Designed by Public City Architecture, Where there are no hills, you build them. This is not a half pipe, not a ski jump, and it is not a luge course. This is ?Manitobogganing?: a toboggan slide in the woods with two super-fast icy chutes at the bottom. In a northern city with long winters, short days, and little topography, the investment in accessible seasonal play in the public realm is becoming serious business. This is fun, low cost, free infrastructure in a city park and it?s designed for thrill-seekers of all ages and all abilities.
Photography: Stationpoint Photographic
MANITOBOGGAN at St. Vital Park is Winnipeg?s first universally-accessible toboggan slide structure. It represents the City?s commitment to barrier-free, social infrastructure. The project includes two toboggan slides, a lookout tower, a warming hut that doubles as a picnic shelter and a ramp that meanders through an existing forest canopy to a wheelchair-accessible toboggan launch and viewing deck.
The slide is not designed for a wheelchair, but there is room to easily transfer to a toboggan on the launch. And, the ramp allows tobogganers to be pulled up to the top of the slides instead of taking the stairs. Billy Bridges, two- time Paralympic medalist in sled-hockey, was one of the first visitors to use the Slide and he told us, ?I haven?t been able to toboggan so many times in a row since I was six-years-old. This thing changes my thinking about outdoor winter activities with my daughter.?
Photogra...