Forgotten treasures

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/12/2017 (3118 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We’ve all been there — you reach into your pocket to pull out your mittens/scarf/tuque/phone and there’s nothing there. The panic sets in as you crawl under chairs, dig through bags and retrace your steps only to realize the item is likely gone forever.

Just two weeks ago, I lost one of my favourite rings — a five-dollar find from a Vermont antique store — while I was out and about Christmas shopping (if anyone found a gold ring in the Polo Park area mid-December, call me!). It was a devastating moment, and one I wish had happened indoors, where there would be at least a small chance of recovery.

Most venues in Winnipeg do indeed keep a lost-and-found box that ends up full of treasures ranging from mundane (single mittens, combs, water bottles) to downright weird (a pair of underpants).

The Free Press asked four entertainment venues if we could take a peek into their lost-and-found boxes and here’s what we discovered (Winnipeggers, you lose some strange stuff):

Park Theatre

The Park Theatre on Osborne has two lost-and-founds: one for your basic, low-value items, and one for electronics, credit cards, keys and other gems that are likely to be claimed. If items such as tuques, mittens, scarves, etc., remain in the lost-and-found for a while, they are washed and donated.

● Pair of men’s loafers

● Vintage brown leather purse with various things inside

● One pair of children’s boots

● Black clutch

● Hockey mask/Jason mask

● Big wool sweater

● Leg warmers

● Two tuques

● One pair of mittens

● Two water bottles

● Travel coffee cup

● Belt for a jacket

● Red bow tie

● Umbrella

● Gloves

● Neck warmer

● Two pairs of glasses

● Sunglasses

● Broken watch

● Two whiteboard markers

● Four power cords, various brands

● Makeup bag (empty)

● Lanyard

● University of Manitoba Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management application (not completed)

● House keys

● Lighter and cigarette

● White-tailed deer-hunting licence for Manitoba

● Ring

● Bracelet

 

Pyramid Cabaret

As expected, the items in the Pyramid’s lost and found are… interesting. Staff say that many bands leave equipment behind — including guitars! — but the most common items are tuques, mittens and jackets. The Pyramid, too, donates clothing items that aren’t claimed within several months. The following is a mere snapshot of what’s been left behind:

One pair of men’s sneakers

One large bong

Stack of IDs and credit/debit cards (at least two dozen)

Two cellphones

Small framed painting

One mitten

Giant 600 Cartoon Collection DVD box set

Plastic sword with skulls

Birth certificate

Small black purse

Eight winter coats (one is fur or faux fur)

Small cardboard box full of various clothing items

A Santa beard

 

Burton Cummings Theatre/Bell MTS Place

All the lost-and-found items at True North venues are eventually pooled at Bell MTS Place, where there is a locker full of unclaimed items. The security team for True North notes the most common lost items are credit/debit cards, tuques, mittens, winter jackets, reading glasses and sports caps, and, one day, a single shoe was left behind after a hockey game at the arena. Everything is logged and stored. If it remains unclaimed after a certain period of time, warmer clothing is given to the homeless and everything else that is usable and in good condition is donated to Siloam Mission.

Here’s a few items from both the Burt and Bell MTS Place that can be found in the locker:

Bert (of Bert and Ernie) children’s Halloween costume — and yes, he was found at the Burt

Three T-shirts

Two jackets

One pair of black Crocs

One pair of socks

Umbrella

Halloween mask

Water bottle

Two baseball caps

Three tuques

Two pairs of gloves

One mitten

Four pairs of glasses

One child-size sneaker

Two cellphones

Single key on a ring

 

Royal Manitoba Theatre Company

The RMTC has more than one lost-and-found box, but they were kind enough to send an itemized list of everything they have. This one is a doozy, folks.

House keys

One pair 3XL bright green cotton underpants

One pair wool socks

Tea towel

Bottle of hairspray

One bag of buttons

Headband with large bow

Sharpie marker

Four combs

Running shoes (men’s)

Bluetooth headset

Two belts

Five umbrellas

Silk pocket square

Leather jacket

Thermos

Fork

Four water bottles

Part of a geometry set

Raincoat

Blazer

Sparkly jacket (women’s)

One pair men’s athletic shorts

22 scarves

Six cardigans

Seven single gloves

13 pairs of gloves

26 pairs of mittens

Two pairs of earmuffs

Four pairs of sunglasses

Seven pairs of eyeglasses

Four hats

10 tuques

One hoodie

If you think any of these items might be yours, contact the appropriate venue and they’ll be happy to reunite you with your belongings.

 

erin.lebar@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @NireRabel