The community has been waiting since June 2025 for more information regarding the park. Here is the newest update from councillor Jeff Browatyz
Update on Kilcona Park
There’s been some misinformation (and lack of information!) about plans to upgrade and improve amenities throughout Kilcona Park, with significant work scheduled to start this winter.
I apologize this isn’t an official communication from the City and that it’s taken longer than normal for me to respond. Final work plans are still being completed, so I’ll do my best to interpret what I’ve been able to piece together.
The first work, which will start this winter, includes the preparation of tenders for the removal and demolition of some of the original Harbourview buildings that are damaged beyond repair due to flooding. Work could also start this winter. There is some hope that some of the large, impressive beams can be salvaged and used in new structures throughout the park.
In 2014 the City published the Kilcona Park Strategic Renewal and Action Plan which was produced from community input from approximately 75 stakeholder groups, neighbours, resident associations, and potential user groups. Two Open House events were held.
That document is here: [https://legacy.winnipeg.ca/ppd/Documents/CityPlanning/Parks/12-093-Kilcona-Park-FINAL-REPORT.pdf](https://legacy.winnipeg.ca/ppd/Documents/CityPlanning/Parks/12-093-Kilcona-Park-FINAL-REPORT.pdf
It’s taken some time, but funding is finally coming together to make some material investments at Kilcona, Winnipeg’s largest single park (when you exclude the Assiniboine Forest from Assiniboine Park) and, in my opinion, the quadrant park with the biggest challenges and biggest opportunity. While current funds are not going to fund the entire Renewal and Action Plan, it will make a real start.
In terms of the off-leash dog park area, one of the adopted principles was that the total area of the off-leash park would not be reduced. That remains my long-term commitment, even if a small temporary reduction will occur.
In 2026 we’re planning to add some great amenities to the off-leash park. These include accessible pathways up the landfill (an easier grade to get up and down), extensive addition of mulch in muddy areas, particularly paths and near the parking lot that make the park less muddy during wet periods, shade and wind shelters, improved signage, benches, waste receptacles, and tree plantings for shade and habitat.
In 2026 the furthest northern area of the off-leash park will first be fenced off to separate the new northern boundary of the off-leash dog park area to allow the safe construction of a new accessible road/bike/walkway and the opportunity to in the future add picnic sites along the northern edge of the park. There will be access to enter the off-leash park at different gates along the road and it will also improve the ability for emergency services to respond to medical emergencies.
While the City of Winnipeg doesn’t officially encourage, support or endorse walking on the lakes, even when frozen in winter, I appreciate that they provide significant shelter from winter winds. While the north lake will be outside of the off-leash area, I don’t think most people will take issue if you’re walking your dogs there, off-leash in the winter if you can keep them away from the roadway.
One of the complaints about the overall park, was having to access Harbourview from Springfield Road—an industrial higher speed road with no sidewalks and significant heavy truck traffic. Despite the great usage of the off-leash dog park, the park is huge and so much of the park is currently under-utilized. As a child I remember going to the park and enjoying the pedal boats, mini golf and restaurant. While pedal boats and a restaurant aren’t currently part of the park’s future plans, athletic fields, various types of racquet courts and several of the amenities from the master plan will become much more possible when the park is opened with a roadway/AT path/walkway through the park’s massive 407 acres.
In 2026-2027 plans are to complete designs of new docks, picnic shelters, fencing around the maintenance yard and design of a four-season pavilion.
The master plan and newer work plans all show a new off-leash dog area in a nicely treed area closer to Springfield Road across a new bridge from the current large, flat off-leash area south of the landfill hill. While this bridge isn’t currently funded, it is personally a high priority for me to get completed in the next 5 years and is consistent with all plans. This will ensure that there isn’t a net loss to the size of the dog park and will add some very nice, different terrain to the park. In the summer, it will provide some much needed shade!
Kilcona Park is a much-loved quadrant park serving all northeast Winnipeg and beyond, but it has a lot more potential. My wife and I (and our dog!) love the Kilcona off-leash dog park and the community of people and dogs that use the park year-round. I commit to you that the off-leash park won’t be forgotten as we open the park to more users and that it will remain our city’s premier off-leash dog park.
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