Time: 10:00 AM.
Start location: John Bruce Bridge at end of John Bruce Road West in South St Vital. Free car parking is available in a parking circle next the bridge and on the nearby street.
End Location: Riel House National Historic Site on River Road. Participants who parked their car at John Bruce Bridge will be lead back there.
Duration: 1½ to 2 hours for the tour. 25 minutes to ride back to the starting point.
Description:
The driving force behind Manitoba joining Confederation in 1870 as Canada’s fifth province, Louis Riel is a giant in Manitoba history, its best known political figure, and one of the most controversial people in Canadian history.
When people think about Riel’s connection to Manitoba, the first place one thinks about is St Boniface where he was born and is buried, or perhaps Upper Fort Garry in Winnipeg where many of the key events of the Red River Resistance that Riel lead in 1869-1870, took place.
Few people think of St Vital, with the possible exception of the Riel House National Historic Site.
Yet the reality is that St Vital has many connections to Louis Riel. On this bike tour, you will visit 12 of these. You will discover how St Vital played an important role in Riel’s life, and how the community has embraced him as their favourite son and the Riel family as their favourite family.
You will visit:
• where Riel lived with his family for much of his youth,
• where the Riel family river lot was located,
• where his father and uncle operated a carding and grist mill on the Seine River,
• where Riel lived while he was leading the Red River Resistence,
• where the Riel’s body was returned to after he was hanged in Regina in 1885 and he lay in state for two days with hundreds of people coming by to pay their respects, and
• public buildings, streets, parks, housing developments, and monuments named for or dedicated to Louis Riel, his father, and his mother.
As well:
• learn about the system of long narrow river lots that Red River Metis families used and occupied in the 1800s,
• find out about the 4 homes in South St Vital that the Riel family lived in, including the national historic site that was their last home,
• see how St Vital Centre is located right in the middle of what was once the Riel family river lot property,
• learn about Riel’s parents, Louis Sr and Julie Lagemodiere, and how they influenced his aspirations, beliefs, and commitment to the Metis people, French language, and Catholic religion, and
• find out about the three coffins that held Riel’s body before he was buried.
Your tour guide: Denis DePape
• has led four different bike tours that he created for Bike Winnipeg in the past, including this tour.
• is a former Bike Winnipeg board member and a long-time Save Our Seine board member.
• is a local history buff and has a particular interest in early Manitoba history.
Bike marshals: There will be 3 bike marshals to help participants safely cross major roadways as one group of 15.
Requirements:
• Ensure your bicycle is in good mechanical condition.
• You should be a confident bike rider. You will be travelling on some slow traffic streets.
• The entire route is flat ... no hills.
Rain: If it is raining heavily, the tour will be cancelled. If it is raining lightly, the tour will go ahead.
Lunch: Nothing formal, but you may want to plan to eat lunch with other participants, either at a nearby restaurant or bring a bagged lunch to eat outdoors.
Bring: Your name tag.
