Winnipeg Revisited

Right now I'm in Winnipeg, taking a break from the monotony of life in Saginaw, to visit family and friends. I'll be back in the good ol' US of A soon (I'm excited to test out my visitor's Visa at the border, where they might be confused why a visitor to the states might then visit Canada only to revisit the US again. It's like I'm in Inception).

This is my second time in Winnipeg in the last few months. Since I moved away six years ago, I've had a chance to see the city grow in snapshots every few months, sometimes once a year. Today I went to the Forks to walk around, and I have to say, this city is changing quickly, and for the better. It's really quite moving.

The soon-to-be Human Rights Museum

One of the complaints of Winnipeg has been its boring skyline. Buildings like this, and the walkway pictured below, seem to indicate that the city is putting a lot more effort into its buildings. Aesthetics is not something this city has ever embraced, so it's nice to see.

It took me awhile but I've come around on this bridge; I used to find it ugly, but I'm quite fond of it now.

I walked across the bridge today to the St. Boniface Cathedral. I don't know why that building is not a major selling point of Winnipeg. The ruins are hauntingly beautiful, and the church nestled in behind it is modern and refreshing. I went inside to relax for a few minutes. It's a wonderful, quiet place, and the art seems to avoid the depressing trappings that most Catholic churches have. 

When I walked out, back across the bridge, there's a wonderful view of the unfinished Human Rights Museum, and directly ahead the top of the train station is visible. Finally, the last part of my visit, I went to see the gate of Upper Fort Garry

For those of you unfamiliar with Winnipeg history, this wall is one of the most important buildings in the province's past. Five years ago, it was wedged between a gas station and a decrepit building, and it was covered in graffiti. It was really sad, that something so important could be disregarded so thoroughly. Evidently, it's been cleaned up, and there are plans to revitalize the area as a historical park.

These may seem like small things, but Winnipeg is brushing off the stagnant label it once had. The city has a rich history that no other town in Western Canada can boast of, and efforts are clearly being made to preserve old buildings and make new ones exiting and important. The icing on the cake of all this is the return of the Jets: it really has changed the attitude of people in the city. the excitement may fade with the years and the difficulties of maintaining a team in such a small market, but Winnipeggers are thumping their chests. There's pride here, which is something that was completely absent when I last lived here.

Go Jets Go (especially now that my Leafs are tanking)!