Richardsons give $5M to Assiniboine Park

Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park has received a $5 million gift from the Richardson Foundation, the single largest gift in the park's history.

The donation is earmarked for the interactive Journey to Churchill exhibit, announced earlier this year. The province has said the exhibit will be a world-class attraction for the park which is being developed as part of a massive $200-million redevelopment of the park, lead by the Assiniboine Park Conservancy.

Journey to Churchill, along with one of its major components, the International Polar Bear Conservation Centre, is part of a $31-million commitment made by the province last year.

Scheduled to open in October 2013,the exhibit will includea Polar Bear Conservation Centre for academic research on the Arctic environment and polar bear conservation, public education programs, and a polar bear rescue and relocation network for orphaned or injured animals.

The $25-million exhibit willalso include underwater and above-ground viewing opportunities, with polar bears and seals separated by a plastic wall.

Once complete, Journey to Churchill will feature a variety of spectacular elements, including an aurora borealis 360-degree theatre; motorized polar bear tundra tours; the rooftop Tundra Garden; an underwater viewing area; and a new restaurant, gift shop and children's play area.