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Manitoba's First Wind Farm a Tourist Hotspot

July 24, 2006

Manitobans, Visitors Keen on Seeing Generation of Clean Energy Close up: Chomiak

Manitoba’s first-ever wind farm in St. Leon is not only good for the environment and the provincial economy, it’s also fast becoming a tourism hotspot, Energy, Science and Technology Minister Dave Chomiak and Culture, Heritage and Tourism Minister Eric Robinson said today.

“Manitoba’s wind tourism is our best-kept secret. Visitors are arriving by the busload to check out the giant wind turbines on the rolling prairie,” Chomiak said. The wind towers soar 80 metres into the air and boast blades longer than the wingspan of a 747 aircraft.

The 63 St. Leon wind turbines together generate 99 megawatts of electricity, enough power to serve approximately 35,000 homes or the total energy needs of Portage La Prairie and Morden combined.

“The steady stream of visitors to St. Leon demonstrates that people have taken a genuine interest in the generation of clean, renewable wind power,” Robinson said. “This is a real boost to tourism in Manitoba.”

Chomiak and Manitoba Hydro recently announced details of an invitation for expressions of interest in harvesting 1,000 megawatts of wind over the next decade.

The growing interest in the wind turbines has not gone unnoticed by the St. Leon community.

“When the weather is nice, we see cars driving around the wind farm on a daily basis,” said Jim Duff, manager at St. Leon for Algonquin Power, the company operating the turbines. “Tour buses bring people out here nearly every day during the summer months.”

“There’s been tremendous interest in seeing the wind farm first hand and the interest is growing,” said Paul Grenier, president of the round table (chamber of commerce) in the St. Leon area. “There are spinoff benefits to not only St. Leon, but the entire region. The economic benefit of wind generation in our community is significant.”

Robinson said visiting the wind farm at St. Leon is an ideal day trip for Manitoba families. The giant wind turbines are about a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Winnipeg.

The minister said he anticipates interest in visiting the site will continue to grow over the summer. The community is likely to realize a further jump in tourism-related spinoff benefits once the St. Leon Interpretive Centre officially opens its doors this fall, he said.

Winnipeggers planning to travel to St. Leon can drive south from the city on PTH 3 and turn west on PTH 23 to St. Leon. The rows of towering wind turbines can’t be missed.

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