St. Norbert, Winnipeg 4.3

St. Norbert is a bilingual (French and English) neighbourhood in the southernmost part of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. While outside the Perimeter Highway, (the beltway that surrounds most of Winnipeg), it is still part of the city. The population is just over 5,000. Each summer, the community is home to the St. Norbert Farmers' Market, drawing large crowds from Winnipeg and the surrounding area. Other attractions include the St. Norbert Provincial Heritage Park, and the St. Norbert Arts and Cultural Centre. St. Norbert is the closest community to the Red River Floodway gates.St. Norbert is also the name of a much bigger city ward in Winnipeg, which includes much of the Fort Garry South neighbourhood cluster and a small part of St. Vital. It is represented by a member of Winnipeg City Council.HistoryThe original inhabitants of what is now St. Norbert were First Nations peoples, including the Assiniboine, the Cree and the Ojibwa, who were drawn to this region because of its hunting and fishing opportunities. The community bordered on two rivers - the Red and LaSalle - and a bison trail ran from the south bank of the La Salle River to bison hunting grounds nearly 50 kilometres away.St. Norbert’s prime location along major trade and transportation routes proved advantageous. With the arrival of the French, the Scots, and other Europeans, and with the growth of the Métis population, St. Norbert developed into a permanent community. The Pembina Trail (now Pembina Highway) passed through St. Norbert as it routed travellers from Upper Fort Garry (present day downtown Winnipeg, and the primary southern outpost of the Hudson’s Bay Company) to St. Paul, Minnesota – the nearest railhead.