2 hours ago, GCn20 said:

2 days ago Jim Barker stated on the Rod Pederson show that the Bombers were this year's big winner in FA. I actually really value Barkers opinion, guy knows his stuff.

IDK, I'm still holding a grudge against him from when he called the city of Winnipeg a shithole.

25 minutes ago, Geebrr said:

This is bullshit. Winnipeg is a great place to live. 

Compared to Regina & Edmonton maybe... but anywhere else nope.   Worst downtown,  worst infrastructure,  low paying jobs,  high crime,  bad geography, terrible winters, etc...    Winnipeg used to be a great place to raise families because of the low cost of living, but that gap between Winnipeg and the bigger cities has shrunk over the years so we can't even claim that anymore.     

Most young educated professionals graduate from University and move away immediately.   It's a great place to live for incoming immigrants coming in as we do have large communities that can help them out when they first move to the country.     

Yes many downtowns are decaying,  but Winnipeg is the only place I've ever gone where after 5:00 pm the downtown is desolate and a complete ghost town minus the homeless walking around or sleeping in bus shacks.   People who try to compare other downtowns in saying that they are the same clearly have not visited other cities and seen the night and day differences between us and them.   

 

Are we really arguing that Winnipeg isn’t a dump? I’ve travelled all over North America … I think in terms of individual cities, I’ve been to Phoenix, San Diego, Anaheim, Richmond, Philadelphia, Trenton, Baltimore, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Buffalo, New York City, Orlando, Tampa, Regina, Minneapolis, Grand Forks and Fargo in the past 5-ish years … the only places that are as much of a dump as Winnipeg are Baltimore and Edmonton. Sure, obviously some places were a quick visit. Some places you can chalk the experience up to oblivious innocence where I probably didn’t know any better. But for the most part, there’s a ton more to do/see without half the hassle in these places. 

Even Buffalo, which I was expecting to be a total dump … their downtown is quiet with not a lot to do (like ours) but I didn’t get hassled by a homeless person once. There’s stuff to do. Probably the most comparable downtown to Winnipeg, honestly … just cleaner and less disruptive.

I get the experiences won’t match because obviously the sample size is a lot larger in the city I reside in, but this place is a dump. Manitoba? Beautiful. Winnipeg? It’s a dump. It’s my dump, but it’s a dump. 

There's all kinds of different variables when comparing one place to another...I'll use the stadiums as a measurable...in the football sense......Let's go T.O. vs. Wpg.......Winnipeg wins and comparing the facility in the Peg to a lot of other cities in the country ...Winnipeg wins.....so there's that....I find that a lot of the population in the Peg sell their city short

36 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

From my experience, the people who complain about Winnipeg as if it's some unique Unicorn when it comes to crime and decaying infrastructure etc etc, have also not lived for any amount of real time somewhere else that is comparable. Or visited for short periods of time.

I’ve lived in Calgary most of my life, and it’s taken a sharp decline, especially post pandemic. I don’t bother walking around downtown unless I’m in a densely populated area.

I’ve also spent time living in Orlando FL, and that was… certainly an experience.

Got all excited seeing that this thread was hot, looking forward to some FA news and i get to read about how shitty Winnipeg is for the 23487 time in my life. Good grief already. Every city has shitty neighborhoods and a lot shitty downtowns. The mosquitoes havent been an issue for like 10+ years(whatever the hell the city did about them, kudos). Our winters arnt even that bad anymore, a couple weeks of -25C and its over, and were not shoveling 4+ feet of snow twice a month like those jabronis out east. We have the sunniest and warmest summers in Canada, period, with a million lakes to enjoy. And i can actually afford my recently built beautiful 2000+ square foot home that would be twice the price+ in Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, etc, where i would be paying it off for the rest of my natural life instead of having disposable income and being able to use it to help fund my retirement if i so choose. Best food scene in Canada too. I love Winnipeg, everyone else can eat s**t.

Edited February 20, 20241 yr by Bubba Zanetti

as with any city, Winnipeg has its problem areas. It also has a lot of bright spots. I enjoy winter there, and know that many others do, too, but I can see how it's problematic for many. In summer, though? It's the most underrated city in Canada. I very much look forward to becoming a full time Winnipegger before too much longer (or, at least, quasi-Winnipegger.... my wife is a fan of East Selkirk area, and I'm partial to Lorette, but for all intents and purposes, we'll be Winnipeggers before too long...) 

36 minutes ago, Mike said:

Are we really arguing that Winnipeg isn’t a dump? I’ve travelled all over North America … I think in terms of individual cities, I’ve been to Phoenix, San Diego, Anaheim, Richmond, Philadelphia, Trenton, Baltimore, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Buffalo, New York City, Orlando, Tampa, Regina, Minneapolis, Grand Forks and Fargo in the past 5-ish years … the only places that are as much of a dump as Winnipeg are Baltimore and Edmonton. Sure, obviously some places were a quick visit. Some places you can chalk the experience up to oblivious innocence where I probably didn’t know any better. But for the most part, there’s a ton more to do/see without half the hassle in these places. 

Even Buffalo, which I was expecting to be a total dump … their downtown is quiet with not a lot to do (like ours) but I didn’t get hassled by a homeless person once. There’s stuff to do. Probably the most comparable downtown to Winnipeg, honestly … just cleaner and less disruptive.

I get the experiences won’t match because obviously the sample size is a lot larger in the city I reside in, but this place is a dump. Manitoba? Beautiful. Winnipeg? It’s a dump. It’s my dump, but it’s a dump. 

My argument isn't that WPG is some perfect paradise or that it isn't shitty at times. It's that, Winnipeg isn't unique in that aspect. Every city of comparable size is pretty well the same. Maybe with the lack of stabbings lol. 

But bigger cities have huge run down areas that are just out of sight unless you are specifically going to that area. They've been able to segregate their ****, Winnipeg will too if it keeps growing (economy/population....not foot print).

I can't remember the specific study, but in the early 2000s....I think....there was a report that came out that said there wasn't a single city of any size in NA that would be able to keep up with the urban decay to come. Some places have done better than others, but every city is facing infrastructure issues that they have no answer for.

Edited February 20, 20241 yr by Bigblue204

There are lots of things about Winnipeg taken for granted by the people that live here.

Big one for me... our tree canopy is uncommon for a city our size, and is usually overlooked and underappreciated... not just for the natural beauty it lends our city but actual economical and environmental benefits (passive cooling, prevention of heat island effects, habitat for wildlife and pollinators). You can barely walk outside for 2 minutes on a hot day in Arizona, scurrying from A/C to A/C, what a great place to live 🙄. In my travels I'm often left wondering 'where did all your trees go?'. Looks like some cities were bombed by Agent Orange, barely a stick of vegetation anywhere to be found. Hot as hell and unbearable. I couldn't live in a place where the only trees are at a park you have to drive to to visit.

Anecdotal... crime is real here, I've been a victim of property theft multiple times (in a nice part of sunny St James no less)... BUT, I worked at Portage and Main for years, my late shifts ended at 10pm, caught my bus back to St James 100% of the time without issue. Likewise catching the 16 or 18 by The Bay, you keep your head on a swivel and don't flash your valuables but again 100% zero issues, ever. Yes I'm male but I'm not big or intimidating, if anyone got the idea to mug me I wasn't about to scare them off or take them physically, yet I never had a problem with anyone, ever, and there was plenty of opportunity. All that said, the criticism that downtown is a ghost town after work lets out is valid... unless you go straight to a restaurant or bar after work there is nothing else to do.

Concerts, festivals, comedy shows... Winnipeg is no longer a flyover city when it comes to entertainment... in fact, we've only been getting better and better for decades. WAG and RWB are world class (and yet, I bet less than 1/3 of Winnipeggers have visited either, let alone both). Nowadays, I have to pick and choose which awesome concerts and live shows I'm going to attend because I couldn't possibly attend them all, and I always have tickets to look forward to.

So much to see and do here, if you just go out and do it.

Edited February 20, 20241 yr by MOBomberFan

22 hours ago, WinnipegGordo said:

IDK, I'm still holding a grudge against him from when he called the city of Winnipeg a shithole.

He can't say that, only we can say that.

Am I spending my tourist dollars to head to Winnipeg? Not a chance. I can list a hundred cities I would say that about too. Winnipeg is what it is and has a ton of problems. So do most cities.

1 hour ago, Mike said:

Are we really arguing that Winnipeg isn’t a dump? I’ve travelled all over North America … I think in terms of individual cities, I’ve been to Phoenix, San Diego, Anaheim, Richmond, Philadelphia, Trenton, Baltimore, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Buffalo, New York City, Orlando, Tampa, Regina, Minneapolis, Grand Forks and Fargo in the past 5-ish years … the only places that are as much of a dump as Winnipeg are Baltimore and Edmonton. Sure, obviously some places were a quick visit. Some places you can chalk the experience up to oblivious innocence where I probably didn’t know any better. But for the most part, there’s a ton more to do/see without half the hassle in these places. 

Even Buffalo, which I was expecting to be a total dump … their downtown is quiet with not a lot to do (like ours) but I didn’t get hassled by a homeless person once. There’s stuff to do. Probably the most comparable downtown to Winnipeg, honestly … just cleaner and less disruptive.

I get the experiences won’t match because obviously the sample size is a lot larger in the city I reside in, but this place is a dump. Manitoba? Beautiful. Winnipeg? It’s a dump. It’s my dump, but it’s a dump. 

I’m in Buffalo enough to confirm it is a dump. 

Downtown Winnipeg has problems but it is no dumpier than Edmonton or Hamilton, Regina, etc… 
 

Philadelphia has parts of it that are so beyond dump you would be surprised human beings live there  

 

32 minutes ago, MOBomberFan said:

There are lots of things about Winnipeg taken for granted by the people that live here.

Big one for me... our tree canopy is uncommon for a city our size, and is usually overlooked and underappreciated... not just for the natural beauty it lends our city but actual economical and environmental benefits (passive cooling, prevention of heat island effects, habitat for wildlife and pollinators). You can barely walk outside for 2 minutes on a hot day in Arizona, scurrying from A/C to A/C, what a great place to live 🙄. In my travels I'm often left wondering 'where did all your trees go?'. Looks like some cities were bombed by Agent Orange, barely a stick of vegetation anywhere to be found. Hot as hell and unbearable. I couldn't live in a place where the only trees are at a park you have to drive to to visit.

Anecdotal... crime is real here, I've been a victim of property theft multiple times (in a nice part of sunny St James no less)... BUT, I worked at Portage and Main for years, my late shifts ended at 10pm, caught my bus back to St James 100% of the time without issue. Likewise catching the 16 or 18 by The Bay, you keep your head on a swivel and don't flash your valuables but again 100% zero issues, ever. Yes I'm male but I'm not big or intimidating, if anyone got the idea to mug me I wasn't about to scare them off or take them physically, yet I never had a problem with anyone, ever, and there was plenty of opportunity. All that said, the criticism that downtown is a ghost town after work lets out is valid... unless you go straight to a restaurant or bar after work there is nothing else to do.

Concerts, festivals, comedy shows... Winnipeg is no longer a flyover city when it comes to entertainment... in fact, we've only been getting better and better for decades. WAG and RWB are world class (and yet, I bet less than 1/3 of Winnipeggers have visited either, let alone both). Nowadays, I have to pick and choose which awesome concerts and live shows I'm going to attend because I couldn't possibly attend them all, and I always have tickets to look forward to.

So much to see and do here, if you just go out and do it.

Winnipeg is a great place to live and not a great place to visit really. 
 

Vancouver is awesome. I also saw people doing needle drugs in an alley with no care in the world and drug addicts wandering around all over. 

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

as with any city, Winnipeg has its problem areas. It also has a lot of bright spots. I enjoy winter there, and know that many others do, too, but I can see how it's problematic for many. In summer, though? It's the most underrated city in Canada. I very much look forward to becoming a full time Winnipegger before too much longer (or, at least, quasi-Winnipegger.... my wife is a fan of East Selkirk area, and I'm partial to Lorette, but for all intents and purposes, we'll be Winnipeggers before too long...) 

Manitoba? Sure. The best part about Winnipeg in the summer is how close it is to other places.

I genuinely can’t think of anything I can do in Winnipeg in the summer that isn’t a Bomber game. Go to the Forks for the annual Canada Day machete attack? Ride my bike around, weaving through all the homeless encampments? 
 

I love summers in Winnipeg but it’s not because of Winnipeg. It’s because in two hours or so, I can be at my cabin that isn’t in Winnipeg.

 

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

as with any city, Winnipeg has its problem areas. It also has a lot of bright spots. I enjoy winter there, and know that many others do, too, but I can see how it's problematic for many. In summer, though? It's the most underrated city in Canada. I very much look forward to becoming a full time Winnipegger before too much longer (or, at least, quasi-Winnipegger.... my wife is a fan of East Selkirk area, and I'm partial to Lorette, but for all intents and purposes, we'll be Winnipeggers before too long...) 

Your wife had the better idea, even more so if you come across to the West side. Check out Clandelboye or Petersfield and you’ll be amazed at how great those communities are. 

52 minutes ago, Mike said:

Manitoba? Sure. The best part about Winnipeg in the summer is how close it is to other places.

I genuinely can’t think of anything I can do in Winnipeg in the summer that isn’t a Bomber game. Go to the Forks for the annual Canada Day machete attack? Ride my bike around, weaving through all the homeless encampments? 
 

I love summers in Winnipeg but it’s not because of Winnipeg. It’s because in two hours or so, I can be at my cabin that isn’t in Winnipeg.

 

there's a million things I could list about Winnipeg in the summer.... a lot have to do with drinking on patios, so what that says about me, I don't know. Saffron's rooftop. Beer Can at the Granite, The Leaf, Fort Whyte, The Forks (love grabbing a beer at The Common and going to sit in the muskoka chairs overlooking the river).... Lots of fishing and golfing opportunities within the city....... Bombers games obviously, but also Goldeyes games at one of the nicest small market parks in North America....... I could go on and on. I'm a rural Manitoban, and will always love rural MB the best, but I absolutely ADORE Winnipeg in the summer (and think more of it in winter than most, but that's just me)...

Last summer one weekend I stumbled upon a neighborhood block party being thrown at a Fort Gary community center. There were drink tickets for local beers and ciders, food vendors and live bands, a mixed crowd of young and old, teens, families, whatever. I was pumped to find out The Mariachi Ghost had been booked to play, and they absolutely ******* rocked. On a literal baseball diamond in Fort Gary on a random summer night. I spent $20 but I could have watched for free. I didn't see security but nobody was making any trouble, just chilling and having fun and looking out for eachother, no need for security or police presence. Not even one machete if you can believe it!

I think the problem in Winnipeg is exasperated by the lack of density .. it lends itself to that completely "dead" feeling you get downtown after hours.

When I first moved to Winnipeg 24 years ago now, I lived downtown (Donald and Broadway) and it was significantly more vibrant than it is now (not saying it was great but it certainly was better).

1 hour ago, Mike said:

Manitoba? Sure. The best part about Winnipeg in the summer is how close it is to other places.

I genuinely can’t think of anything I can do in Winnipeg in the summer that isn’t a Bomber game. Go to the Forks for the annual Canada Day machete attack? Ride my bike around, weaving through all the homeless encampments? 
 

I love summers in Winnipeg but it’s not because of Winnipeg. It’s because in two hours or so, I can be at my cabin that isn’t in Winnipeg.

 

You’re over the top with this. 
 

17 hours ago, Brandon said:

Insert the graphic of how Winnipeg is voted the worst city to visit by all NHL'ers.   

Most cities have an area of downtown that is alive and nice to go along with the pockets/areas where things are runned down and dead.   Winnipeg is like 99% shithole with a few decent places sprinkled in.   It's pathetic that the main road in downtown consists of over 50% of the buildings for lease and much of the rest filled with dollar stores and money marts.   After 5:00 pm you see nobody walking around, yet other cities you see life and vibrancy. 

For work we have had dozens of people fly in and make the mistake of booking a hotel downtown.   100% of the time the feedback is "What the hell is wrong with this place" and all of them are amazed at how sketchy and completely dead it is.  

When the comparisons of our downtown is Edmonton or Buffalo... that's a telltale sign that the place is terrible.   

Dunno about the nhl stuff. Though a lot more than the down town plays into a sports reputation like that. Plus they have access to stay in beautiful locations with in Winnipeg. I don’t put any value or weight on that opinion. Most hockey players aren’t staying at the Hilton between games and the tier below hotels are just as good here. The last place in this country I want to be visiting for work is Toronto and nothing else is close. Even dirty old Regina. 
 

you are right most every major city’s down town has the hip part too. Like i said gentrification, sprawl and decay are a western thing. 
 

I do agree that the ability to differentiate between great hotels and crap ones is a tough skill today. Though chains are what’s reliable. Every down town has a marlbrough hotel type of place or lots of them. And the price isn’t that far off nice places. 
 

I think the big factor is with more popular cities people adjust down town to fit good down town when visiting. And that isn’t intuitive here. 

4 hours ago, Booch said:

well...I lived in both cities...at different times...also multiple times....as well as a few extended stays in the U.S....and now have been back here for 18 yrs...theres a reason....just sayin...and I am not a born and bred Manitoban so no bias from growing up here

Urban decay in all the big cities...the warts...crime....poverty...it's the same everywhere....and I seen many way worse than here, and I have seen areas I get a lil freaked in...and I dont get freaked out easily

People do think down town Winnipeg is bad, have never been exposed to the down town of dirty south cities. 
 Even back to the nhl thing, Chicago, Detroit, denver, Washington etc these are places if you make the wrong turn you’ll go through the filming of an wisdom of cops and into a real life episode of CSI.  No joke, no hyperbole. No joke, they call it ch-iraq for a reason. 
 Skid row? It’s gone from bad to unbelievable. 

19 minutes ago, Geebrr said:

You’re over the top with this. 
 

He's either way over the top or is the most sheltered Winnipegger around. There is a ton of cool stuff to do in Winnipeg in the summer. I'm not huge on hanging out in any of the areas that our social issues create problems but really that's like 5% of the city. Where the hell are you riding your bike Mike? I do agree with him that my favorite part of a Manitoba summer is time at the lake though.

Edited February 20, 20241 yr by GCn20

3 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

He's either way over the top or is the most sheltered Winnipegger around. There is a ton of cool stuff to do in Winnipeg in the summer. I'm not huge on hanging out in any of the areas that our social issues create problems but really that's like 5% of the city. Where the hell are you riding your bike Mike? I do agree with him that my favorite part of a Manitoba summer is time at the lake though.

No kidding. Theres like 1000 beautiful bike paths all over Winnipeg. No need to be booting around Higgins/Sutherland Ave on your Schwinn.

4 hours ago, Brandon said:

Compared to Regina & Edmonton maybe... but anywhere else nope.   Worst downtown,  worst infrastructure,  low paying jobs,  high crime,  bad geography, terrible winters, etc...    Winnipeg used to be a great place to raise families because of the low cost of living, but that gap between Winnipeg and the bigger cities has shrunk over the years so we can't even claim that anymore.     

Most young educated professionals graduate from University and move away immediately.   It's a great place to live for incoming immigrants coming in as we do have large communities that can help them out when they first move to the country.     

Yes many downtowns are decaying,  but Winnipeg is the only place I've ever gone where after 5:00 pm the downtown is desolate and a complete ghost town minus the homeless walking around or sleeping in bus shacks.   People who try to compare other downtowns in saying that they are the same clearly have not visited other cities and seen the night and day differences between us and them.   

 

 

20 minutes ago, Geebrr said:

You’re over the top with this. 
 

The simple fact is, while Winnipeg has poverty and crime problems, more than some Canadian cities, it’s nothing compared to major us cities. The gun and cultural violence/aggressiveness is a whole other thing than here. 
 I mean, we aren’t even talking kc as a bad place, and look at what happened during their Super Bowl party. 

Any one who thinks we got it bad, go to chiraq, or any of those other cities. Forget even just Winnipeg size cities in the dirty south that aren’t capitols. Those places will sober you to reality real fast. 
 Most of those places have areas that are violen dangerous slums by violent dangerous third world country standards. Serious Johannesburg scary bad stuff. 

6 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

He's either way over the top or is the most sheltered Winnipegger around. There is a ton of cool stuff to do in Winnipeg in the summer. I'm not huge on hanging out in any of the areas that our social issues create problems but really that's like 5% of the city. Where the hell are you riding your bike Mike? I do agree with him that my favorite part of a Manitoba summer is time at the lake though.

Major hell yes to lake time. Especially in the summer but I’ve found it nice even in winter lately. 
tbh polo is more dangerous than the forks these days. The forks has tons of private security now and regular patrols. 

2 hours ago, Mike said:

Manitoba? Sure. The best part about Winnipeg in the summer is how close it is to other places.

I genuinely can’t think of anything I can do in Winnipeg in the summer that isn’t a Bomber game. Go to the Forks for the annual Canada Day machete attack? Ride my bike around, weaving through all the homeless encampments? 
 

I love summers in Winnipeg but it’s not because of Winnipeg. It’s because in two hours or so, I can be at my cabin that isn’t in Winnipeg.

 

Fort Whyte, ass Park, ass Park forest, living prairie,  multiple trails. Multiple large parks, golf courses that are indoor and out. I take my family to the Forks fairly regularly. Don't get down on a city just cause you're scared.

Edited February 20, 20241 yr by Bigblue204

2 hours ago, Mike said:

Manitoba? Sure. The best part about Winnipeg in the summer is how close it is to other places.

I genuinely can’t think of anything I can do in Winnipeg in the summer that isn’t a Bomber game. Go to the Forks for the annual Canada Day machete attack? Ride my bike around, weaving through all the homeless encampments? 
 

I love summers in Winnipeg but it’s not because of Winnipeg. It’s because in two hours or so, I can be at my cabin that isn’t in Winnipeg.

 

I like when people say Winnipeg in summer is great and then list off going to Grand Beach,  Country Fest in Dauphin,  going to Clear Lake for hikes,  etc....     The Province itself is really nice when you get out of the city and head a bit North where it isn't just flat prairies.    

During summer we always struggle to find things for the kids to do in town. 

The good:

Assiniboine Park - The gardens are still a hit with my girls,   the area is safe , and plenty of space to do a wide variety of activities.   Kildonan Park is also decent but could use something new (maybe a new play ground) since it's mostly just one big walking trail.  Rainbow Stage is still good. 

Zoo - I really hope this summer that they ditch the robot dinosaurs... it's played out.   The rest of the zoo is still well kept and  worth a few visits per year. 

Tinker Town -  Great value and well kept and clean and it will sadden me in a few years when my kids age out for it.  If only they could expand with 10 more adult rides.   

The mediocre:  

The farms which technically are outside of town,  they are decent but it would be nice if one stepped up and just have a bit more to it.  Deer Meadows is close but I feel that they still need 5 or more attractions.   

The Forks -  This place is going down hill fast.  The inside is great and the food court area and the shops are still solid.  The outside area has taken a serious dive and I've seen far less people walking around.  I think the many stabbings and attacks (such as the Ukranian refugee being stabbed by 15 year old girls) has turned away people.  

The bad:

Downtown has absolutely nothing to bring me as a family or even my wife and I to come visit.  Even on the sunniest summer days the downtown is DEAD.   No reason to go. 

Lack of festivals -  Folklorama seems to be fading away and post pandemic it seems to be a shell of its former self.   It's over priced and generic  and I wonder if it will go away similar to the old Taste of Manitoba festival where the prices ended up driving people away.   All the big festivals are spread around the province, it would be nice to have some big ones in town that are fun and exciting and provide better experiences (I.E. Not waiting 1 hour in line like at the teddy bear picnic).  

Lack of patios -  This city is really missing out on having a stretch of restaurants with patios.  Corydon had attempted to do this a while back but the NIMBY's squashed the idea of having a string of restaurants with large patios as they didn't want the noise.   What this city has now sucks,  Saffrons is a dump and I personally don't find sitting at a Boston Pizza in a concrete parking lot with dirt blowing into my food as a relaxing patio experience.  Maybe do something radical like sell off part of Kildonan Golf Course and make it an entertainment area where you keep the greenery and then have restaurants with patios and more?

No water park.   Grand Prix is way over priced and very dull.  The city has a few good indoor places for kids but not much when it comes for outdoor.  Harbour View would be a good place for the city to inject some money as it's dying.  

Museums -  Museum of Man and Nature is still good.  Childrens Museum is fun for 15 minutes only and then it sucks,  Touch the Universe is a complete joke and an embarrassment.  I still haven't met anyone who has gone to the Human Rights museums and the Art Gallery is geared towards the seniors.   The Leaf is a huge swing and a miss,  that place has one good room (first room) the rest is absolute garbage.  The butterfly room up top is a huge decline in quality compared to the butterfly gardens at the zoo.  My kids were hugely disappointed when we visited and I can't see any reason for us to ever go back.  Massive missed opportunity.  

Overall safety - I know it's not nearly as dangerous as American cities,  but still I HATE having to be on the aggressive when I am downtown.  I shouldn't have to threaten people in order for them to back off.   After visiting Montreal last summer it really hit me hard on how bad our downtown has fallen apart.   I was out in Montreal on  a Wednesday night and they had a Jazz festival,   Just for Laughs,  some other festival (can't remember) and the streets were jam packed of people dressed nicely walking around.   I remember going with for a walk with a co worker at like 10:30 pm on that same night and still seeing streets full of people and the restaurants and shops all open and full of people.  The place felt alive.   

I wish this city had some pride and cleaned up downtown and at least make it look pretty and make it safe.   I don't consider putting up tents at the Air Canada building next to Portage place where people are pissing and pooping on the ground as "pretty".   It's extremely embarrassing when I have co workers who fly in (usually from Ottawa/Toronto) and they take the tour down Portage and Main and 100% of them say "WHAT A COMPLETE 5HITHOLE!".   When I lived in Ottawa they had a no tolerance for begging and being drunk in public (homeless) and they removed them from the area.   It's getting really bad with the bus shelters and it is starting to bleed outside of downtown to other areas.   You can't expect regular people ever desiring to be in an area where they are unsafe and around unsettling people.   

Yes many other cities have homeless and drug issues... but to me it feels like Winnipeg is the only city that has thrown in the towel and has gave up and let these people rule the streets.  It's a cancer that has spread is taking it over and driving people further out to the Burbs and beyond.

It all starts and ends with the politicians in this Province, most would bankrupt a lemonade stand, not a progressive thought in their heads for the last 50 years.

Globe and Mail rated Winnipeg as the 3rd most livable city in Canada.  It has its problems, especially downtown, but so do many cities.