE HOPE WE'LL BE OPENING A BEAUTIFUL NEW
CONSERVATORY IN THE PARK THAT
WILL HAVE A MEDITERRANEAN AND
RAIN FOREST COMPONENTS TO IT,
AND AN INDOOR YEAR-ROUND BUTTERFLY PAVILION.
>> NOW, YOU SAID NEW IN 2017,
BUT OF COURSE, THE CONSERVATORY
IS SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE NOW?
>> YES, WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL CONSERVATORY IN THE PARK.
WE JUST KNOW THAT BUILDING
THAT'S THERE TODAY WILL PROBABLY
NOT LAST FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS,
AND WE NEED TO BE PLANNING TO
ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT
IN THE PARK FOR PEOPLE, AND SO
THE CONSERVATORY OF TODAY WILL
REMAIN WHILE WE FUND-RAISE AND
DESIGN AND BUILD THE NEW ONE,
AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
IT'S LIKE WALKING INTO A TROPICAL RAIN FOREST, A
BEAUTIFUL RETREAT IN THE WINTER
IN PARTICULAR, AND HAS A
BEAUTIFUL FLORAL EXHIBIT HALL AS
WELL THAT EVERY TWO MONTHS, WE
CHANGE HOW THAT IS CONFIGURED,
SO EVERY TIME YOU COME TO THE CONSERVE TOE, YOU WILL
EXPERIENCE SOMETHING -- CONSERVATORY, YOU WILL
EXPERIENCE SOMETHING A LITTLE
DIFFERENT AND THERE'S BEAUTIFUL
RESTAURANTS ATTACHED IT TO AS WELL.
>> YOU THINK THAT'S PART OF THE ALLURE OF COMING?
BECAUSE IT CHANGES, SEEMS LIKE
THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGES GOING
ON, SO IF YOU GO AND GO BACK,
IT'S NOT ALWAYS EXACTLY THE SAME.
>> THAT'S LIKE NATURE, ISN'T IT?
AND THE PARK IS ALL ABOUT
CONNECTING PEOPLE TO NATURE, SO
MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR IN THE
PARK IS ACTUALLY IN THE WINTER.
IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
IF YOU GET AN HOAR FROST THAT
COMES DOWN ON THAT PART OF THE
PARK, IT IS SPECTACULAR AND IT'S
A VERY BEAUTIFUL PLACE ALL YEAR
ROUND AND THAT'S HOW WE THINK OF
OURSELVES, AS VERY NATURE-BASED.
>> CAN YOU TALK SOME ABOUT THE
PAVILION GALLERY MUSEUM AND WHAT
PEOPLE WOULD SEE THERE?
>> THE PAVILION IS A HERITAGE
BUILDING THAT REALLY IS THE
ARCHITECTURAL CENTERPIECE OF THE
PARK, AND THE SECOND AND THIRD
FLOOR OF IT HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
GALLERIES THAT EXHIBIT FAMOUS MANITOBA ARTISTS.
WALTER J. PHILLIPS, WHO IS A
WELL-KNOWN CANADIAN ARTIST AND
WE HAVE THE LARGEST WALTER J.
PHILLIPS COLLECTION IN ALL OF CANADA.
WE ALSO HAVE AN ENTIRE GALLERY
ON THE THIRD FLOOR DEDICATED TO
THE WORKS OF IVAN AARON.
JUST A SPECTACULAR GAL LAE, BOTH
OF THEM -- GALLERY, BOTH OF THEM
ARE, AND DEFINITELY WORTH A
VISIT WHEN YOU'RE IN ASSINIBOINE PARK.
>> AND, OF COURSE, THE SCULPTURE GARDEN THERE.
>> YES, ANOTHER GREAT MANITOBA
ARTIST THAT IS HOUSED AM ASSINIBOINE PARK.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL TRADITIONAL
ENGLISH GARDEN IN THE PARK AND
AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THAT GARDEN,
YOU THEN EMERGE INTO THE LEO
MULL SCULPTURE GARDEN THAT
HOUSES INNUMERABLE NUMBERS OF
WORKS OF LEO MULL WHO IS A UKRAINIAN CANADIAN WHO
IMMIGRATED TO CANADA AND WAS
QUITE A PROLIFIC BRONZE SCULPTURIST AND THESE ARE
LIFE-SIZED SCULPTURES INSIDE A
GARDEN SETTING AND IT'S
ABSOLUTELY A SPECTACULAR SPACE
OF THE PARK ALL YEAR ROUND.
VERY BEAUTIFUL IN THE WINTER AS
WELL TO WALK THROUGH THERE AND A
REAL FAVORITE WITH LOCALS AND WITH TOURISTS.
>> BUT YOU ALSO MENTIONED
EARLIER ABOUT MEAN THE BIKING
AND JOGGING AT THE PARK.
I MEAN, IS IT USED A LOT?
>> IT IS.
YOU KNOW, ANY GIVEN DAY THAT
YOU'RE THERE, YOU WILL SEE
PEOPLE USING IT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
IT'S A BIG PARK FOR WALKERS AND
RUNNERS, DOG WALKERS, BIKERS.
IN THE WINTER, WE HAVE CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING PATHS
THROUGH THE PARK.
IT'S A BIG SPORTS PARK.
ULTIMATE SOCCER, BASEBALL, AND
WE ARE ALSO THE ONLY PLACE IN
MANITOBA THAT HAS CONTRADICT
FIELDS -- CRICKET FIELDS,
BEAUTIFUL CRICKET FIELDS IN THE
CENTER OF THE PARK AND IT'S A
REALLY NEAT THING TO DRIVE INTO
THE PARK ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY
IN THE SUMMER AND SEE PEOPLE IN
THEIR WHITES PLAYING CRICKET, BUT JUST A VARIETY OF
ACTIVITIES, AND THAT'S REALLY
WHAT IT'S THERE FOR, TO BRING
PEOPLE OUTDOORS, RECREATING, BRINGING FAMILIES AND
COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, PICNICKING
IS A BIG THING IN THE PARK, OF
COURSE, AND PEOPLE ARE THERE TO
VISIT THEIR FAVORITE PLACES LIKE
THE ZOO OR THE CONSERVATORY OR THE GALLERIES.
>> WHAT KIND OF -- YOU MENTIONED RESTAURANTS.
WHAT KIND OF RESTAURANTS WOULD
PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EAT AT?
>> RIGHT NOW, THERE'S TWO GREAT
RESTAURANTS IN THE PARK.
ONE CALL THE STAR CONSERVATORY
THAT IS ACTUALLY CONNECTED TO
THE CONSERVATORY BUILDING
ITSELF, AND THE OTHER IS TERRACE
55, THAT'S IN THE PAVILION, MORE UPSCALE RESTAURANT.
YOU CAN COME, HAVE BEAUTIFUL
VIEWS OUT OF ITS ATRIUM INTO THE PARK.
THE GALLERIES ARE JUST UP STAIRS
FROM THIS RESTAURANT AND WHEN
THE QUALICO FAMILY CENTER OPENS
IN NOVEMBER, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER
MORE CASUAL, VERY FAMILY-FOCUSED
RESTAURANT THAT WILL OVERLOOK
THE DUCK POND, A VERY BEAUTIFUL,
ALL-GLASS BUILDING THAT WILL
HAVE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH ON ANY GIVEN DAY.
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT CAPITAL
CAMPAIGN, BUT HOW IS IT FUNDED?
>> WELL, THE PARK, THE OPERATING
COSTS OF THE PARK ARE PRIMARILY
FUNDED BY THE CITY OF WINNIPEG
AND BY THE REVENUES THAT WE
RAISE AS THE ENTITY OPERATING IN THE PARK.
ALL REVENUES RAISED IN THE PARK
NOW REMAIN IN THE PARK, AND THAT
WAS PART OF THE MODEL WHEN THE
CONSERVANCY TOOK OVER, THAT THOSE WERE NO LONGER CITY
REVENUES, AND THEY NOW STAY IN
THE PARK AND FEED THE PARK'S NEEDS.
WE ARE ALSO -- THE CITY IS A 25%
FUNDER OF THAT $200 MILLION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN.
THE PROVINCE HAS STEPPED UP,
VERY FRONT END, TO FUND A LARGE
COMPONENT OF THE JOURNEY TO CHURCHILL EXHIBIT.
>> WELL, IT IS A VERY SPECIAL
PLACE AND SO IF PEOPLE WANT MORE
INFORMATION AND WANT TO FIND OUT
MORE ABOUT IT, WHERE CAN THEY GO AND CONTACT?
>> OUR WEBSITE, ASSINIBOINE
PARK.CA IS A GREAT SOURCE FOR
ALL INFORMATION, AND OUR MAIN
LINE, 926-7602, BUT THE WEBSITE
IS THE BEST SOURCE OF ALL THINGS HANG IN THE PARK.
>> MARGARET, THANKS FOR JOINING
US AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY
OUT THERE WATCHING US, TO STOP
BY AND VISIT YOUR PARK SOMETIME.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MY PLEASURE.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
>>> BREND DRA QUILE HER
ORIGINALLY STARTED WRITING SONGS
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL IN HER HOMETOWN OF FARGO.
CHOOSING THE OPEN ROAD OVER
COLLEGE, WEILER EXPENSE MUCH OF
HER NEXT EIGHT YEARS TOURING AND
WRITING AND RELEASING FIVE
ALBUMS TO CRITICAL ACCLAIM AND REGIONAL SUCCESS.
SHE'S BEEN KNOWN FOR HER SONGS,
COMPELLING VOICE, AND HER ABILITY TO CONNECT TO HER
AUDIENCE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.
>> THIS IS A SONG OFF OF MY
FIRST ALBUM, CALLED "TRICKLE DOWN."
.
THIS WAS THIS GIRL THAT I KNEW
STOOD ABOUT FIVE FOOT TWO SHE HAD A BODY THAT COULD
KNOCK 'EM DEAD AND SHE'D REAL THEM IN AND
CHANGE HER MIND AND REEL THEM BACK AGAIN
I KNEW THAT GIRL A LONG TIME AGO
AND SHE SITS YOU DOWN TO TAL
AROUND ALL THE THINGS SHE WANTED
YOU TO KNOW
SHE'D DOWN YOU WANT AND AROUD
YOU SO YOU COULDN'T LET HER GO
YOU COULDN'T LET HER GO AND BY THE WAY, SHE LISTEN A
I'D RAMBLE IN HER EAR AND I FOUND STRENGTH IN HER
REASON, OH, I FOUND MYSELF IN HER BEING
AND EVERYONE WILL LOOK, EVERYONE WILL JUDGE
DON'T LOOK AWAY, DON'T LET THEM SEE YOU
AND ALL THE GIRLS, DOWN YOU
UP, ROUND YOU, SO YOU CAN'T LET THEM GO
CAN'T LET THEM GO
NOW, BY THE WAY, AND SHE
LISTENED AS I'D RAMBLE IN HER EAR
AND I FOUND STRENGTH IN HER
REASON, OH, I FOUND MYSELF IN HER EAR
AND I WON'T LOOK AND I WON'T
JUDGE IF YOU DON'T BREAK, IF YOU DON'T BUDGE
AND THEY WILL TRICKLE DOWN
YOU, ROUND YOU, SO YOU CAN'T LET THEM GO
CAN'T LET THEM GO
CAN'T LET THEM GO
YOU CAN'T LET THEM GO LET THEM GO, LET THEM GO, LE
THEM GO, LET THEM GO
LET THEM GO, LET THEM GO, LE
THEM GO AND LET THEM GO LET THEM GO NO, NO, NO
LET THEM GO, LET THEM GO, LE THEM GO
NO, OH, YEAH
OH NO, YEAH
NO, NO, NO, NO YEAH >> MY NAME IS BRENDA WEILER, AND
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA.
YOU KNOW, I GREW UP HERE AND
WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, AND REALLY
BECAME INVOLVED WITH MUSIC FROM A FAIRLY YOUNG AGE.
MY -- BOTH MY PARENTS ARE VERY MUSIC CAL.
MY DAD WAS A DOCTORATE IN MUSIC
ANCHOR RAL PERFORMANCE AND MY
MOM AS SINGER, SO WE GREW UP
JUST SURROUNDED BY MUSIC.
I HAD SEVEN SIBLINGS AND WE ALL
PLAYED INSTRUMENTS, SOME OF US
MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTS, AND WE ALL SANG.
SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY GREW UP
SATURATED WITH MUSIC AND THE ARTS.
REALLY DIDN'T START ACTUALLY
PLAYING GUITAR UNTIL, I THINK,
MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I ENDED UP KIND OF FORMING A
BAND WITH MY BOYFRIEND AND OTHER
FRIENDS AND WE ENDED UP OPENING
FOR RICHIE HAVENS AT THE THEATER
AND IT WAS JUST SORT OF A WEIRD
WAY THAT IT HAPPENED, BUT THAT
REALLY KIND OF GAVE ME THE BUG,
I GUESS, OF PERFORMING.
I CAN'T REALLY -- I DEFINITELY
REMEMBER THAT MOMENT, SO IT WAS
PRETTY MONUMENTAL AT THAT AGE TO
BE ABLE TO PLAY TO A SOLD-OUT
CROWD AT THE THEATER AND BE ABLE
TO TALK TO RICHIE HAVENS AND
THAT WAS SORT OF A BIG DEAL.
I MOVED TO THE TWIN CITIES, STARTED RECORDING ALBUMS.
IT JUST SORT OF SNOWBALL PD, REALLY.
-- SNOWBALLED, REALLY.
IT WAS KIND OF A DREAM OF MINE,
BUT I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD
ACTUALLY HAPPEN IN THE SENSE
THAT I COULD MAKE A LIVING OFF
OF IT AND TRAVEL AND TOUR AND
RECORD.
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>> WELL, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE ON
"PRAIRIE PULSE" FOR THIS WEEK
AND AND ALWAYS, THANKS FOR
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