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 Neepawa:
A trip to Bountiful
by Jerry W. Bird
Don't you just love the
name Neepawa, with its lilting, musical sound? Say
it softly, with a smile and give thanks, because in
the Cree language, Neepawa means "abundance" or
"place of plenty." Blessed with such a name, this
delightful Manitoba community can't help but
prosper. If you arrive in summer, stay a while and
enjoy Neepawa's Lily Festival, where the whole
community blossoms with pride. Neepawa's homegrown
celebrity, Margaret Laurence, author of "The Stone
Angels" grew up in Neepawa, and local settings were
used in several of her best sellers As portrayed in
so many John Wayne western movie scripts, the
action started the day the railway came to town.
The real estate boom it sparked left a prized
collection of vintage buildings in its wake, each
lovingly preserved for the new millennium. After a
day on the road, Neepawa's "Walking Tours" combine
a glimpse of local history with fresh air and much
needed exercise. To many, the name Neepawa brings
back memories as a World War II air force base and
NATO training centre. Other communities in the area
are:
Gladstone
Have you heard the expression - "in the middle
of everywhere?" That's how one might describe
Gladstone, which claims to be at or near North
America's geographic centre. Settled in 1872,
agricultural and food processing are its claim to
fame, with names like McCain's and Maple Leaf
Foods. Would you believe Gladstone was originally
called Palestine? It was changed to honour a
popular British Prime Minister. Now becoming a
prime retirement community, Gladstone has the right
ingredients; friendly folk, a lush golf course and
city operated park for starters. At the Town
Museum, one can trace the area's past -- and check
the porcelain curios at Manitoba's largest gift
shop.
A nameplate on the Trans
Canada Yellowhead Highway nearby reads, "This cairn
marks third crossing of the Whitemud River on the
Pioneer Trail from Fort Garry to Edmonton."
More to come
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