'It's a dynamic space': The Leaf prepares to open its doors this holiday season
CTV
While temperatures in Winnipeg are firmly into the minus category, one new Assiniboine Park attraction is providing a tropical paradise to visit year-round.
While temperatures in Winnipeg are firmly into the minus category, one new Assiniboine Park attraction is providing a tropical paradise to visit year-round.
The Leaf is getting ready to open its doors this holiday season at Assiniboine Park. The horticultural attraction features four distinct biomes showcasing a wide variety of plant life from around the globe.
"There's trees here that have been brought in from far away," said Gerald Dieleman, Senior Director of Horticulture at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy.
"(With) 20-foot trees and palms being brought in to Winnipeg from the south, that’s what makes this space so unique and different," said Dieleman.
The Leaf replaces the old Assiniboine Park Conservatory building, which was demolished in 2018. The new building features a gift shop, coffee bar, restaurant, and rentable banquet and programming spaces.
Dieleman expects it to be a popular spot, especially in the winter months, "This is a unique space, a unique experience in Winnipeg," he said. "If we look beyond the walls here we see snow outside, and we're standing in a tropical space. That’s amazing, that's fantastic."
"For some people it’s a reminder of home, it’s a reminder of where they came from, for other people its sort of a hint at where they can go, a hint of another place," he said.
