Walls at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar coming down months after walkway collapse

A collapsed platform is seen inside Fort Gibraltar in Winnipeg on May 31, 2023. Sixteen students and one adult were taken to hospital following a fall inside the fort. (Image source: Glenn Pismenny/CTV News Winnipeg)

Organizers of Festival du Voyageur said they are prioritizing the safety and health of those who attend the event after a walkway collapse at Fort Gibraltar sent 17 people to hospital in May.

On Thursday, the festival released a statement saying it is working with interested parties, including the City of Winnipeg, as the incident continues to be reviewed.

Fort Gibraltar remains closed to the public; however, the plan is to bring down the walls of the fort ahead of the upcoming Festival du Voyageur.

This statement comes more than four months after an elevated walkway collapsed at Fort Gibraltar on May 31 during a field trip. Seventeen people from St. John’s-Ravencourt School were injured during the incident and taken to the hospital.

In August, CTV News Winnipeg reported that the parents of one of the injured children filed a lawsuit against the City of Winnipeg and Festival du Voyageur, saying their son is at risk of permanent disability.

Festival du Voyageur is scheduled to take place from Feb 16 to 24.

- With files from CTV’s Charles Lefebvre.