2010's Year End Dumplings

Time for a little navel gazing and a look back at what people liked in my little corner of the blogosphere. Thanks to everyone who tuned in and provided feedback throughout the year. Look for more of the same in 2011 !

First off, I'd like to thank my top referrers. It would be a much lonelier place without you !

Endless Spin (R.I.P.)
Winnipeg Love Hate
Winnipeg Free Press
Policy Frog
Anybody Want a Peanut

Here are the Top 10 Dumplings of 2010:

1. Safeway in Winnipeg Part 4: “Sweeping Styles”
This was number one hands-down, the hits powered by US retro design sites like groceteria.com and local discussions about the fate of Winnipeg’s Ellice and Wall building.

2. Old Market Square’s Cube Opens
Love it or hate it, people wanted to know more about it and Google brought them here !

3. Bus Porn
Pics of the MTHA's sexy, sleek, 1950s Western Flyer coach taught me that "bus porn" is a niche market for the one-handed typer crowd. I hope not everyone was disappointed with what they found !

4. Safeway in Winnipeg Part 2: The Boom years (1929 – 1939)

5. I Love Manitoba Part 14: The Former Brandon Mental Health Site The post dates back to July 2009 but continues to draw interest.

6. Wither Orioles ?
It touched a nerve in the lame world of petty community-level politics. The nastiness of the comments section is more interesting than the original post !

7. West End Landmark Gone
It was only up for a couple of weeks but cracked the top ten. It also adds more Safeway content to what appears to have been a Safeway obsessed year for me !

8. Shenanigans of Halloweens Past

9. Brandon’s Firefighter Down Finally Honoured
One of the most satisfying posts I've written.

It was a follow up on a 2008 piece about Fred Brown, the only firefighter killed in the line of duty in Brandon. He was long forgotten, not even listed on the national honour roll. In 2010 it all came together. He was recognized at the national ceremony in Ottawa and the street on which Brandon’s new fire hall will sit is known as Fred Brown Way.

10. Manitoba Herald Archives Page
For those of you wondering 'why ?'. From time to time I do have people asking 'a couple of weeks back, you had a link to this story - where was that from ?' I decided to cut and paste the headlines for reference.

Winnipeg Downtown Places is a new entry for me this year. I want to plot as many buildings, parks, artwork as I can to show some of the neat and often forgotten things that we have downtown !

Here are the top ten posts from that site for 2010:

1. 450 Portage Avenue: The Bay
2. One Lombard Place: The Richardson Building
3. 265 Portage Avenue: The Avenue Building
4. The Lights on Broadway Festival
5. 232 Princess Street: The Edge on Princess
6. 1 Heaton Avenue: YouCube Condominiums
7. 251 Donald Street: The Millennium Library
8. Memorial Boulevard: Memorial Park
9. Higgins and Main: Youth for Christ Centre
10. Assiniboine Avenue: Heritage Landing Development