The Manitoba Historical Society has been a great resource in finding information about many of the older neighbourhoods we’ve covered over the past few weeks. But you won’t find much about The Maples on mhs.mb.ca, unfortunately.  As Google can tell you, The Maples is both a large electoral district in North Winnipeg (which includes Amber Trails, Inkster Gardens, and others), and a much smaller neighbourhood bordered by Inkster in the south, Leila in the north, Pipeline Road to the east and Mandalay Drive to the west.

VELOCITYWG #6 is “The Maples” by Senior Designer, Colette Boisvert.

I grew up in Windsor Park, and like a lot of Winnipeg neighbourhoods, the area is not home to a lot of memorable landmarks, indispensible eateries, or breathtaking natural landscapes. I think many Winnipeggers will confidently live their entire lives without having set a foot on Autumnwood Drive or Cottonwood Road.

But Windsor Park is a nice little suburban neighbourhood, with cozy little coves and corner stores. A bowling alley. A burger joint. Its fair share of bad streets, but for the most part, good people.

I’ve lived my entire life in Winnipeg, and I’ve known a lot of great people who grew up in The Maples, but I just don’t know that much about the area. I do know that it’s home to one of the largest per capita immigrant populations in Manitoba (around 35 per cent), with vibrant Filipino, Ukrainian, South Asian, and Chinese communities.

You won’t find the charm of The Maples at the local A&W, the gas station, the IGA, or any of the other interchangeable basics of North American suburban living. You’ll find the real neighbourhood is in the community centres, the churches, the temples, the little parks and the backyard barbecues.

I know from experience (my wife is Polish), most immigrant communities know how to celebrate — so your best shot at getting the feel for The Maples is making friends with a local and getting invited to a good party, where food, friends and family are always the order of the day. Failing that, buy some social tickets — with any luck, there should be one in the area this weekend. Whether it’s lumpia or perogies on the midnight buffet (or both), you’re sure to walk away a happy camper with a little more appreciation for one of Winnipeg’s lesser known, and under-appreciated communities.

VELOCITYWG is a weekly design project: simple exercises in unfettered creativity with a common theme that’s near and dear to our hearts: celebrating the streets, suburbs, and cityscape of Manitoba’s capital.

VELOCITYWG, Rebranding One Great City, continues next week.

Comments? jay@velocitybranding.com