Bye, bye, Paddlewheel

Courtesy of the Winnipeg Free Press

The Paddlewheel is closed. Gone. It served its last meal yesterday, leaving generations upon generations without their jello and whipped cream dessert.

Although there were many reasons why the Paddlewheel wasn't working in The Bay (economics being a huge factor). It's still bitter- similar to James Cameron explaining why Jack couldn't fit on the wooden door with Rose in Titanic.

Yet, what makes it even more bitter is the potential the Paddlewheel had after opening in 1954 and making its mark it on downtown during those initial years. Downtown was the place to be and the Paddlewheel was an extension of that in the 60s, and 70s. The Winnipeg Free Press wrote the other day that Neil Young and Burton Cummings were regulars, hanging out with their fellow Winnipeggers.

I remember my first trip to the Paddlewheel: my mom was excited to take us there. It was her place to go with her mom whenever they took a trip into Winnipeg from Inglis. I remember the white and green walls, the fake windows, and the large paddlewheel that wasn't turning at the time. We grabbed our trays, and I'm sure I had a grilled cheese with fries. A meal of substance, of course.

My mom told me I wasn't particularly impressed with the restaurant then, but now, its become a place of fragmented memories for me. Whether it was  adding Baileys to the coffee after a long day of shopping, or eating a burger and fries while gossiping with my friends. It was in the heart of where I socialized for a very long time.

Yesterday, my mom and I went there for a the last time. All that was left to cook was chicken fingers, so, we shared a plate. In a bittersweet sentiment to the restaurant we bought two trays and took them home with us. My mom is excited to use her tray to grate cheese, but I don't what I'll use mine for.  

Framing it might be a little melodramatic.