Heritage Winnipeg

🏛🍸Our first in-person fundraiser since 2019 is tomorrow!🍸🏛

📍The Millennium Centre (389 Main Street)
📆 Friday, November 8th, 2024. VIP Reception 6pm -7pm, Cocktail Party 7pm-12am

Visit the link in our bio to purchase tickets!

Heritage in the news! Today, the President of the Heritage Winnipeg Board of Directors, Greg Agnew, was featured in the Winnipeg Free Press! Head over to their website and look for the headline, "Winnipeg a treasure-trove of historic sites" to read about Greg and Heritage Winnipeg. Thank you Freda Glow for covering this story!

🏛🍸UNDER THE DOME is only two days away!🍸🏛

📍The Millennium Centre (389 Main Street)
📆 Friday, November 8th, 2024. VIP Reception 6pm -7pm, Cocktail Party 7pm-12am

Visit the link in our bio to purchase tickets!

🏛🏛🏛UNDER THE DOME is THIS FRIDAY so it's time to share more of the exciting things we have planned for this magical evening!🏛🏛🏛

🍽 Bergmann's On Lombard will be providing delicious catering for the event!🍽

Located in the historic Grain Exchange Building, Bergmann's on Lombard has been providing top-notch catering and event planning services since 2001. Their staff are dedicated to helping you every step of the way as you plan your special day. With customizable menus, Bergmann's has something for everyone and will ensure that no one leaves your event hungry!

Thank you to Bergmann's on Lombard for supporting our event!

🎫Visit the link in our bio for tickets and more information.
Event Info:
📍The Millennium Centre (389 Main Street)
📆 Friday, November 8th, 2024. VIP Reception 6pm -7pm, Cocktail Party 7pm-12am

✨Our one-night-only artit showcase is TONIGHT! Come check out some beautiful artwork in this beautiful building! ✨

The event will include a meet-and-greet with some of the Winnipeg artists who participated in our Summer Art Contest, as well as presentations from our very special guest speakers: Jordan Van Sewell, Winnipeg-based Ceramics Artist ; and Jen Arnold, Winnipeg-based miniatures artist .

📍The Millennium Centre, 389 Main Street (wheelchair accessible)
📆Friday, November 1st, 2024
⏰5pm-7:30pm, guest speakers at 5:30

See you tonight!

🏚🎃👻Happy Halloween!🏚🎃👻

While we often talk about the stories our heritage buildings tell, there are occasionally those who claim to have heard these stories directly from their sources. Paranormal encounters in historic buildings have been recorded in various forms and continue to come to light to this day. Ghostly sightings are common in places such as Dalnavert Museum, the Masonic Temple on Donald, the Fort Garry Hotel, Hamilton House on Henderson Hwy, and the Pantages Playhouse. Some stories are easily dismissed as coincidences, while others could chill the spine of the stiffest skeptic.

Do you have any ghost stories from heritage buildings? Share it with us in the comments!

🏛🏛🏛UNDER THE DOME is only one week away, so it's time to share more of the exciting things we have planned for this magical evening!🏛🏛🏛

🍿Throughout the evening, Amazing Entertainment will be delighting guests with complimentary popcorn! 🍿

Since 1974, Amazing Entertainment has been providing a variety of entertainment services to Winnipeggers and beyond. In addition to snacks and catering, Amazing Entertainment offers unique experiences, such as game shows, photo booths, and live performances! Whether it's an office function, a holiday party, or a birthday surprise, Amazing Entertainment is dedicated to making your event a night to remember.

Thank you Amazing Entertainment for supporting our event and helping us make it amazing!

🎫Visit the link in our bio for tickets and more information.
Event Info:
📍The Millennium Centre (389 Main Street)
📆 Friday, November 8th, 2024. VIP Reception 6pm -7pm, Cocktail Party 7pm-12am

Good news for the Winnipeg heritage community: a development company is awaiting approval to convert the historic former St. Boniface Normal School at 210 Masson St. into a residential space! Read more at the link in our bio.

NEW BLOG POST!

"Forty and Fabulous: When Buildings Become Heritage" takes a look at some of our city's newer heritage buildings and their eclectic styles. Read it now at the link in our bio!

Photo: Royal Winnipeg Ballet at 380 Graham Avenue

When walking through the Exchange District, many visitors' eyes are drawn to the Paterson GlobalFoods Culinary Institute at 504 Main Street. With its alluring combination of old and new design elements, the building acts as a gateway into Old Market Square, and is constantly buzzing with students learning to master their craft, and hungry professionals grabbing a quick lunch.

Built in 1904, the Chicago School-style Union Bank Tower was designed by well-known Toronto Architects Darling and Pearson. At 10 storeys, it was the tallest building in Winnipeg at the time. It was constructed using concrete caissons and a steel-girder frame, and is now believed to be the oldest surviving steel frame and reinforced concrete 'skyscraper' in the country. The shape of the exterior is based on the form of a column with three separate sections: the first three floors act as the base, the rest of the floors form the shaft, and the elaborate cornice at the top of the building is the column's capital. The building is a perfect example of the Chicago School style, with arched and flat-headed windows, heavy cornices and quoins.

The building's interior is lavish and neo-classical in style, much like the other financial institutions that would follow their lead on Main Street. Ionic columns and marble counters filled the banking hall, while gold leaf trimmed the ceiling above. Many of the building's rooms were lined with materials such as marble and finished oak, mahogany and maple wood.

In 1925, the Union Bank was acquired by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). They operated out of the branch until 1992. In 1993, a request was made to the City of Winnipeg for a demolition permit for the former bank. After hearing this news, Heritage Winnipeg and committed citizens took action, writing to members of the provincial and municipal government. These efforts earned the building a municipal heritage designation in 1995 and federal heritage designation in 1997.

The city took ownership of the building in 1995 in lieu of taxes. While the building had been saved from demolition, it remained unused for many years. The city continued to neglect the building and every proposal made for its reuse until 2009 was unsuccessful. Then RRC purchased the building, and work began on a rehabilitation project that would convert the building into a first ever Hospitality and Culinary Arts School for Red River College (RRC). The sensitive conversion into a school and residence was led by Prairie Architects, and was all completed including a new annex in 2013. In the ten years since, the school has filled the Exchange District, a national historic site, with thousands of students and has given this landmark building a new life for the next generations!

📸1, “THE NEW UNION BANK, WINNIPEG” c. 1901-1910, Martin Berman Postcard Collection, Public Domain. 2, Paterson GlobalFoods RRC Culinary Institute, Heritage Winnipeg.

🎨At our local artist showcase on November 1st, we'll be welcoming TWO guest speakers to talk about heritage and art: Jordan Van Sewell and Jen Arnold! Swipe through these images to read about these artists and check out their inspiring work.

📍The Millennium Centre, 389 Main Street
📆Friday, November 1st, 2024
⏰5pm-7:30pm, guest speakers at 5:30

We can't wait to see you there!

After decades away, a small but important piece of the former Bank of Commerce has returned home after decades apart!

Last week, Heritage Winnipeg President Greg Agnew was browsing the vast selection of vintage and antique goods at The Old House Revival Company , when he noticed a familiar piece in one of the glass cases. Since Heritage Winnipeg took over the management of the Millennium Centre, Greg has been in charge of most of the maintenance work in the building. Thanks to his familiarity with the building, he immediately recognized that this piece of hardware was an original door latch and handle unit from the former Bank of Commerce.

Better yet, Greg remembered that he had found a spare key in the building that did not correspond to any of our locks. On a whim, he raced to the Millennium Centre, grabbed the key, and returned to the Old House Revival Company. He asked to see the unit, inserted the key, and... CLICK! It opened!

Impressed and excited by Greg's magic trick, the Old House Revival Company graciously offered to donate the unit. It is now installed on the door to the Tapestry room in the Millennium Centre. We have no idea when it was removed, why it was removed, or how it ended up at Old House Revival Company, but we sure are grateful that it found its way home!

Thank you to Old House Revival Company for donating our prodigal door handle. Be sure to check out their store at 324 Young Street next time you're downtown!

🏛🏛🏛UNDER THE DOME is less than one month away, so it's time to share more of the exciting things we have planned for this magical evening!🏛🏛🏛

🍹Patent 5 Distillery will join us as a beverage vendor with an extra special 150 drink created for the event! 🍹

Patent 5 Distillery is a Winnipeg-based company located in the historic 1904 Dominion Express Building at 108 Alexander Avenue. In the former livery, Patent 5 creates award-winning premium spirits using Manitoba ingredients. The distillery goes above and beyond by offering signature cocktails in their beautiful tasting room, hosting events and offering tours, and teaching cocktail classes to help you take your drink skills to the next level! For the past few years, Patent 5 Distillery has been a participant in Doors Open Winnipeg, inviting the public to tour their historic space and admire its beauty.

We are so excited to be working with Patent 5 Distillery once again, and we can't wait to try their specialty cocktail!

🎫Visit the link in our bio for tickets and more information.
Event Info:
📍The Millennium Centre (389 Main Street)
📆 Friday, November 8th, 2024. VIP Reception 6pm -7pm, Cocktail Party 7pm-12am

We can't wait Manitoba Underground Opera!💃💃💃

We can’t wait 🕺🎶

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Posted • 🏛🏛🏛UNDER THE DOME is less than one month away, so it’s time we started sharing all of the exciting things we have planned for this magical evening!🏛🏛🏛

🎶Manitoba Underground Opera will be sharing their impressive talent with three spectacular performances throughout the evening! 🎶

is a Winnipeg based opera company that creates original productions of classic operas with a modern perspective. Placing the heightened drama of opera alongside contemporary social commentary, these productions come to life in iconic venues like the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and La Cathédrale de Saint-Boniface. In May of 2024, the Manitoba Underground Opera was featured in Heritage Winnipeg’s Doors Open event, giving performances in the newly renovated Phillips Square at 240 Tache Avenue. That same month, they brought the Millennium Centre to life with their performances of “The Rocking Horse Winner.”

We are overjoyed to be collaborating with Manitoba Underground Opera once again, and we can’t wait to be serenaded Under the Dome!

🎫 https://heritagewinnipeg.com/2024-fall-fundraiser/

Event Info:
📍The Millennium Centre (389 Main Street)
📆 Friday, November 8th, 2024. VIP Reception 6pm -7pm, Cocktail Party 7pm-12am

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Heritage Winnipeg!

🦃🌽🍎🦃🌽🍎🦃🌽🍎🦃🌽🍎🦃🌽🍎🦃🌽🍎

This thanksgiving, we're showing gratitude for our city's historic buildings and the many communities, organizations, and institutions that bring them to life. These groups bring new energy and positive attitudes to downtown and the surrounding areas, whether it be through educational and cultural institutions, affordable housing, or local business or artists' studio space.

Thanks to their resilience, affordability and sustainability, Winnipeg's heritage buildings are reimagined and reused in many different and successful ways, always reminding us of the importance of our city’s history, and celebrating the stories our buildings tell!

It's Feature Focus Friday! This week, we're taking a look at another popular style in Winnipeg: Italianate!

Italianate architecture is a style that is loosely based on Italian Renaissance villas. While the style is usually applied in residential designs, most of its examples in Winnipeg are larger, commercial buildings. Italianate style is characterized by its flat roofs, round and segmental arch window heads that are often paired, pronounced details, and small but dense ornamentation.

The style often incorporates many classical influences and can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. It was popularized in the late 19th century and was brought to Winnipeg by Ontario architects and designers.

Interested in learning more about the city's architectural styles and features? Stay tuned for the launch of "DiscoverIT", a website for all things architecture.

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On November 8th in 1873, the City of Winnipeg was officially incorporated. When the ballots were counted on January 5, 1874, Francis Evans Cornish was elected the first Mayor of Winnipeg, with a population of approximately 3,700 people. The first Council meeting was then held on January 19, 1874 on the second floor of Bentley's new building at north-west corner of Portage Avenue and Main Street.

Over the past 150 years our city has experienced immense growth in all sectors, and has also endured many challenges. Winnipeg is now home to approximately 840,000 people, and our built heritage continues to celebrate the stories our buildings tell!



📷 1. Map of Winnipeg, 1874 2. Portage and Main, 1874 (Courtesy of the City of Winnipeg Archives)

Located at 200 Kenny Street, Église du Précieux Sang (Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church) is renowned for its unique corkscrew roof, which stands out amidst the residential streetscape of Norwood, St. Boniface.

Designed by Franco-Manitoban Architect Étienne Gaboury and constructed by Bockstael Construction in 1968, Église du Précieux Sang is part of Gaboury's impressive portfolio, which includes landmark Winnipeg structures such as the Royal Canadian Mint and the Esplanade Riel pedestrian bridge.
  
The church's dramatic spiraling roof draws inspiration from the shape of a tipi, introducing a cultural reference for the predominantly Métis congregation at the time of its construction. Wooden support beams run along the ceiling, guiding the viewer's gaze upwards, and creating the illusion of an endless ceiling. A stained glass window at the roof's apex bathes an altar directly beneath the centre of the spiral in sunlight. Benches and a choir are arranged in a semicircle around the central altar, fostering a sense of harmony among worshippers. The purposeful and distinctive design of the Église du Précieux Sang has made it a symbol of prairie architecture.