The Forks was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1974 due to its status as a cultural landscape that had borne witness to six thousand years of human activity.

[2] Numerous archaeological digs have shown that early Indigenous groups arrived at The Forks site around 6,000 years ago.

Evidence showed that Nakoda (Assiniboins), Cree, Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) and Sioux (Dakota) visited the site.

[3] Seasonal migration routes from northern forests to southern plains featured the Forks area as a rest stop, and the location became a key transcontinental trade link.

[3] Across the Prairies, the Canadian government began actively promoting immigration, settlement, and railway development in the late 1800s.

[3] Beginning as two adjacent stables for competing rail companies (Grand Trunk Pacific and Great Northern), the horse stalls were joined by a courtyard and bridges, and became what is now known as The Forks Market.

The market also comprises two storeys of vendors selling everything from fresh fruit, bread, meat, and wine to cigars and aromatherapy products to crafts and artworks from 300 local and Canadian artisans.

[7] In mid-2016, the Forks completed a $2.5-million renovation of the food hall into a feature called The Common, including a new beer and wine kiosk.

[13][12] After a substantial addition in 1930, the warehouse was at the time one of the largest in Winnipeg, containing over 9,300 square metres (100,000 sq ft) of usable space.

[14] The building is now a municipally-designated historic site, and is now home to a variety of specialty boutiques, stores, offices, and restaurants.

[15] The basement of the building hosts the Johnston Terminal Antique Mall, which has more than 30 consigners and 7,000 square feet (650 m2) of new merchandise brought in daily.

[19] The museum is now housed in the former Kinsmen Building, which is the oldest surviving train repair facility in Manitoba, having been built in 1889.

[24] MTYP offers free acting, performing and film training classes to Winnipeg's Indigenous youth between the ages of 12 and 18.

[27] It has 117 guest rooms and suites, meeting and reception space for up to 200 people, fitness facilities, and features the restaurant Smith and Riverstone Spa.

The 7.8-kilometre long rink on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, Ontario had lost its World Record title which it had held since 1971.

The Rideau Canal still held the record for the "world's largest naturally frozen ice rink" by the Guinness Book of World Records because "its entire length receives daily maintenance such as sweeping, ice thickness checks and there are toilet and recreational facilities along its entire length".

[33][34] In 2013, the Assiniboine Credit Union River Trail lost its record to the Lake Windermere Whiteway at Invermere, British Columbia.

[35] The length of the skating trail at The Forks changes each year, depending on river and ice conditions, although a concerted effort is made to make it as long as possible.

Started in 2010, the first iteration of the competition saw five local architects building outdoor structures to protect people from winter weather.

[65] In 2012, the signature events at the stage included Winnipeg's Pride Parade festival, Aboriginal Day Live hosted by APTN, and the Folklorama Kick-Off.

[66] In the summer of 2004, a new pathway opened through Festival Park, connecting the Esplanade Riel pedestrian bridge with Union Station on Main Street.

[67] During times of flooding Winnipeg Waterways employs a movable ramp and floating dock system that allows it to operate in high water conditions.

Built in 1888, the rail bridge was abandoned and eventually converted into a lighted crossing for pedestrians, cyclists and skaters.

The 30-foot wide and 20-foot tall mural pays tribute to Cree artist Jackson Beardy as well as the other members of the Indian Group of Seven.

[69] Oodena Celebration Circle is a natural shallow amphitheatre located between Johnston's Terminal, the Manitoba Children's Museum, and the Red River Riverwalk.

[72] The 3 metres (9.8 ft) excavation for the site unearthed what is referred to by local archaeologists as "the archaic horizon", a 3,000-year-old layer of soil rich in artifacts.

(Hilderman Thomas Frank Cramm – Oodena Celebration Circle)[70] The site has been used as a meeting grounds for such varied events as "No Stone Unturned", a free concert in honour of Manitoba's missing and murdered women,[74] as well as the 2011 opening night location for THIN AIR, the Winnipeg International Writers Festival[75] and as the meeting location for Winnipeg's Zombie Walk 2012.

It was developed in 1999 in partnership with Nature Conservancy of Canada as a demonstration garden, in anticipation of it being a showcase for visitors at the 1999 Pan Am Games.

[31] In 2006, the park was visited by professional skateboarder Tony Hawk to shoot scenes for his movie release Secret Skatepark Tour 3.