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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Our Winnipeg: More than a place to sit

Bench gives rich view of life on Albert Street

By: Susan Gordon

Posted: 05/8/2011 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

JOHN.WOODS@FREEPRESS.MB.CA Enlarge Image

Sarah Crawley (left) and Jaime Black sit and enjoy the view on Albert Street.

Yes, I know: You see a bench. A bench facing a brick wall. It could be any bench, it could be anywhere -- but this bench is on Albert Street near my studio.

Many types of people pass by this bench. They walk, run, saunter, stagger, ride bikes or push baby strollers. Some of them smile and say hi, some ask for a bit of change, some comment on the weather. This is the bench where I sit and lean against the brick wall as I take a break from my work and breathe some fresh air.

I've seen many interesting things watching the life on Albert Street. One frigid -30 C day in January, with a wind chill of -50, I saw a young man skittering wildly down the icy, empty street. He was tall and thin, dressed in a black suit, white shirt and shiny patent shoes with pointed toes. In one hand he carried a single white rose with green leaves. With the other hand he attempted to protect it from the cold and the wind. It seemed a futile attempt and yet his rapid journey was a most beautiful, humorous and tender thing to see.

I often peruse the windows at Hooper's across the street. They change weekly and the vintage furniture in them lures me to consider the simplicity and beauty of '50s design. My personal style is eclectic (accumulated, not chosen) and I am a terrible collector of "interesting objects," so the idea of having large clean spaces and spare, clean lines occupies me as I lean against the wall.

Just down the street is the Albert. When my now-grown kids were young, it was THE place to go. It seemed a place of intrigue and mystery, a place where no good parent would ever intrude. It still shakes with punk music.

One evening while leaving my studio, a group of six young people stopped me and asked excitedly where they could find "The Royal Albert Arms." They didn't look any older than 16, had just arrived from Minneapolis and were obviously aware of the fine reputation of this Winnipeg landmark. They ran off, perfectly unaware that they had at least four hours before any bands started up.

Sitting on this bench, I can have a chat with Walter from the Fleet Gallery who keeps the sidewalk so perfectly swept. He always has a smile and a wave and will tell me about old movies and the famous stars he enjoys. Jeff, his brother, is the owner. He's had his business there for years and a kinder man you'll never meet. He supports everybody from graffiti artists to art professors from the U of M, exhibiting their work on his walls. He also does an amazing job of framing art.

Late one night, probably around midnight, the streets were quiet and dark as I came out of my building. I didn't feel afraid, as there is no more reason to fear in this neighbourhood than any other in Winnipeg. I heard a strange voice coming from far down the street, coming closer and closer. I stood against the wall and watched a man weeping and singing as he walked down the middle of the street. He looked rough and mean, but he kept singing and crying as he walked past me, minding his own business.

The Exchange area is a real community. Some people know it and love it and others have no clue as to what their presence means to those who live and work and saunter and swagger and run... past the bench on Albert Street.

Our Winnipeg is a feature profiling the hidden gems of our fair city. For more beautiful, quirky, or offbeat places you might not know about, please see the map below. If you've got one of your own to share, drop us a line at dave.connors@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 8, 2011 A8

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