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Sunday 15 May 2011

Westman Dumplings: May 2011

Over the years I have posted dispatches from my little road trips around the province. Last year, due to a death in the family, those trips were curtailed. I hope to make up for lost time this year !

Here are a few updates from around Westman !

Brandon Flood

Brandon Flooding
Brandon Flooding

You may have heard that there have been some moisture issues in Brandon. This wasn't the main purpose of my journey but I did snap a few pics from assorted vantage points. I was there a couple of weeks back and posted pics when it was thought to be at its peak. Well, two weeks later and it was worse than ever.

Brandon Flooding
Brandon Flooding

While driving into the dip before the 18th Street (David Thompson)
Bridge began you realized that you were actually at, or just beneath, the waterline. That row of sandbags your only protection.

Brandon Flooding

It wasn't just traffic chaos. Here's a deserted Corral Centre on a Saturday afternoon
. Car lots, motels and some iconic Brandon places like 'The 40' (bar / club) and Lady of the Lake are also abandoned.

Brandon's not all about the flooding, though....


Assiniboine Community College

Since my last visit t the site in 2009 there have been some great developments at what is the most beautiful post-secondary education setting in the province.

Former Brandon Mental Health Site
Above 2009. Below 2011

The ca. 1932 Pine Ridge Building
is now the Len Evans Centre for Trades and Technology.

Former Brandon Mental Health Site

Former Brandon Mental Health Site

The almost forgotten BMHC cemetery where nearly 400 people were buried from 1898 - 1935 is also visible again thanks to an August 2009 re-dedication. The site now sports ornamental gates, benches and a cairn commemorating those buried on the hospital's grounds.

Forrest, Manitoba

Forrest, Manitoba

Forrest has a great little grain elevator. It's just a few kilometers from one of those modern grain terminals so I always think that next time I drive by it will be gone. Seems, though, that the elevator is in for a makeover. See the top at there's a new roof and beige metal cladding making its way down.


Rivers, Manitoba

Rivers MB

Work is underway on the new curling and hockey rink complex in Rivers
. Above is the old version.





This is the new one, done in rural Manitoba's favourite exterior building material (it's not just for sheds anymore !), metal cladding.

Rivers MB

Another area project that I have been following is the conversion of an old B.C Mills Timber and Trading Company Bank of Commerce building (then apartment building) into a single family dwelling.

Rivers MB

Rivers MB

Above are some of the before.





Here's some of the after. More pics soon !

2 comments:

Colin said...

There is a really fascinating grain elevator about 20-30 minutes east, in an abandoned ghost town. Oberon, Manitoba, it was called.

The elevator in Forrest has been clad that way for years now - hasn't changed much but at least they haven't demolished it.

Christian Cassidy said...

Oh, you're right. I looked at some pics form a couple of years back and that cladding was already there.

I will definitely check out Oberon !