Suspected lightning strike damages Winnipeg totem pole

An overnight lightning strike has damaged a totem pole on display at Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg.

A prominent attraction in a Winnipeg park was damaged during a storm Wednesday night.

The Residential School Totem Pole, which is on display near The Leaf, was damaged due to a suspected lightning strike, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy said Thursday.

“We notified the Southern Chiefs’ Organization earlier this morning and are working with them to coordinate an assessment of the damage and structural integrity of the Totem Pole,” a spokesperson from the conservancy said in a statement. “As a safety precaution, access to the surrounding area is currently restricted.”

The totem pole was created by Kwakiutl artist Charles Joseph and tells his story of being taken away from his family and forced into the residential school system. It stood 21 metres tall, and has been at the park since 2022.

- With files from Dan Vadeboncoeur