The Millennium Library Park in downtown Winnipeg officially re-opened to the public on Friday July 20, 2012.   In this multi-year redevelopment project of one of Winnipeg's most loved but aging urban destinations, HTFC worked closely with the City of Winnipeg and The Library Foundation and the Downtown Biz.  HTFC led a comprehensive public consultation process leading to a master plan that focuses opening the park up to the street, keeping the park green, demonstrating sustainable practices, encouraging literacy, integrating new technologies and incorporating a juried public art program.

Key elements include a multipurpose central space with stage and skating rink, a shady grove and waterwall, public art pieces, an urban wetland and public lawn, a children's reading area and three new entrances. Millennium Library Park is already garnering much acclaim as a community hub, an urban oasis, and entertainment venue.  

Everyone is invited to join more opening celebrations on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 when the  

Millennium Library Park,  the Winnipeg Arts Council, DowntownBiz and the Library Foundation will host a party filled with free entertainment all night long, food and drink, as well as tours of the park and the two new public art pieces. 

The 39th Winnipeg Folk Festival was, quite literally, a scorching success! Many HTFC staff returned to the office thoroughly exhausted from a weekend of music, fun, great food, and prairie sunshine.

The Winnipeg Folk Festival, in partnership with HTFC, Milestone Project Management, Syverson Monteyne Architecture, KGS Engineering, and Wolfrom Engineering Ltd, unveiled their new site plan at this year's festival. The plan illustrates various improvements and upgrades to the site, such as new vendor booths, the creation of a Festival Village, and the much-anticipated addition of two new forest venues.

Congratulations to the Winnipeg Folk Festival on yet another fantastic festival weekend and on raising $4.3 million to date for the site improvements.  Learn more about the Winnipeg Folk Festival's 'Staging the Future'.

If you have young ones who need to cool off this summer and you're looking for some new family-fun outdoor play, the Variety Heritage Adventure Park located at the Forks National Historic Site is sure to become a fast favourite. On June 27, 2012, Parks Canada and Variety the Children's Charity of Manitoba officially opened the 35,500 square foot park, adjacent to the Manitoba Children's Museum.  The Variety Heritage Adventure Park presents Winnipeg's history and geography through physically challenging, socially interactive and imaginative play elements.

HTFC served as design lead with fellow design build team members J&D Penner (construction management) and Crozier Agencies (play equipment) to create a year-round playground that literally brings Manitoba history to pop-up style life. With distinct railway, fort, settler, river, First Nations and Francophone zones, special features of the park include a York boat, train, bastion, Red River cart, sculptures, fort climbing wall, mini performance stage, musical play elements, toboggan hill, little tykes skating rink and family picnic areas.

Recently reviewed by CBC Information Radio's 'test family', the Variety Heritage Adventure Park received a resounding 9 out of 10 for an exhilarating, free, summer experience.  The park is easy to navigate, inclusive and universally accessible. See you at the Park! 

Heading out to the lake?  Be sure to plan a visit to the Northern Ontario Sportfishing Centre located in Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls. This stunning new building overlooking beautiful Lake of the Woods officially opened its doors on June 21, 2012. Designed by David Nelson, of Nelson Architecture Inc., the 4600 square foot facility blends tourism services with cultural and natural history through multimedia displays, documentaries, stories and exhibits on sport fishing, the lure of the lake, and of course, some great fish tales! 

HTFC played a lead role in the design of the building's interpretive elements, interactive displays and programming by collaborating with a multi-disciplinary creative team consisting of a local author, composer, multi-media artists and muralists to capture the essence of sportfishing through the eyes of professional guides, resort owners and historians. There is a little something for everyone to enjoy at the Northern Ontario Sportfishing Centre from vintage boat, equipment and motor displays, to models, maps and computer tablets featuring insider tips by the local experts on how to catch 'the big one'. And be sure to whet your whistle at the Muskie drinking fountain!