Winnipeg, MB - At an event this morning, City Councillor Brian Mayes (St. Vital) officially renamed Harry Paul Park at the south west corner of Fermor Avenue and St Mary’s Road to “Florence Pierce Park” in honour of a former St. Vital councillor.
“Florence Pierce is a remarkable figure in St. Vital history. She was first woman to be elected to St. Vital Council, and was eventually elected at three levels of municipal government,” said Councillor Mayes. “I’m thrilled to have found a way to honour Councillor Pierce and tell her story. St Vital now has a tradition of strong female politicians; in fact, St. Vital's "Seine River" is the only provincial riding that has only been represented by women.”
Formerly called Harry Paul Park, the City’s Standing Policy Committee on Protection, Community Services and Parks voted to rename the park after Florence Pierce, as the late Harry Paul, former mayor of the City of St. Vital, had already been commemorated by H.S. Paul School and the adjacent H.S. Paul Park.
Florence Pierce Park services the nearby St. Vital Library and Glenlawn Collegiate, and is a notable piece of green space at the well-travelled intersection at Fermor Avenue and St. Mary’s Road.
About Florence Pierce
In 1958, Pierce became the first woman to be elected to St. Vital Council. She served as Councillor in the governments of the Rural Municipality of St. Vital, City of St. Vital, and newly unified City of Winnipeg. Over a nineteen-year period, Pierce acted as a voice for her constituents and worked to advance the interests of St. Vital during a major turning point in its history. She retired from politics in 1977. An educator as well as a politician, Pierce taught in rural areas and various schools in Winnipeg. She passed away on March 5, 2007.
For more information, please visit the City of Winnipeg Archives’ free display at the St. Vital Library, 6 Fermor Avenue.