Take a look inside FortWhyte Alive’s new visitor centre

Take a look at FortWhyte Alive’s brand-new Buffalo Crossing visitor centre.

Nature lovers can now experience FortWhyte Alive’s brand-new visitor centre, and can even catch a ride there thanks to a new service from Winnipeg Transit.

On Wednesday, FortWhyte Alive hosted the grand opening of its Buffalo Crossing visitor centre and revealed its official name as the Paul Albrechtsen Visitor Centre.

CTV News was at the new centre on Wednesday and is giving you a look inside.

“After many years in the making, we’re proud to open this beautiful new space and share it with the community for the very first time,” Liz Wilson, president and CEO of FortWhyte Alive, said in a news release.

Read more: FortWhyte Alive ready to unveil new visitor centre

As a part of the grand opening, Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham announced the city is providing public transportation directly to the new centre.

“FortWhyte Alive’s mission has been to encourage actions leading to sustainable living,” Gillingham said in a news release. “There’s no better way to support this than by providing public transportation directly to their zero-carbon Buffalo Crossing centre.”

As of Wednesday, Winnipeg Transit will be offering stops at FortWhyte Alive’s new southern gateway.

Work on the centre has been underway since October 2022. A custom floor design inspired by a star blanket was included inside the space, along with a permanent display of a star blanket crafted by artist Cheryl Wirch.

The new space includes a visitor reception area, the new Nature Nook store, and a small coffee service. However, FortWhyte Alive says most of the space will be used for school and youth programming.

FortWhyte Alive is celebrating the new centre during Earth Week by offering free admission until April 27.