Dream big dreams.

I spent most of my childhood living in Winnipeg and I consider it to be my hometown. I haven’t been back in nearly seven years and tonight I was thinking about all the things I miss about the city. A trip home to visit is definitely in order, maybe even this summer? I can dream.

-Fort Whyte Centre. Looooove the Fort Whyte Centre. I always say that I wish we had something like the FWC here, and if we did, I’d quit my job and work there. Ice fishing, feeding the ducks, nature walks, conservation days, summer camps, the toboggan run, pond dipping, halloween events, etc. I think on average I went to the FWC once a week for 7 years. The FWC and Oak Hammock Marsh are probably why I still find it so important to be connected to nature.

-The Folk Festival. While living in Winnipeg, my parents weren’t really into folk fest and I was too young to understand exactly what it was. Now having heard stories from people who’ve attended, my interest is peaked. It’s kind of like if they took coachella and added a prairie summer. Unfortunately I’m not too into the line-up this year, maybe next summer.

-The Leo Mol Gardens & English Gardens. This place is super special to me; I have spent many afternoons walking through the gardens and sitting by the fountains sketching waterlillies with my mom. I’d love to take her back there some day soon.

-The Winnipeg Public Library (Centennial Branch, Downtown). When I first moved to Winnipeg, we lived in an apartment downtown waiting for our house to be built. It was the summer and there wasn’t much for two young kids to do so my mom often took my brother and I to the library. This library was fantastic for young kids, especially thanks to a librarian named Collette who used to read and do crafts with my brother and I every weekend. Along with many other people, I have to thank Collette for nurturing my love of reading from a very young age.

-Le Festival du Voyageur. Hands down what I miss most about Winnipeg. Dressing up and singing songs at school as well as the festival itself. Ice sculptures, heritage villages, tire a neige, the list could go on and on.

-VJ’s. I know it’s downtown, near the legislature but sort of on a dead end street. I think it’s to the left of the forks? Anyways it’s a really tiny building with a red sign but they have amazing french fries. Another culinary thrill I miss about Winnipeg? Beavertails, I waited in line for at least 20 minutes in Ottawa this past winter trying to get one but never did. I love Beavertails.

-The Assiniboine Park Zoo. I’ve probably visited it one hundred times and there’s still something new to see. Not to mention all of the fun memories like Boo at the Zoo, my kindergarten field trip where I first “fell in love”, several marathons I ran through the park (like the one at night with glowsticks, so cool!). Apparently the zoo’s undergoing some major renovations so I’d love to see those.

-Lindenwoods. My neighbourhood growing up, it was an awesome place. My neighbours were a lot of fun, we always had a soccer game going. We solved mysteries, held talent shows, dug for buried treasure, wrote songs, had picnics, and spent lots of time coming up for excuses for how different sports apparatus ended up on the roof. I love that the community centre was right around the corner and we could run around the field in the summer and ice skate and tobbogan in the winter. I love my elementary school and all of the incredible opportunities it gave me.

-The museums. The children’s museum with the train that I spent hours playing on with my family. One year I went to a Harry Potter theme day at the museum and their attention to detail was astounding. It’s still an awesome memory. I love the museum of Man and Nature. One of my fondest memories is when as a girl guide I got to sleep over in that museum. The glass laser house, the 50’s village, the wildlife exhibits, the planetarium. If I only had one day in Winnipeg, I would spend it at that museum.

-Surrounding areas. It’s nice living in Southwestern Ontario as Toronto only about an hour away, Ottawa’s not too far, and just a few hours and you’re in Buffalo. That was probably what I disliked the most about living in Winnipeg; I felt as though there was nowhere fun and exciting nearby. Not complaining though, there were some pretty spectacular places to visit. Just ten minutes from my house, my family would park the car in front of a certain field and sit and count over 100 deer. I love Bird’s Hill Park, Gimli, Riding Mountain Provincial Park (insider tip: go to the Russell Inn on Friday the 13th, you’ll get the waterslide to yourself!), Lockport, and even Churchill, go see a polar bear!

-Sunsets. Wait until June, there’s nothing like a sunset over the prairies.

-The Forks. The market’s probably not as good as it used to be but oh well. I used to love getting frozen yogurt and visiting the rubber stamp booth where the lady would stamp my name in glittery ink and my mom would always let me pick out some stickers. I love walking along the river and listening to the live music. There’s two fantastic playgrounds. I LOVE the fish festival, it’s a shame I’ll be missing that this year.