Mary T.
Yelp
Many years ago, I used to work downtown at the Air Canada Building. Diagonally across from it was Eaton's. On a day shift, on a Friday, I'd walk over and head up to the restaurant on the top floor for lunch. The roast beef with Yorkshire pudding was so good, as was the open-faced turkey sandwich with veggies and mashed potatoes.
I'd also check out the grocery store in the basement. I loved shopping there before heading home. I also have fond memories getting a pair of Esprit cargo pants that I wore until they weren't wearable and heat-changing nail polish.
I moved to Rochester, MN. Eaton's shuttered for good across Canada. This building was demolished.
When I moved back to Winnipeg after my stateside working stint was over, MTS Centre was built where Eaton's was.
Winnipeg lost its NHL hockey team, the Jets. We gained getting the Manitoba Moose, which was the the AHL farm team of the Vancouver Canucks first, and now the Jets. Both the Moose and Jets used to play at Winnipeg Arena before that arena got demolished and MTS Centre, affectionally called the Phonebooth, became the Moose's home.
I was a season ticket holder for the Moose for a couple of years (same as what I have with the Minnesota Wild, which are a handful of tickets each season) before I moved back to the greater Toronto area. I would often go to Marlies games when the Moose were in town.
Well, MTS Centre is now called Canada Life Centre. Yep, the insurance company that used to be Great West Life. So many changes. Don't ask me what the arena's nickname is. The Policy? I don't know.
Last month, I took in a Manitoba Moose game after over a decade. I parked on Hargrave, a block away from the arena. I used to park at Eaton Place before it changed its name to City Place.
Change is totally a constant here.
The interior of this venue has been spruced up with the Jets 2.0 also sharing the same space as the Moose. It's bright and welcoming.
The doors open an hour before the game starts. We were lining up in the lobby. There is only one entrance.
If you're a kid playing hockey at intermission, you can bypass the crowd and go in. Lucky kids!
Staff were extremely helpful and nice. You first go through a security scan. You then present your ticket on your phone. It was such an easy process.
I'm so used to not bringing a bag thanks to going to Xcel Energy Center that I didn't bring one here. Instead, I got a Moose-branded bag that made my day. I never got swag in the past.
I used the washroom a couple of times. Washrooms are more spaced out at this centre, but the one that I used was clean and nicely maintained.
I got a fountain drink at one of the concession stands. As usual, it was overpriced, but I needed one. I paid with a credit card and had a nice woman get me my Diet Coke. It lasted during the entire game.
I got a decent seat almost dead centre. Unfortunately, the guy sitting next to me decided to shake his leg and it was touching mine that I told him to move it not once, but twice. He might like the earthquake feeling, but I don't want to be forced to join him. So odd!
Anyway, it was great watching a Moose game, despite the team losing to the Milwaukee Admirals. Although I don't take in AHL games as much as I used to, it's nice that I tend to see one every year.
I visited the Jets Gear store to check out the merchandise after the game was over. It didn't have a lot of Moose items. I still have a couple of Moose front-zip hoodies. I wish that this store had some so I could spruce up my Moose wardrobe.
Mick E. Moose is the team mascot for both the Jets and Moose. Dancing Gabe, a fixture at Jets 1.0 home games, is still kicking around for Moose and Jets 2.0 games.
Unfortunately, I was not in town to catch a Jets game. However, supporting the Moose by seeing a game was a ton of fun and long overdue.
Canada Life Centre is a decent arena to take in a hockey game. Prices are reasonable and there isn't a bad seat in the house. I look forward to returning to hopefully see the Jets or another Moose game, or take in a concert.
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