Fort Richmond

Fort Richmond is a well-established community in South Winnipeg, and it houses the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry Campus. The area is an ideal living spot for professors and students alike, looking for a short commute to work or school. Most of the neighbourhood is conveniently located within a 15-20 minute walk from the university, while areas slightly further away enjoy reliable access to the University via the City of Winnipeg’s bus transit system.

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

The area was primarily developed in the 1960s and 1970s. Nearly two-thirds of the homes are single-family units, with the remaining third comprising multi-family options and rental properties. As you walk through the neighbourhood, you'll notice that many of the initial homes built during the early stages of development are bi-levels, two-storeys, split-levels and bungalows. Meanwhile, some of the newer dwellings on infill lots are typically two-story or bi-level floor plans.

SCHOOLS AND SERVICES

Fort Richmond is served by the Pembina Trails School Division. Children living on the north side of the neighbourhood attend Dalhousie School, a Kindergarten through Grade Six English elementary school, while those on the south side go to Prairie Sunrise School. For specific school eligibility, please visit the School Division Website. Acadia Junior High School, catering to Grades Seven to Nine, serves the entire Fort Richmond area, with students progressing to Fort Richmond Collegiate for their high school years.

French Immersion programming for Kindergarten through Grade Six is available at École St. Avila. Middle years can be completed at École Viscount Alexander, with high school at Institut Collégial Vincent Massey Collegiate.

Additionally, St. John's-Ravenscourt School, a private institution offering Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, is conveniently located near Fort Richmond, with many families benefiting from the private bussing services included in the school’s tuition.

Fort Richmond is also appealing for students seeking accommodation near the University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus which is in the northern part of the community and is within walking distance for many residents. Moreover, the neighbourhood is less than a 30-minute commute to the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT), Canadian Mennonite University, University of Winnipeg, and Université de Saint-Boniface, with MITT being the closest.

HOSPITAL

Victoria General Hospital is conveniently located within Fort Richmond along Pembina Highway, just a 5 to 10-minute drive from most areas of the community.

SHOPPING

Fort Richmond is primarily a residential area; however, along Pembina Highway, you will find several large retailers and multiple strip malls. Fort Richmond Plaza features Sobeys along with a variety of restaurants and services. Richmond West Plaza includes Gill’s Supermarket, Manitoba Liquor Mart, and other amenities. Just a short distance away in the neighbouring Fairfield Park on Bison Drive, you can find the Real Canadian Superstore.

Continuing south on Pembina Highway, you will reach the Red River Co-op Food Store and Le Marché St. Norbert Farmers’ Market. This market is open Saturdays year-round and also on Wednesdays during the summer months, offering fresh local vegetables, fruits, and other locally made products.

A short drive north takes you to Pembina Village Shopping Centre, which houses Safeway, Giant Tiger, Winners, JYSK, and more. Nearby Pembina Crossing features retailers such as Staples, Toys “R” Us, Best Buy, and Save on Foods.

Looking for even more variety? A 15-minute commute east will take you to St. Vital Centre, while a drive west provides access to Kenaston Shopping area and Bridgwater Centre, featuring a wide selection of stores including Walmart, Safeway, Save on Foods, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Costco, Marshalls, HomeSense, RONA, and much more.

ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION

Fort Richmond is home to one of the most impressive parks in the city. The aptly named King's Park, nestled in the bend of the RedRiver, spans over 40 hectares. Within this expansive green space, you'll find a lake with a man-made waterfall, a rock garden, the Carol Shield’s Memorial Labyrinth, a Chinese Pagoda, and bridges that offer perfect views of birds, waterfowl, and turtles during the summer. The park also boasts athletic fields for soccer and baseball, picnic sites with shelters and BBQ pits, a large off-leash dog park, and a toboggan run in winter.

Dalhousie Park, though smaller, still offers a variety of activities. It features the Justin Einarson Memorial Skateboard Park, athletic fields for baseball, soccer, and track and field, a picnic shelter, and a playground. Alex Bridge Park includes a baseball diamond, soccer fields, pickleball and tennis courts, a community garden, and ample green space around a pond. This park also houses the Margaret Grant Pool, Fort Garry’s first indoor pool.

Several smaller parks are scattered throughout the community, each with unique elements ranging from play structures to open green spaces.

The community facilities in Fort Richmond are operated by the South Winnipeg Community Centre, which manages two indoor locations: the Richmond Clubhouse and the Ryerson Clubhouse, along with several athletic fields in the aforementioned parks. The Richmond Clubhouse features a large banquet room, a smaller hall for dance, Pilates, karate, and Zumba, two baseball diamonds, an outdoor hockey rink, a batting cage, and a playground. The Ryerson Clubhouse offers two softball diamonds, three soccer fields, an outdoor hockey rink, and a playground.

Opened in 2008 on the University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus, the Winnipeg Soccer Federation South stands almost five stories high and is one of the largest clear-span structures in North America. It includes a grass turf field configurable as a large, half, or quarter field with curtains, large dressing rooms, an upper concourse area, and a lounge.

Although Maple Grove Park and Fort Richmond are separated by the Red River, a quick 10-minute drive on the Perimeter Highway brings you to this vibrant park. Here, you can catch games of ultimate frisbee, rugby, or football. The park hosts the St. Vital Mustangs Football Club, Maple Grove Rugby Park, and the Manitoba Organization of Disc Sports (MODS). IJL Ultimate Park, a premier ultimate facility, features 11 athletic fields for disc sports and two open-air structures for spectators. Maple Grove Rugby Park and Sports Plex, one of Manitoba’s leading multi-sport facilities, boasts 5 international-sized rugby pitches, 8 regulation sand volleyball courts, and a fully licensed clubhouse available for weddings and private events. MODS annually rents fields from the Rugby Park for league play and special events like the Middle School and High School Provincial Championships, Beat the Skeeters, and the Manitoba Cup. St. Vital Mustangs Football Club includes a traditional field, a state-of-the-art artificial turf game field, and a hall. Maple Grove Off-Leash Dog Park, one of Winnipeg’s largest, spans 12.92 hectares and features trails, large open fields, forests, and riverside areas, including a fenced area for puppies and small dogs.

Looking to get in shape? Planet Fitness is conveniently located in Richmond West Plaza, while only 10 minutes away in Bridgwater, Altea Active spans over 80,000 square feet and is quite the experience. This family-friendly fitness complex includes a variety of cardio and conditioning equipment, saltwater pools, and a skating lab, offering an assortment of trainings and therapies. We highly recommend a membership, especially if you’ve encountered difficulties securing swimming lessons for your children. While registration remains competitive, it is less so than with the City of Winnipeg, and the lessons \here are exceptional.

Are you a Winnipeg Blue Bombers fan? Fort Richmond is an ideal place to live, being within walking distance from Princess Auto Stadium (formerly IG Field), home to the professional CFL team and Valour FC, a professional soccer team. Opened in 2013, this multi-purpose stadium can accommodate up to 33,000 fans, making it the third-largest in Canada. It also hosts concerts, festivals, and other events.