First pick
Assiniboine Park
Park or garden
159 ha28.9 km of path
6 h 25 minto walk all 28.9 km of path
1.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Terry Fox Trail
Directionsto a point inside
1.1%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Varsity View · parks, protected land & trails
Assiniboine Forest reaches Varsity View
Within 5 km lie 37 beaches, unnamed on the map. The nearest provincial park, Beaudry Provincial Park, is 13 km away. For walks, the Sturgeon Creek Greenway Trail runs within 2 km.
Protected land
1.1%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
19
within 10 km, 19 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest provincial park
13 km
Beaudry Provincial Park
Walking routes
1
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
37
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Against other towns
How Varsity View compares with other Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. Outdoors isn’t one of Canada’s graded subjects, so there’s no letter here: each figure is set against other Canadian towns instead.
Protected within 10 km1.1%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town0%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas19Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes1Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches37Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Varsity View has the 14th least protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (2,941 to 3,030 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Varsity View1.1%
Towns its size2.8%
Towns in Manitoba1.1%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Varsity View19
Towns its size4
Towns in Manitoba12
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Varsity View1
Towns its size0
Towns in Manitoba0
Typical Canadian town0
Against towns its size, Varsity View does best for public protected areas: 3 of the other 39 have more. For protected land nearby, though, 25 of 39 are ahead.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cocagne NB | 39% | 4.3% | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | Electoral Area C, Strathcona BC | 12% | 8.1% | 61 | 0 | 170 |
| 3 | Elkford BC | 12% | 16% | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Wawa ON | 11% | 5.1% | 4 | 1 | 38 |
| 5 | Vanscoy No. 345 SK | 11% | 4.2% | 25 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Saint-Marc-des-Carrières QC | 10% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | McDougall ON | 10% | 4.1% | 16 | 0 | 9 |
| 8 | Lac-des-Écorces QC | 8.8% | 4.5% | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Saint-Roch-de-Richelieu QC | 8.6% | 0.1% | 29 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Riverside Park South - Revelstoke ON | 8.3% | 6.2% | 33 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Gilkson ON | 7.1% | 0% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Carpenter ON | 7% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Dégelis QC | 6.5% | 5.4% | 23 | 3 | 1 |
| 14 | Buchanan ON | 6.3% | 0% | 22 | 1 | 3 |
| 15 | Saint-Anaclet-de-Lessard QC | 4.9% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Bainbridge BC | 4% | 0% | 23 | 3 | 26 |
| 17 | North Shore PE | 3.6% | 7.3% | 19 | 11 | 18 |
| 18 | Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil QC | 3.6% | 0.1% | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Dewdney Place SK | 3.1% | 90% | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | Huntingdon QC | 3% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Granville AB | 2.5% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Lesser Slave River No. 124 AB | 2.4% | 2.2% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Holliston SK | 1.8% | 0% | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 24 | Albany AB | 1.6% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Trillium ON | 1.4% | 0% | 18 | 1 | 5 |
| 26 | East Garafraxa ON | 1.1% | 0.6% | 16 | 4 | 0 |
| 27 | Varsity View MB | 1.1% | 0% | 19 | 1 | 37 |
| 28 | Hillcrest Management Area SK | 0.9% | 0% | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Wallace-Woodworth MB | 0.8% | 0.1% | 32 | 0 | 1 |
| 30 | Lorne MB | 0.7% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Sunnyside AB | 0.4% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 32 | Stanstead QC | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 33 | Kernohan AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 34 | Lauderdale AB | 0.3% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 35 | Skyrattler AB | 0.3% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | Markstay-Warren ON | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Allendale AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 38 | Avonmore AB | 0.1% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Division No. 1, Subdivision E NL | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 40 | Lago Lindo AB | 0% | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The map
Varsity View on the map: green space, protected land and paths
The neighbourhood’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
9 named parks and woods to walk in near Varsity View
The biggest is Assiniboine Park, 159 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
9 named parks and woods, 451 ha in all
Parks & gardens 197 haWoods 254 ha
92% of the area is in just two places: Assiniboine Forest and Assiniboine Park.
Assiniboine Forest
Wood or forest
254 ha28 km of path
6 h 15 minto walk all 28 km of path
0.9 km eastfrom the centre
Preston TrailTraverse TrailAspen Trail+4 paths
Directionsto a point inside
Tom Chester Park
Park or garden
28 ha3.9 km of path
50 minto walk all 3.9 km of path
0.9 km north-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Eric Coy Recreation Centre
Park or garden · 150 m outside town
5.1 ha
1.1 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Varsity View Community Centre - Tom Brown Tot Lot
Park or garden
2.2 ha0.2 km of path
Centralin the middle of Varsity View
Directionsto a point inside
Oscar Paulson Park
Park or garden · 170 m outside town
0.9 ha0.3 km of path
0.7 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Smithdale Park
Park or garden · 290 m outside town
1.2 ha
1.2 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Chester Square
Park or garden
0.7 ha0.2 km of path
Centralin the middle of Varsity View
Directionsto a point inside
All 9 named parks and green spaces
Assiniboine ParkPark or garden · 159 ha · 28.9 km of path
DirectionsAssiniboine ForestWood or forest · 254 ha · 28 km of path
DirectionsTom Chester ParkPark or garden · 28 ha · 3.9 km of path
DirectionsEric Coy Recreation CentrePark or garden · 5.1 ha · just outside town
DirectionsVarsity View Community Centre - Tom Brown Tot LotPark or garden · 2.2 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsOscar Paulson ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSmithdale ParkPark or garden · 1.2 ha · just outside town
DirectionsChester SquarePark or garden · 0.7 ha · 0.2 km of path
DirectionsBramble Drive ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.1 km of path
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
All of Varsity View is within a short walk of a park
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Varsity View100%
Towns in Manitoba97%
Typical Canadian town83%
The typical Canadian town manages 83%, so this is better.
Protected areas
1.1% of the land around Varsity View is protected
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Varsity View0%
Within 10 km1.1%
Towns in Manitoba1.1%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
The 19 are all publicly owned. The largest named one is Assiniboine Forest, at 286 ha.
Assiniboine ForestMunicipal park · 286 ha · reaches Varsity View
Moray ForestMunicipal park · 3.3 ha · reaches Varsity View
Harte TrailMunicipal park · 21 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Daniel Flood Green ParkMunicipal park · 2.2 ha · 1.3 km from the edge of town
Living Prairie MuseumMunicipal park · 17 ha · 2.2 km from the edge of town
Beaverdam Creek ForestMunicipal park · 2.6 ha · 2.4 km from the edge of town
Caron Park ForestMunicipal park · 3.8 ha · 3.5 km from the edge of town
The Oaks ForestMunicipal park · 3.3 ha · 4.2 km from the edge of town
Bridgwater ForestMunicipal park · 10 ha · 7.3 km from the edge of town
Sandra Crowson ParkMunicipal park · 3.2 ha · 7.7 km from the edge of town
9 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
Beaudry Provincial Park, 13 km off
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park
Beaudry Provincial Park
13 km west4.9 km²since 1974
No national park lies within 100 km of Varsity View; the provincial parks are the big protected land within reach.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Varsity View and its edge hold 40 km of footpath
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
40 km
in and around the town (9.4 km²)
Woodland
20%
about 1.9 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Varsity ViewTowns in ManitobaTypical Canadian town
Footpaths4.2
02.55 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Varsity ViewTowns in ManitobaTypical Canadian town
Woodland20%
0%50%100%
More of it is wooded than in 68% of Canadian towns. Paths are denser here than in 85% of Canadian towns.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
1 walking route near Varsity View
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
Other waymarked
Sturgeon Creek Greenway Trail3.7 km
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
September is the best month for walking in Varsity View
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Winnipeg Richardson (Airport), 6.8 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.5 | 10.0 | 11.7 | 13.7 | 15.4 | 16.3 | 15.9 | 14.4 | 12.5 | 10.6 | 9.0 | 8.1 |
| High (°C) | -11 | -9 | -1 | 10 | 18 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 10 | 0 | -8 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 18 | 13 | 26 | 33 | 70 | 74 | 77 | 74 | 53 | 38 | 25 | 19 |
Snowfall averages 126 cm a year. Expect 77 mm in July, warm and wet, and 13 mm in February. Daytime highs run from -11 °C in January up to 26 °C in July. The climate in Varsity View →
Beaches
37 unnamed beaches near Varsity View
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Water quality isn’t shown: there’s no open national record of beach tests. Local health authorities post advisories.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
A viewpoint near Varsity View
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The map shows 33 playgrounds, ahead of the rest.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 1
Plus 1 viewpoint without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 10
Picnic Site 10.4 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 20.4 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 40.6 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 50.7 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 60.7 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 70.8 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 80.8 km from town
DirectionsPicnic Site 90.8 km from town
DirectionsPlus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 33
Polar Playground0.9 km from town
DirectionsChildren's Garden1.3 km from town
DirectionsToboggan hill1.4 km from town
DirectionsPlus 30 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Varsity View
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
ElmhurstSilver HeightsBoothKirkfieldDeer LodgeSouth TuxedoVarsity View
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varsity View | 1.1% | 19 | 1 | 37 |
| Elmhurst 1.2 km | 0.9% | 19 | 1 | 38 |
| Silver Heights 1.8 km | 1.2% | 17 | 1 | 37 |
| Booth 2.5 km | 0.9% | 20 | 1 | 37 |
| Kirkfield 2.6 km | 1% | 14 | 1 | 37 |
| Deer Lodge 2.7 km | 1.3% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| South Tuxedo 2.9 km | 1.2% | 23 | 0 | 19 |
Varsity View holds its own on protected land: no neighbour has twice its share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- National and provincial parks. The nearest national park and the nearest provincial park are always shown when they are within 100 km.
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Beaches. A beach counts when its centre point lies within 5 km of the town’s outline. Names come from the map.
- Protected land. CPCAD maps each protected area; the page counts how much of the 10 km around the town they cover, lakes and sea included.
Questions about the outdoors in Varsity View
What is the biggest park or reserve near Varsity View?
It is Assiniboine Forest, a municipal park covering 286 ha.
Is there a provincial park near Varsity View?
Beaudry Provincial Park, 13 km away.
When should you visit Varsity View for the outdoors?
September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
Is Varsity View near a national park?
None within 100 km of Varsity View.
Is there a beach near Varsity View?
There are beaches within 5 km, none of them named.
Where can you walk near Varsity View?
Try the Sturgeon Creek Greenway Trail.
How much land around Varsity View is protected?
Protected areas cover 1.1% of the land within 10 km.
Sources
Where Varsity View’s outdoors figures come from
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).