Freedom to Play: We Made Our Own Fun

SPACE, FREEDOM, ACTIVE, LOVE

SPACE, FREEDOM, ACTIVE, LOVE Ian and Lee Rennie share their memories of sunny Winnipeg. As Lee and I talk about Winnipeg childhoods in the ’30s, there are certain expressive words that come to mind, such as space, freedom, active, love—words which need to be fleshed out. And of course, whatever some may think, Winnipeg was hardly the boondocks in those days; in fact, it was the third largest city in Canada. Space meant lots of room—even in the cities: rivers and riverbanks, creeks and gullies, large parks—Assiniboine, Polo Park, Kildonan—to name a few. With just a brief walk, and over a trestle, you were right out in the country, where you sensed the infinite horizon and the glorious clouds. Freedom began as soon as school was out. In five to five and a half months of winter (November to mid-April) it meant tobogganing down river banks and gulleys, and at a party down the great slides at Polo Park, skating—at local skating rinks and on the river, and as one grew older, skiing. These late afternoons finished at supper time. In the warm weather there was bicycle There Was Always Something to Do 191 “Color-color.” Keith and Kim Gosse, 1952. riding, which in the summer holidays could go on all day and right into the evening. And the weather always seems to be good—good and cold, good and hot, and just plain good. Seldom did days ever seem to be spoiled by rain, so there always seemed to be the freedom to do what you wished. Active seems to encapsulate one of the qualities of life. Life was always busy, usually at your own instigation or that of your friends. Time didn’t seem to hang on your hands. Love was always present. As a child you were not particularly reflective about it—you just took it for granted. Yet now as you look back, and realize how difficult the Dirty Thirties on the prairies were for our parents, we are amazed at the strength of character that they exhibited. My father was in the grain business, in the Winnipeg office of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, yet often his stories were of how much worse off were the farmers. Lee’s father began to develop serious arthritis of the spine, until as a relatively young man he was virtually doubled over. Yet we were given constant love, with little or no idea of what our parents were suffering in worry and apprehension. As we look back we thank God that we were privileged to be prairie kids. VICTORIA DAY IN PONOKA Holidays were important events because there was often a celebration or at least a break from the daily routine. Lis Schmidt Robert shares her memory of a very special event. I can’t recall full details from my 6th year of life, but that year our Victoria Day celebration went something like this: We had all received small Union Jacks at school. Then ten or so children in our neighbourhood decided it would be a good idea to put on a parade. We put our family’s cylinder record player in our wagon, put on the record “Rule Britannia” or “There’ll Always Be an England” (I don’t remember which) and turned on the player. We then marched around the block pulling the wagon, singing with the record, and waving our flags. 192 Freedom to Play ...