Exploring the city

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This article was published 13/07/2022 (895 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg is full of vibrant neighbourhoods with no shortage of diversity, businesses and events.

Many people have been confined to their homes or neighbourhoods over the past few years but with warmer days, longer evenings and a great re-opening upon us, now is the perfect time to leave your burrow and explore the city.

The Exchange District BIZ and the West End BIZ are member-driven non-profits that provide a variety of services in their respective areas including business supports, community patrols, neighbourhood beautification, walking tours, outdoor concerts, festivals and markets — and both are excited about upcoming summer events and getting back to business.

Aurora Debreuil, marketing and communications co-ordinator for the West End BIZ, is thrilled about the growth she’s seen in the area over the past year. Some 55 new businesses have opened their doors in the West End. A great example of the variety the area offers is the breadth of businesses along Wall Street, ranging from industrial, manufacturing and warehousing to breweries, food producers, restaurants and more.

In addition to the well-known mural and restaurant tours that the West End supports, the planning for this summer already includes recreational volleyball on Monday evenings in June and lunchtime concerts on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout July and August.

“I think the amount of local family-run businesses really makes it feel like a tight-knit community,” Debreuil says. “You get to know the owners, know their stories, and they want to be involved in a community and help make the community thrive — wanting the West End to be the best neighbourhood that it can be. I think you really feel that when you go into the shops.”

The Exchange District, with its plentiful venues and eateries, is a hub for some of Winnipeg’s biggest summer events including the Fringe and Jazz festivals. It is home to more than 150 heritage buildings from the turn of the 20th century within 20 short blocks.

David Pensato, executive director of the Exchange District BIZ, points out that Winnipeg’s collection of buildings from that era is unique in North America, if not worldwide.

“This was developed before the automobile became the dominant form of transportation and so the street lengths are short,” he explains. “That makes it much more walkable. The height and scale of the buildings makes it feel quite human.”

Many people have been confined to their homes or neighbourhoods over the past few years but with warmer days, longer evenings and a great re-opening upon us, now is the perfect time to leave your burrow and explore the city.

In the late 1970s, the neighbourhood was adopted as a favourite of artists, musicians and architecture lovers who fought for its preservation. To this day, the floors above the shops, restaurants, tech companies and other businesses are full of artists’ studios and creative spaces.

For a peek behind the curtain into some of the creative processes and maker spaces, you can visit monthly during First Fridays — an artist-run open house for galleries, studios and businesses that extend their hours on the first Friday of every month.

“It’s the do-it-yourself independent artists and craftspeople that really take to First Fridays because this is a chance to open the studios. They may not have a gallery so it’s a really big opportunity for them to showcase their work,” explains First Fridays director Karen Schulz.

“I think people are a little intimidated sometimes to come into art galleries. It’s a great introduction to art galleries and to go to an opening. It’s a fun night and you get to see things that you will never see in any other part of the city. You get to see what’s going on in the old buildings and visit and talk to artists in their studios.”

The Exchange District BIZ and the West End BIZ have recently revamped their websites with maps, amenities, business features and event listings. Both neighbourhoods feature bike lanes on major thoroughfares and are accessible by transit.

Debreuil and Pensato hinted at more events in the works that will be announced as details are finalized, including potential Canada Day celebrations and a guide to the 20-plus patios in The Exchange.

Check out westendbiz.ca, exhangedistrict.org or firstfridayswinnipeg.org to plan your next visit.