Take off to the great North End

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/05/2020 (1966 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg seized fame when a road trip on The Simpsons introduced it to 10 million viewers — even before the Jets’ 2018 success.

Greeting Homer’s carload, the sign read, “NOW ENTERING WINNIPEG. WE WERE BORN HERE, WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE?”

My excuse is I moved here from Fort Frances, Ont., in the 1970s for university. Plus, I feared they were onto me for a string of unsolved mischiefs dating back to age four.

’Tobans had unique expressions. They bought Club from the vendor and Gimli Goose from the LC. Instead of cabins and machines, they had cottages and power toboggans. A meandering street was a crescent and they took Transit Tom down to the Bay. Mennonites exclaimed, “Oh ba yo!” Francophones, “He Ho!”, and pals told me to say “holopchi” in place of hello.

We live in Winnipeg’s North End, one of the most diverse places on Earth. It’s all tarred as tough and turbulent, Canada’s little Bronx. We get blamed for everything bad.

Vandalism plagued River Heights in 2015. “The great majority of people that commit these offences,” a WPS sergeant explained, “they take the No. 18 bus from the North End, straight into River Heights, and do their thing.” The justice department told me the offenders had addresses in Wolseley, St. Vital and Fort Garry. Police then recovered items from a home — in River Heights.

Sure, the North End has those pawn shops. One website says, “When you walk in… you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how comfortable and familiar it seems.”

Familiar?

But the North End is where hard-working, welcoming, nurturing people thrive — folks who know adversity, diversity, and how to fry baloney and bannock. The residents are talkative, creative, larger-than-life. Often, they disturb the manure.

It’s home to leaders of The Strike, and to city councillors such as Joe Zuken — the longest-serving elected communist in North America, and Slaw Rebchuk who said, “Let’s get it in black and writing,” and “You don’t know a hole from your head in the ground.”

The North End engenders widely known leaders including James Woodsworth, Stanley Knowles, Lloyd Axworthy, Gary Filmon, Judy Wasylycia-Leis and Kevin Chief. And if the school name is right — Isaac Newton.

It teems with resourceful characters, most unsung. In my own circle, I think of Alex Worster, a shoemaker’s son who left school to support his family by delivering groceries “over the tracks” in winter and, after the army as a dad and city manager, enthralled the neighbourhood with rooftop gymnastics. The beloved Ernie Labovich blew the meanest sax and clarinet for thousands, including those passing his house, while sharing his skills with local youth. Personalities like the affable Tracy and Kristi Konopada at Luda’s, and staff at Modern Coffee and our Salisbury House — enhance our community’s identity, and our waistlines.

Nestor Sokolyk devotedly removed neighbourhood graffiti, thinking no one noticed or cared. Sel and Chris Burrows launched Powerline for Point Douglas safety and, for the effort, a gangster threw Sel a haymaker. Donna Gabbs gave all the time needed to counsel a sad girl from the river. For weeks, no one knew, but two.

Four Missionaries of Charity rise at 4:30 a.m. to shine their soup kitchen, serving hundreds, laundering without machines and, in summers, eagerly crossing the street for daily mass — and air conditioning. The gentle soul they called King David held his head high despite the crushing death of his wife and a summer home in St. Johns Park.

Passersby get worked up seeing homeless folks pushing recycling bins, but they are hauling empties and those folks are entrepreneurs. Knowing homelessness, single mom Althea Guiboche pioneered Got Bannock? for the neediest. Author Katherena Vermette witnesses brutal racism, yet writes that while others see the community as broken, beaten, it is healing, rising, and she celebrates its birds, big elms, and Big Gulps.

The North End inspires leaders for strong decolonizing efforts, such as Ma Mawa Wi Chi Itata and Meet Me at the Bell Tower. Also, the Bear Clan Patrol and the Mama Bear Clan.

Guess what’s next?

It enjoys a concentration of stunning churches, a housing medley, and some doorbells that work.

It still hosts corner stores for convenience and lower prices than the airport. Although the owners come from an array of countries, the stores share an odd feature — they are all on corners.

And the North End has some of Winnipeg’s best bakeries, meat shops and restaurants. But in the city’s tourist magazines, under Shopping by Neighbourhood and Dining by Neighbourhood, it’s the neighbourhood left out.

As for Homer Simpson, he came to smuggle prescription drugs bought from a pharmacist who asked, “Would you like to puff on a reefer-ino? It’s legal here.” It was 2005. That must have boosted police business. But not retail business — a sign at the pharmacy read “$5. Paper Towel.”

gordmackintosh@hotmail.com