Menno Tribune: Name change proposed for Transcona in Winnipeg

Artist's rendering of the Transcona underpass at Plessis road.

Transcona Mennonites in Winnipeg have created a petition to have the eastern corner of Winnipeg renamed. Jasch Rempel is heading up the committee and collecting signatures from area residents. The Menno Tribune caught up with Jasch to ask why he has undertaken the petition. “First of all, we have to get with the times. Look at Toronto; they are changing the names of streets and parks, so we felt it was a good time for Winnipeg to take a step forward. And let's face it, Transcona sounds like a Mennonite altenheim! It’s time for a change! We also have the highest population of Mennonites in the city." Other reasons that were cited: the availability of knack sot in every gas station, the area’s proximity to Steinbach and the readily available supply of Mennonite farmer sausage and New Bothwell cheese in all the area grocery stores.

The new name being put forward is “Schoenthal”. When asked about the name choice, Rempel states that the name is a tribute to an actual village that existed in southern Manitoba at the turn of the century. "We’d thought about the name Chortitz but there are not that many people who know how to pronounce it. And, it has the whole cow udder imagery attached to it. So we put it to a vote. Some of the other name recommendations were: Reimerville, Menno Staut, Varschtville, Wiebe World, Toews Town and Knacksdarp. Those all sounded a bit sondaboa so we finally put forward the name of Schoenthal", says Rempel. The proposed name change has yet to be reviewed and accepted by city council.

sondaboa: odd peculiar

knack sot: sunflower seeds

altenheim: old people's home

Have some fun with your Winnipeg heritage. Click on the image below to check out our complete line of Winnipeg greetings.

You can also find our selection of Winnipeg cards at the following locations in the city.

Chamois Car Wash

Red River Co-op Food Stores

St. Mary's Nursery and Garden Center

Shelmerdine Garden Center

Antique Mall, Johnston Terminal at The Forks

Victoria Hospital Gift Shop

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