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Please use these links to access printable day-by-day itineraries.
Thursday
Thursday is arrival day, especially for the members of the National Council, who have meetings to attend to on the following day. Dinosaur lovers have a treat however, as today we offer a tour to the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden, Manitoba and the opportunity to dig for fossils for up to 14 lucky souls. Manitoba is actually a fossil haven, and the Discovery Centre harbours the largest display of Cretaceous-era marine reptile fossils in Canada. For those who can’t make the trip, pay a visit to the Wallace Building on campus to check out the display there, including the largest trilobite ever found. See our tours page for more detail.
In the evening, we’ll host the Council BBQ at the Centre’s Glenlea observatory (floods and weather permitting), or at a member’s house.
Friday
Friday is a working day for the National Council Reps, with an all-day meeting in the Engineering Building. At the end of the business meetings, we'll have a "Special Session on Green Laser Pointers with Transport Canada" open to all interested parties. For those with time of their hands, we offer two tours: a trip on the Prairie Dog Central steam train, or a visit to the award-winning Assiniboine Park and Zoo. Assiniboine Park is the city’s largest green space, and hosts the Conservatory, numerous playing fields, the Pavilion Gallery Museum, the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden, many flower gardens, and a memorial to Winnie the Pooh (who, of course, was named for Winnipeg). The Zoo hosts over 400 species of animals, specializing in cold-tolerating or high-altitude species, though not without its share of lions, tigers, and monkeys.
Prairie Dog Central Railway is a moving museum with 100-year station and a steam locomotive built in 1882. This tour will operate from north Winnipeg to Grosse Isle, in coaches built in the early 1900s. See our tour page for more details.
In the afternoon, buses will be available to take RASC members and their families to The Forks – the historic centre of Winnipeg where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers come together. Dinner is on your own, but the get-to-know-you-and-meet-old-friends Wine & Cheese party will take place in the evening in the nearby Manitoba Museum. The Museum is renowned as one of Winnipeg’s treasures, with a full-scale replica of the Hudson Bay Company’s Nonsuch and fascinating displays and galleries that show off the history of Manitoba. The Museum will be open to RASC members during the Wine & Cheese festivities.
Saturday Saturday, it’s down to business. This is the day reserved for the science and technology part of the General Assembly. A full day of invited speakers and paper presentations is planned, culminating in the Ruth Northcott Lecture in the evening. Join us for dinner at the National BBQ on campus, and then return to the Engineering Building for the Northcott Lecture.
Sunday
Sunday features the General Assembly – the raison d'être of this meeting of the Society, where RASC business is presented to the general membership. After lunch, the National Reps will gather again for a final Council meeting, but the rest of us can tour the old Hudson Bay Company fort at Lower Fort Garry, or wander about Winnipeg to see some of the sights we’ve missed – perhaps the Mint or Fort Whyte Nature park. Of course we can’t forget the traditions: the Pyramid, the East-versus-West sporting event, and the formal GA photo. In the evening, we’ll host the National Banquet with invited speakers, awards, and a celebration of the Winnipeg Centre’s 100th birthday.
Monday On Monday, we say farewell, but if you feel like staying a few more days, we can arrange some sightseeing around the city and surroundings with our members. If demand is great enough, we’ll arrange another tour to the Fossil Discovery Centre.
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