Author: Tammy Karatchuk

Small towns are underrated, and they’re often stereotyped.

My hometown of Arborg is quaint and unique – and cute. Maybe that’s too far. No, I think cute is accurate.

Arborg is cool. Maybe it’s our vibe. Or our constant stream of socials and gatherings.

Whether you were raised in Arborg, or you visited family or competed here in a sporting event, you noticed there’s something you can’t put your finger on.

Arborg’s different without being strange. We’re cool without being cocky. And we’re kind without being fake.

I love Winnipeg. With its history  and the Exchange District. Its downtown, and its Charleswood. But when I returned from Edmonton, I gravitated back home.

And home was Arborg.

And some things never change:

1. Our postal code. It’s “R ‘Oh’ C, ‘Oh’ A ‘Oh’ ” because saying “R-zero-C, zero-A-zero is bizarre.
2. We like coffee. We like Chicken Chef. And we like to go for coffee at 3 p.m. Every. Day.
3. If you call a wrong number, chances are that person knows the person you’re trying to call. Hold on, because chances are they’ll give you the correct phone number too.
4. Pothole season is one day.
5. Construction season is two weeks at the most.
6. If four vehicles come to a four-way stop, no one moves and…
7. There’s one four-way stop in town.
8. Chances are if you forget to lock your doors at night, you’ll survive.
9. Chances are if you forget to lock your doors at night, you have a means of protection in the house. (We’re friendly, but we’re not we have our limits.)
10. Everyone either knows everyone, or we know someone who knows someone else who is knows the person you’re talking about. Got it?
11. Almost everyone owns either a: 1) snowmobile; 2) motorcycle; 3) ATV; 4) black or white vehicle; or 5) vintage vehicle
12. It’s not a “garage” or “workplace.” It’s a “shop.”
13. When entering the Arborg Co-op, account for visiting time.
14. It’s common to see tractors, ATVs, and lawnmowers driving down streets – usually heading towards Main Street .
15. We’ve had a rivalry with another town for over 70 years. Few people know the reason.
16. If people don’t know how to find Arborg, we give them directions starting from Gimli.
17. We have our own Starbucks. It’s called Ria Foods. And, no, they don’t have the Unicorn Frappuccino.
18. The Arborg Bakery increases the town’s population on Saturdays.
19. Chances are most people over 40 years old either shopped or heard of the Craft Post, Juna’s Footwear, Deren’s Hardware, Stardust Motel, and Workforce Fashions. Legendary stores that no longer exist, but the memories are passed down to younger generations.
20. Same with JD’s, a restaurant which served the “Arburger” in the 1980s.
21. We’re called Arborgians. Although Arborger has a nice ring.