10 Things You Might Not Know About Winnipeg

Unless you’re from Winnipeg (or have visited), you may not know much about this Prairie city with a population of more than 700,000. Yes, it gets cold in the winter. And there are mosquitoes in the summer. And the corner of Portage and Main is windy. But there is much more to the city than those things.

Here are ten things that you probably didn’t know about Winnipeg:

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1. The Canadian Museum of Human Rights

The Canadian Museum of Human Rights, which opened in 2014, is the first national museum located outside of the National Capital Region. Housed in an impressive building, the museum's mandate is 'to explore the subject of human rights with special, but not exclusive, reference to Canada, in order to enhance the public’s understanding of human rights, to promote respect for others and to encourage reflection and dialogue.'

2. Winnie-the-Pooh is Named After Winnipeg

Manitoba Provincial Archives/Wikimedia Commons

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2. Winnie-the-Pooh is Named After Winnipeg

According to the Manitoba Historical Society, Winnie-the-Pooh was a real black bear cub. Lt. Harry Colebourn (pictured with the real Pooh Bear) named the cub after his home of Winnipeg. Winnie travelled with Colebourn to Europe, ending up in the London Zoo. It was there that the real Winnie provided author A.A. Milne with the inspiration for fictional Winnie-the-Pooh. A statue of Pooh and Colebourn can be found in Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park.

3. It’s the Slurpee Capital of the World

Nehrams2020/Wikimedia Commons

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3. It’s the Slurpee Capital of the World

Winnipeggers LOVE their Slurpees. 7-Elevens in the city sell more Slurpees here than anywhere else. How many? Nearly 190,000 per month. The city has been named the Slurpee Capital of the World for 17 years straight.

Wikimedia Commons

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4. Union Station Design

Winnipeg's Union Station was built in the early 1900's, and in 1976 it was designated a National Historic Site. It was designed by Warren and Wetmore, the same team that designed New York's Grand Central Terminal.

Wikimedia Commons

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5. The First City With 911

In 1959, Winnipeg became the first city to have a central emergency telephone number. Although it was 999 back then, it eventually changed to 911.

John Woods/CP

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6. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet

Founded in 1939, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet is Canada's oldest dance company. According to Reader's Digest, it is also the longest continuously running ballet company in North America.

Ryan Cormack/Wikimedia Commons

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7. They Make Money Here

The Royal Canadian Mint has cranked out more than 55 billion coins for 75 countries around the world. You can even tour the mint to see how metal is turned into money. Don't expect any samples, though.

Ccyyrree/Wikimedia Commons

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8. The Most Restaurants

If you're a foodie, you'll love Winnipeg. According to the Winnipeg Free Press, the city has most restaurants per capita in North America. Name the cuisine and you'll find it here. If you like chili burgers, there are none better than VJ's (trust me).

Winnipeg Free Press-Mike Aporius/CP

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9. The World’s Longest Skating Rink

If you've ingested several thousand calories at Winnipeg's restaurants, you're going to need to work it off. If it's winter, head to The Forks historic site, downtown at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. There you'll find the longest skating rink in the world, as recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. How long? Try 8.54km!

Francis Vachon/CP

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10. The Winnipeg Walkway System

When it's brutally cold outside, you want to stay inside. Thanks to the downtown Winnipeg Walkway System, the people of Winnipeg can do just that.

The system is a network of tunnels and overhead walkways that link a large part of the downtown core. The system connects shops, malls, hotels and business buildings via 14 skyways and seven tunnels. According to the CBC, some people have made a game of seeing how far they can go without going outside. About 2 km or nine blocks.