COLUMN: Viewpoint – What is your hometown?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/09/2024 (219 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On one of the episodes in the current season of The Amazing Race Canada host Jon Montgomery took the competitors on the popular television show to what he called his hometown of Russell, Manitoba. Montgomery enthusiastically introduced viewers to the Ukrainian heritage of the community, the Russell Millenium Park, the town’s grain elevator, its Main Street and the beautiful Asessippi ski area nearby.

It was clear Montgomery, a former Olympic gold medal winner, was proud of his roots in Russell and thrilled to show the town off to Canadian television viewers. Although Montgomery was born in Manitoba, he lived in Calgary for many years training to become a world class skeleton racer, and now he and his wife and children have settled down on Vancouver Island. Despite having lived at length in other places Montgomery still calls Russell his hometown. That got me thinking about what qualifies as a person’s hometown.

Is your hometown the place where you were born?

In that case, my hometown would be Winnipeg, because I was born there in 1953 and spent the first eight years of my life in the city as my father pursued a degree in medicine. My parents met each other at a Winnipeg college and by the time they left the city, had lived in four very different homes in diverse areas of the Manitoba capital with their growing family. My parents had lots of friends in Winnipeg. I attended my first three years of school there, went to church there, and had relatives who also were Winnipeg residents. Winnipeg could be called my hometown.

Yet I tend to refer to Steinbach as my hometown because that’s where I grew up. I spent my formative years from eight to eighteen in the community. I was a student at the old Kornelson School, Southwood School, Woodlawn School, Central School and the Steinbach Collegiate Institute. My family attended Grace Mennonite Church. I sang in the Treble Teens, a community choir. We were sort of ambassadors for Steinbach as we performed in all kinds of different Canadian cities. I had many friends in Steinbach. If your hometown is where you grew up, then Steinbach is definitely my hometown.

My sons were both born in Steinbach and grew up in Steinbach so they should have no questions about what their hometown is. They attended Elmdale School, the Steinbach Junior High and both graduated from the Steinbach Regional Secondary School. They played baseball, basketball, hockey and volleyball for Steinbach teams. They built lasting friendships and connections in the community. So even though they live in different cities now, they consider Steinbach their hometown.

Sometimes I wonder if your hometown is the place where you’ve lived the longest?

I lived in a house trailer in Landmark for two years when my husband was teaching in the high school there. I lived in Kykotsmovi, Arizona, for a year when we did voluntary service work for our church there. I lived in Hong Kong for six years when I was an educator at an international school in the city.

I’ve lived in Winnipeg for a total of 27 years. Eight years as a child, five years as a university student and beginning teacher, and 14 years after I retired from teaching.

I’ve lived in Steinbach for a total of 35 years. Nine years as a child and 26 years as a parent who raised my children there and worked as an educator in schools in the area.

If your hometown is the place you’ve lived the longest then Steinbach is definitely my hometown.

I’m glad that’s settled!