Urban Exchange

Your Say: “What do you love about Winnipeg?” Part 2

Earlier this month, we asked readers to tell us what they love about Winnipeg. (Here’s the link to the original article.)

It’s been a lot of fun to read through all of your submissions. As promised, we’re sending t-shirts out to anyone who sends us something (while they last) and we’re posting some of your comments on MyCityMySay.ca. The first batch went up last week – you can read those by clicking here.

Here’s the second batch:

Kelli Adams echoes what many people have told us by highlighting our diversity:

“What I love about Winnipeg is the diverse art, culture and communities we have here. We have a mosaic of people that add depth and beauty to our many communities which can be seen at our many restaurants, public art pieces and murals, community gardens, parks and greenspaces, playgrounds, marketplaces, art galleries and museums, community centres, theatres, grassroot organizations . . . just take a walk, bike ride, bus ride or car ride around our city to see what is offered.”

Tammy Gagne writes:

“I love that you can do almost anything in Winnipeg. Winter, Summer, Spring and Fall, there is always something that you can do. You have to love the nature we have just 1/2 hour out of the city at our wonderful Birds Hill Park and all of our lovely parks in the City as well.”

Cliff Reid says we have it all:

“I love Winnipeg because . . . of the warmth of my fellow citizens. Winnipeg’s great strengths are its central location in Canada and the continent, its history as well as its youthful exuburance, its wonderfully broad and growing diversity of peoples and cultures, as well as its four distinct and glorious seasons. We have it all, and are working hard at fixing what needs fixing and expanding what is already good.”

Wanda Yamamoto says

“I love the size. We’re not too big. We can get around quickly. We have all the events a “BIG” city has, football, hockey, baseball, soccer etc. – something for all of the sports fans. We have excellent cultural events and big name concerts – the Winnipeg Symphony, theatre, etc. for the “cultured folks”. Something for everyone. BIG support from the large corporations who support Winnipegers who cannot afford events by donating tickets to various events.

We have diversity. We can travel the world via Folklorama. We can taste the world’s cuisines through the variety of restaurants in Winnipeg.

We may be a cold city (temperature-wise) but Winnipeggers have BIG warm hearts.”

Thanks to Kelli, Tammy, Cliff and Wanda for telling us what they love about Winnipeg. Your T-shirts are in the mail!

If you want to participate, please send us a photo, video or paragraph that tells us what you love about Winnipeg.

While supplies last, we’ll be sending T-shirts and carabiners to everyone who emails us with a response.

To send us something, please email it to Urban.Exchange@UnitedWayWinnipeg.mb.ca.

Stay tuned for the next batch of great responses!

What’s the best thing about living in Winnipeg?

This is the first in a series of “In Brief” posts where we’ll take information from an Urban Exchange report and present it in a small, bite-size format.

In Exchange One: Getting Connected we asked “What’s the best thing about living in Winnipeg?” The results of this question – along with dozens of others – were described in Urban Reflections, a report based on what almost 3000 Winnipeggers had to say about social issues and quality of life in Winnipeg.

If you live in Winnipeg, the top five “best things” might not surprise you:

1. 18% of participants said “the people” are the best thing about living here
2. 17% liked the fact that Winnipeg is a “smaller city with big city advantages”
3. 16% said that Winnipeg is affordable (decent cost of living, good economy, etc.)
4. 9% mentioned the diversity in our population
5. 6% had something to say about our community spirit and volunteerism

The chart below includes all of the things people listed in their open-ended responses. We’ve also created an image using participants’ words – you can download the image and use it as your desktop wallpaper by following this link.

Your Say: “What do you love about Winnipeg?”

When we launched this new version of MyCityMySay.ca, we asked readers to send us their answers to this question: “What do you love about Winnipeg?” (Here’s the original story link.)

The response has been overwhelming. Thanks to everyone who’s already sent us an email.
Starting today, we’ll be posting samples of what people are saying. Enjoy the first batch – and please keep the emails coming, because we’d love to hear what you love about Winnipeg!

From Rhonda Wiebe:

You know what I love about Winnipeg? I love that you can squeeze in a concert at the MTS Centre and watch geese landing in an open field in the same city. I love that you can eat perogies and Thai food in the same part of town, and a ballgame and an open-air salsa night are within hoofing distance. I love that people push each other’s cars out of snowbanks in winter and mow each other’s lawns in summer. I love mural walls and graffiti that has turned into an art form. I love it that Winnipegers can celebrate the Solstice Circle, the St. Boniface ruins, Eid at a mosque and all that they represent – and can do it without feeling conflicted. I love the bells of Westminster Church and the walking loop around Wellington Crescent and breakfasts at The Nook. I love Winnipeg.

Louisa Ryz writes about our sunsets, and sends in a great picture:

I love the sunsets in Winnipeg. The picture I am sending you is very inspirational and calming. It gives a sense of our unity and at the same time excitement.

I love how the many cultures of Winnipeg come together. I love living in Saint-Boniface and all the historic sites and I love most of all the feeling of sharing in something important and beautiful.

Nancy Ito loves:

The People – Their warmth, their compassion, their stubborn nature and their endless capacity to help others.
The Weather – Where else on the planet can you get as much variability in weather as you can get here in Winnipeg? I may not like the weather on a particular day but I always know that a day more to my liking is just around the corner. And we have some of the most dramatic changes in season here. One day it’s freezing cold and snowing and just a few short days later the grass is peeking out and the warm blue sky is calling us out of our fleece.
The Life – Whatever life you want you can find it in Winnipeg. You want excitement – we’ve got it. You want a safe place to raise your kids – we’ve got it. You want a quiet place to think – we’ve got it.
And just for something extra – one thing I DON’T like about Winnipeg is our tendency to put ourselves down. We always think someone or somewhere else is better than here. What could be better than here?

Finally, Julie Dominique writes:

I know it has been said many times before, but I truly love the diversity of the people of Winnipeg.
Color, creed, religion, size, shape, and everything in between, and for the most part all live side by side harmoniously.
Our city is a very friendly bunch, strangers striking up conversations and willing to offer a helping hand when needed. I think Winnipeggers are a unique bunch, and as people we do offer things you do not see in other cities.

Thanks again to everyone who’s sent us an email. We’ll be posting more of your submissions on this site very soon.

If you want to participate, please send us a paragraph or two describing your favourite thing about Winnipeg. Photos and videos are also welcome!

For a limited time, anyone who sends us something will be eligible to receive an Urban Exchange t-shirt or a MyCityMySay carabiner. (Note: there are limited sizes and/or quantities of both, so please respond soon!)

To send us something, please email it to Urban.Exchange@UnitedWayWinnipeg.mb.ca.

What do you love about Winnipeg?

What do you love about Winnipeg?

Please send us a paragraph or two describing your favourite thing about Winnipeg. If you’d prefer to submit a photo or even a video that demonstrates what you love about our city, that would be great, too.

We’ll post some of your submissions on this site. For a limited time, anyone who sends us something will be eligible to receive an Urban Exchange t-shirt or a MyCityMySay carabiner. (Note: there are limited sizes and/or quantities of both, so please respond soon!)

To send us something, please email it to Urban.Exchange@UnitedWayWinnipeg.mb.ca. (Please keep in mind that we can’t post anything that’s copyrighted.)

Oct. 9/08 – Here’s an idea to get you thinking from Bill Peters:

I am certain many people say this, but what I love about Winnipeg is the change of seasons, which are all distinct and beautiful in their own way:

• Spring: Winnipeg always comes to life after the first rain.  Renews the spirit . . .
• Summer: Warm and dry, with summer storms.  Ahhh . . . the smell of fresh cut grass . . .
• Fall: Beautiful colors, crisp air, anticipation of hockey season!
• Winter: You have to admire people who live here. My best childhood memories are all in Winter. It’s Ultimate Survival to live through the -40C days, and we celebrated by creating this video of a cup of steaming coffee crystallizing on a particularly cold day.

The New MyCityMySay

Urban Exchange is all about creating a dialogue between Winnipeggers and United Way. The response has been amazing. Over 4000 folks just like you have shared thoughts and opinions about our city. The new MyCityMySay.ca is a chance to continue that great conversation.

Our Results page includes an article about the first UrbEx report Urban Reflections: Winnipeggers have their say about our city and its direction. You can also check out the the Have Your Say section where you’ll find the current Urban Exchange survey and a cool new way to participate.

In the Send Us . . . section, you’ll find an article called “What Do You Love About Winnipeg?” – we’re hoping this will be the first in a regular series of questions that site visitors can answer.

In this round of Send Us . . ., we’re asking for photos, video clips or a paragraph or two that answers the question “What do you love about Winnipeg?” Please check it out, and feel free to send us something that shows what you love about our city.

Thanks for dropping by this site!

Urban Exchange in a Class of Its Own

They came to Canada from the four corners of the globe. Crossing oceans and continents, they left their homes in China, Argentina, West Africa, Ukraine and other faraway places. Among them were plastic surgeons, computer programmers and engineers. Together, they are learning English at Red River College – hoping for a new start in a new city.

But what did they think of their new home? What did they like about Winnipeg? What were their concerns? Was the city meeting their expectations?

Urban Exchange went into the classroom to find out at the invitation of Red River College (RRC) instructor Rita Prokopetz.

Urban Exchange is a United Way of Winnipeg Advisory Panel. It’s a way for Winnipeggers to share their opinions with United Way on issues that matter most to them.

A panellist herself, Rita liked the idea of including the voices of some of Canada’s newest residents – in particular her students. It would also give them a chance to practice their English.

They had plenty to say and Urban Exchange presented at four more RRC classes. The relationship continued to grow and two students came to United Way for a three-week work practicum. Thérèse Niyonkuru arrived in Canada just six months ago from Cameroon. She said her time with United Way gave her a chance to improve her computer skills and learn about some of the challenges our city faces.

“United Way of Winnipeg was a great place to volunteer…now I know a little bit (about) what it is. I know that Urban Exchange is a United Way of Winnipeg Panel through which Winnipeggers and United Way can talk (with) each other in order to find solutions to issues that most concern them in the city.”

Joining Thérèse was Natalia Khalemsky who came to Winnipeg from Ukraine.

“Now I know that everyone can and has to do something that improves life in our city. I will continue to participate because I think it is very important and I hope that my opinions will help.”

Both are returning to class in the fall and are looking forward to putting their language skills to work when they enter the workforce.

Urban Exchange will be connecting with a new group of language students when classes resume at RRC in September.