CanWest Global Park
Downtown on the river, near the Forks and Portage & Main
From the South (and avoiding downtown)
- Pembina Highway 42 to Rt. 155
- Left to Rt. 90
- Right to Ness Avenue
- Turn Right on to St. James St.
- Turn Left to Stadium (after passing by Polo Park Mall and Winnipeg Arena)
NOTE: If headed downtown (east)
you may not get a northbound chance on the east side (no traffic light) and have to make an awkward U-turn.
From Downtown
- Take Portage Ave west
- Turn Right on to St. James St.
- Turn Left to Stadium (after passing by Polo Park Mall and Winnipeg Arena)
Where is it on the map?
My atlas didn't show a thing for it despite it being a large complex, complete with a hockey rink also used for concerts. Nor did it show the Polo Park shopping mall.
So where is it? It is east of the airport. It's between Rt. 90 (the quick way out of town) and Empress which is the only north/south street marked.
What landmarks should I look for?
Ultimately you looked for the Blue Bombers' Football stadium. Having won the championship in '94 locals may know the Goldeyes played there when the Bombers are not in town (the CFL is a summer league). Unfortunately this large, easy to recognize building isn't really visible from where you are (initially) driving.
The stadium was across the street from the home of the Manitoba Moose (formerly the Minnesota Moose) hockey team. But you won't see this large building when you're driving on Portage either.
Next to the hockey rink is Polo Park Shopping Mall. The mall is what you'll see driving on Portage. These three (mall, rink, and stadium) are huge multiple block complexes running north from Portage. Regardless of which side of the mall you are (east or west) go north. There is a sea of asphalt all around each of these which ends at the football stadium. Once north of the mall, the rink and stadium are easier to see.
Parking
C$5 but grossly ample
The official parking, which was the most convenient and costly (C$5) was near the entrance at the northwest corner of the football stadium. Ropes kept you a safe distance from foul balls. Even with a sell-out Garth Brooks crowd (over at the ice arena) there was room for a good crowd.
If you were up for a walk, you could park by the mall and stroll over to the entrance (at the far end) with the locals.
Tailgating
None
Some things never change. It has a huge parking lot but there was no tailgating (allowed).
