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While researching his book The Mosaic Village: An Illustrated History of Winnipeg's North End, local author Russ Gourluck interviewed many present and former residents of this famed Winnipeg neighbourhood. He has generously donated the interview recordings to the Winnipeg Public Library in order to make them freely accessible.

The stories revealed in these audio interviews are as diverse as the people who participated in them. Some have become well-known personalities. Some are business owners. Some were born in the North End, while others moved there. All called it their home.

They discuss their school experiences, their favourite games and hangout spots, how they and others perceived the North End and its unique diversity, and how it changed in their lifetimes.

NOTE: The audio quality of these interviews varies.

Over the decades, the North End has seen the rise of many memorable figures in politics and business, arts and entertainment.

dEarl Barish: Earl is a Winnipeg businessman whose family developed the Dickie Dee ice cream brand. (31:35, 45.5 MB MP3)

dSaul Cherniack is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1962 to 1981, and served as a cabinet minister in the NDP government of Edward Schreyer. (46:02, 66.3 MB MP3)

dLarry Fleisher was Director of the Winnipeg Child Guidance Clinic and served as a Winnipeg City Councillor for 13 years. (50:57, 73.4 MB MP3)

dSidney Green has had a long history in politics, first with the provincial New Democratic Party, and then as founder of the Progressive Party of Manitoba in 1981. (29:17, 42.2 MB MP3)

dBernie and Fivie (Arthur) Gunn: Gunn's Bakery is one of the oldest family-run bakeries in Western Canada. It was founded in 1937 by Morris Gunn, a baker's son who immigrated to Canada from Poland. Morris' sons Bernie and Fivie (Arthur) were born next door to the Selkirk Avenue bakery, and the Gunn brothers literally grew up baking. (36:26, 52.5 MB MP3)

dAndy Hill: Mention the phrase "C'mon down" to any long-time Winnipegger and they'll tell you those are the words famously uttered by Nicholas 'Nick' Hill, founder of Kern-Hill Furniture. Listen to his brother Andy talk about the North End. (15:41, 22.6 MB MP3)

dSam Katz is the 42nd mayor of Winnipeg. He is also an entrepreneur and a member of the Order of Manitoba. Katz immigrated to Winnipeg in 1951 as an infant with his parents and brother, and was raised in North Winnipeg. (18:58, 27.3 MB MP3)

dGord Mackintosh is a Manitoba politician. He is currently the Minister of Family Services and Consumer Affairs in Greg Selinger's New Democrat government. (36:26, 52.5 MB MP3)

dDoug Martindale: Doug has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba since 1990, serving as a member of the New Democratic Party. (37:41, 54.3 MB MP3)

dRon Romanowski: Ron grew up on Polson Avenue and attended St. John's High School. He took up poetry to find an activity "as intense as marathon running" and has since published three books in which the North End holds a central place. (29:06, 41.9 MB MP3)

dJudy Wasylycia-Leis is a noted Canadian politician. She was a Manitoba cabinet minister in the government of Howard Pawley from 1986 to 1988, and the NDP MP for Winnipeg North in the House of Commons from 1997 to 2010. (46:17, 52.5 MB MP3)

dAnnette Champion-Taylor and Tracey Proctor: Annette is the Volunteer and Program Coordinator of the William Whyte Residents Association and Tracey is past-chair of the St. John's Residents Association. Since 2008, both have headed up the Neighbour-to-Neighbour Safety Strategy. (50:04, 72.1 MB MP3)

dLawrie Cherniak was elected as a city councillor in 1971, following in the footsteps of his father, Saul. (36:11, 52.1 MB MP3)

dPat Duseigne: Pat's career working at the Main and Matheson Salisbury House began in 1974 and continued uninterrupted until her retirement in 2009. Some of her notable regulars included Bobby Hull, Gary Doer and Burton Cummings. (19:57, 28.7 MB MP3)

dPearl Globerman's parents opened a grocery store where they lived in the 1930's, located at Andrews and Manitoba. She remembers working at Oretski's Department Store when she was 16 years old. (19:27, 28 MB MP3)

dVera Hershfield, born in Russia, immigrated to Winnipeg in 1930. Her husband Sam was a co-owner of a drugstore on Main Street. (22:50, 32.9 MB MP3)

dBen and Phyllis Hochman: in 1936, the family opened Hochman's Food Store on Main Street with Ben starting to work when he was 12 years old. Originally a fruit and vegetable store, it would eventually become the Oasis deli. (1:05:47, 94.7 MB MP3)

dOrysia Jackson used to deliver groceries while working for the family business, the Lucky Dollar, on Arlington Street. While going to St. John's she was familiar with Burton Cummings. (27:56, 40.2 MB MP3)

dHarry Kaplan: After completing his apprenticeship, Harry became a business partner at Economy Drugs with Dave Stern in 1963, just as the store began its transformation into Economy Discount Drug Store. (57:13, 82.4 MB MP3)

dAstrid and Ed Lichti: The Astrid family has operated the Cosmopolitan FLorists since 1966, and has witnessed the transformation of the neighbourhood over the years. (31:36, 45.5 MB MP3)

dRose Mindell came from Poland in 1929 when she was ten. Her family owned a series of businesses in the North End, including a drugstore, a card shop and a restaurant, before opening Polson Groceries. (25:14, 36.3 MB MP3)

dArie Perlmutter: One of the best-known bakeries in the North End, City Bread was purchased by Arie's father and uncle in 1950, where they worked until 1975. (37:19, 53.8 MB MP3)

dBill Shell's family arrived in Winnipeg in 1924. His father helped found the Achdus Free Loan Society, which helped small businesses get started. (28:04, 40.4 MB MP3)

dSharon Staff and Roger Leclerc: Alycia's Restaurant was started by Sharon's mother, Marion Staff, in 1971. Initially known as Alice's Restaurant, it developed into its present incarnation as a Ukrainian restaurant, now operated by Sharon and Roger. (21:59, 31.7 MB MP3)

dKen Werner: Ken started working at his father's business at 15 in a summer job. Today he continues the family business as owner of Winnipeg Old Country Sausage on Dufferin Avenue. (48:49, 70.3 MB MP3)

dPhil Young managed the College Theatre for Winnipeg-based Western Theatres from 1949 to 1956. He remembers Lena Home visiting the theatre for an autograph session when one of her movies was playing. (12:14, 17.6 MB MP3)