# St\. James\-Assiniboia \| Winnipeg Neighbourhoods

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**Last Updated:** 2026-11-05T21:51:14+00:00

**Summary:** If you travel west from downtown along Portage Avenue , you’ll run into St. James and Assiniboia with its interesting mix of homes, shopping malls, sports facilities and parks.

If you travel west along Portage Avenue from downtown, you’ll soon run into St. James-Assiniboia, a neighbourhood with no shortage of shops, restaurants and a mix of quaint neighbourhoods that run toward the Assiniboine River or further north into quiet streets and parks. Located along Portage Avenue, the greater St. James area was one of Winnipeg's original districts, and is still home to the [Royal Canadian Air Force 17 Wing](https://www.canada.ca/en/air-force/corporate/who-we-are/organizational-structure/2-canadian-air-division/17-wing.html) base. You’ll also find numerous strip malls boasting restaurants, cafés and specialty stores. It’s also the city's largest and most popular shopping area, featuring [CF Polo Park](https://shops.cadillacfairview.com/property/cf-polo-park) mall, as well as numerous big box retailers.

The area features numerous socio-economic backgrounds, ranging from prosperous communities near the [St. Charles Country Club](https://stcharlescountryclub.ca/) near the Assiniboine River – Jack Nicklaus once played its golf course during the Canadian Senior Open Championships – to many middle-class areas and to more working-class neighbourhoods near the [Richardson International Airport](https://www.ywg.ca/en/passengers/).

There are plenty of things to do in the area, highlighted by the original [Activate Games](https://playactivate.com/), which has taken the world of interactive game rooms by storm with nearly 100 locations across 12 countries, since opening in 2019.

Nature lovers flock to [The Living Prairie Museum](https://www.winnipeg.ca/recreation-leisure/parks/trails-natural-areas/living-prairie-museum) – an urban nature preserve that protects endangered tall grass prairie and features walking trails, an interpretive centre and all kinds of wildlife, including hawks and falcons. At its westernmost point is the [Assiniboia Downs](https://asdowns.com/) horse racing track – the grounds also host the [Red River Ex](https://www.redriverex.com/)hibition every June, featuring midway rides, games of chance and skill, corn dogs and live entertainment.

The [Hockey for All Centre](https://www.hockeyforallcentre.com/), a four-rink complex, is buzzing 12 months a year but particularly during the winter, when it serves as the practice facility for the Winnipeg Jets.