Winnipeg is located at the confluence of two rivers, the Assiniboine River and the Red River. The city sits amidst a vast flatland surrounded by hundreds of parks and lakes.The capital city of the Canadian province of Manitoba, Winnipeg has survived battles, uprisings and floods. It has come a long way since its days as a community of trading posts to become one of the most diversified economies in Canada. The city has a number of heritage sites which have earned it the title of Cultural Capital of Canada.One of the most loved fictional characters, Winnie-the-Pooh originated in Winnipeg. In 1914 an orphaned bear cub stole the heart of Canadian Lieutenant Coleburn, who bought it for $20 from a hunter who had shot the cub's mother. The cub was named Winnipeg and became the regimental mascot. When Coleburn travelled to Europe during World War I he smuggled "Winnie" into London, England. He left the bear at the London Zoo to avoid the stress of taking the cub back to Canada. A short time later English author A.A. Milne saw Winnipeg during a visit to the zoo and was struck by the cub's personality. Winnipeg the cub was Milne's inspiration for the creation of the character called WINNIE-THE-POOH. The statue of Winnipeg, the bear cub and Lieutenant Coleburn, can be found in Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg.Academy Road runs from Maryland Bridge to Wellington Crescent, and intersects with Wellington. This is Winnipeg's business improvement zone and also one of the most exclusive districts in Winnipeg. This is where you can find exclusive designer boutiques, specialty food shops, luxury bath and beauty products, European fashions and footwear, among other things.