Warm welcomes go a long way
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/02/2021 (854 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Moving is stressful, exciting, exhausting, and chaotic. The upheaval and temporary turmoil is worth it, when you find yourself in a community like Springfield North.
My family moved here in summer, and we are grateful for the warm welcome we received. Friendly greetings, offers of yard waste bags, mowing our lawn, blowing the snow off a vehicle, filling up a tire, lending a tree saw… these are the acts of kindness that build healthy neighbourhoods.
Our area is adjacent to many recreational opportunities as well. Parks and trails abound. What a gift it is to bike and walk in all directions away from busy streets. What a gift to enjoy nature right in the city.
I had never before visited Kilcona Park in the 20 years I’ve lived in Winnipeg. What a gem. Such a variety of landscapes in one area – paths, bridges, water, hills, forest. Just beyond that is the Harbourview Golf Course, which offers so much more than golf in the winter.In the opposite direction is Bunn’s Creek Trail, a delightfully long and winding path surrounded by trees and water.
What we especially appreciate is the long retention pond at the south end of our neighbourhood. It is the perfect size for kayaking, and makes every summer sunset twice as beautiful.
What is truly special is how, in winter, the community collaborates to make a skating rink. One neighbour snow-blows an area, then another expands it and creatively floods it. A hockey net shows up, and then another. A shovel is left there and used to keep it clear. A bench is built. Someone offers two pucks for the kids to use. People gather there, enjoying the fresh air, the beautiful weather, and the chance to meet and talk. Kids (and adults) get exercise and get away from screens.
These days, with our rinks, community centres, gyms, churches, restaurants and the other gathering places we rely on for connection and wellness being closed, what a gift this community-built recreational area is.
We look forward to discovering more reasons to love Springfield North, both in our surroundings and in the people that live here. If you’re from my neighbourhood, I welcome your help in finding more community treasures, as well as stories of neighbourly kindness.
Sonya Braun is a community correspondent for Springfield North.
Sonya Braun
Springfield North community correspondent
Sonya Braun is a community correspondent for Springfield North.