West End Dumplings

Arlington Bridge turning 100 (to the Taxi theme !)

2012-01-30T13:24:00.001-06:00

Love her or hate her, the Arlington Bridge is turning 100 in a few days ! It opened for traffic with little fanfare on February 6, 1912.

Last year I did a three part series on the history of the bridge. The fourth part, dealing with the whole Nile legend, kept getting put off as I dug deeper into it. I decided to shelve it and post it for the 100th birthday.

Here's something that I've wanted to do for years: drive over the Arlington Street Bridge while listening to the theme from Taxi ! For those of you too young to remember, the television show Taxi opened with a Checkered Cab driving across the Queensboro (59th Street) Bridge in New York to Angela's Theme by Bob James.

For more photos of the bridge.

Another fire on Austin MB's main drag

2012-01-29T09:08:00.000-06:00

ca. 2009 (Google Street View)

January 28, 2012

On Thursday a two-storey apartment block on Austin, Manitoba's main drag burned down. Nobody was injured and the building was torn down before it could damage the neighbouring block.

Above ca. 2009

Austin is just in the process of filling in the final gap left after two buildings, also on 2nd Avenue, burned to the ground in February 2010.

The City of St. James - Manitoba's Newest and Fastest Growing City

2012-01-28T09:32:00.002-06:00

April 14 1956, Winnipeg Free Press

Five times lucky for the Lakeview Hotel project on St. Mary Ave?

2012-01-26T15:15:00.002-06:00

Earlier this month one of the city's most announced projects was announced yet again: the Lakeview Hotel on St. Mary Avenue at Edmonton Street.

First proposed in 2004, the plan has undergone a number of changes. The most recent incarnation calls for two hotels on the site: one facing Edmonton Street and another facing St. Mary Avenue.

It would be great to have that site filled and the last link of the southern loop of the Skywalk system completed. Unfortunately, the connection is to be part of the St. Mary hotel which will be built as a second phase.

To be honest, I am not holding my breath that either hotel will be built any time soon. Here's a look back at the various announcements of this Lakeview Hotel project:

November 6, 2004, Winnipeg Free Press

The proposal was first made public back in November 2004. The Lakeview Group announced the construction of a $12m, six storey, 115 room all-suite hotel connected to the downtown Skywalk system. Construction was to begin in Spring 2005.

June 25, 2005, Winnipeg Free Press

Summer came and Lakeview announced that the project was on hold while they reconfigured the design. It would now be ten storeys with 97 hotel rooms and 25 condominium units. Construction was to begin begin in the Autumn of 2005.

May 23, 2006, Winnipeg Free Press

Autumn passed but no construction. In June 2006 Lakeview told the Free Press that the final design details were being worked out. The project would also contain heated indoor parking, an exercise room, a small coffee shop and connection to the Skywalk. Construction was expected to begin by the end of 2006.

December 19, 2007, Winnipeg Free Press

A 2007 story about Lakeview's Sheraton Four Points development at the airport reported that construction of both hotels would begin in April / May 2008.

September 8, 2008, Winnipeg Free Press

In 2008 a new configuration was announced. The site would consist of two hotels. Facing Edmonton Street an $8m, 80 room, 3.5 star hotel. Facing St. Mary Avenue a four star hotel of seven to sixteen storeys with at least 150 hotel rooms and a connection to the Skywalk. Construction was to begin once the Convention Centre expansion plans were announced.

October 3, 2010, Winnipeg Free Press

One month later the Convention Centre announced their expansion plans. After the press conference Lakeview's Jack Levit told the Free Press that the 80 unit, 3.5 star hotel would go ahead but that the four star, 150 room hotel was on hold until they found out more about the proposed hotel addition to the Convention Centre. “Our plans are to go ahead with the 80 rooms and suites and see what happens” and said he expected that the hotel would be open in a year-and-a-half.

January 4, 2012, Winnipeg Free Press

In January 2012 Lakeview again floated the hotel proposal. In the Free Press story Murray McNeill was generous when he wrote that "Lakeview has been talking for more than a year ..." about the plan.

The latest proposal is similar to the 2010 version. A four-storey, 85-room Lakeview Signature Hotel facing Edmonton Street which ".... will take about a year to complete." The second is a $19-million, 12-storey, 150-room Lakeview Inn connected to the Skywalk, is on hold until the Convention Centre construction is well underway.

For a history of the site see my Winnipeg Downtown Places post.

Seriously, Gail ?

2012-01-25T15:45:00.003-06:00

A good post over at The Purple Rod about Gail Asper's irreverent "quip to the editor" in yesterday's Free Press about the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

I'm sure my father, Israel Asper, would have found the continuing discussions for and against the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to be fascinating. For my part, all I can say is, hey, at least it's given the detractors something to complain about beside our weather.
GAIL ASPER, Winnipeg

Anything I have ever read or heard about Izzy Asper leads me to believe that he would have grabbed the problem by the nuts long ago, banged a lot of heads and table tops and got things back on track before they got to the sad state the project finds itself in now.

I consider myself a supporter of the project but seeing things like this goes a long way to point out why the project has stumbled so badly and, perhaps, if it will ever be realized.

When museum fundraisers have to go back to some of the people that Asper herself talked out of millions in donations, (don't mind the various levels of government), to ask for more to get the project finished in her lifetime, I wonder if they'll have the same "aw shucks" attitude.

The Royal Artillery Museum at Shilo turns 50 !

2012-01-24T05:35:00.002-06:00

On Thursday, January 26 the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) Museum at CFB Shilo turns 50 !

Admission is free for the remainder of January and they have some special hours. On the 26th they will be open from 10 am - 10 pm and on Saturday, January 27 and Sunday, January 28 from 10 am - 5 pm. (It's also the weekend of Shilo's winter fair !)

Thursday will feature fireworks at 7:45 pm and at 7 pm the opening of a new exhibit from the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa called “Profit and Ambition: The Canadian Fur Trade 1779 - 1821."

Strangely, their website doesn't actually mention anything that's happening at or located in the museum so check out this write up for an overview. Here are a few other things that might be of interest:

The most complete collection of Canadian-made military vehicles in the world and the largest artillery collection in Canada.

The original December 1915 Punch Magazine printing plate of Dr. John McCrae's poem In Flanders Fields.

There are two Victoria Crosses on display, those of Sargent Robers Spall (left) of Montréal and Winnipegger Captain Christopher O'Kelly*. Only 1351 V.C.'s have ever been awarded, 96 of them to Canadians, so to see two together is rare.

If you want to make it a military remembrance sort of day, just 15 minutes up the road is the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, a national historic site. In Brandon is the The XII Manitoba Dragoons and 26 Field Regiment Museum. (Contact them to see if their hours mesh with RCA's.)

For more about Canadian Artillery history

*More on Christopher O'Kelly, V.C.

April 15, 1918, Winnipeg Free Press

When he enlisted, O'Kelly was a student at St. John's College and worked at his father's Main Street real estate firm Harrison and O'Kelly.

The V.C. was O'Kelly's second major award. He had been in the trenches for just a month when he was awarded the Military Cross for his action at Vimy Ridge.

ca. 1922 ad

In 1922 the firm's name changed to C. O'Kelly and Son. In November of that year he was presumed drowned after a boating accident near Kenora. His body was never found.

West End History: Minto Armouries Fire (1956)

2012-01-22T15:03:00.005-06:00

Source: Winnipeg Fire Museum

At 5:25 a.m. on Sunday, January 22, 1956 Minto Armouries' night furnaceman Bert Polson was eating his lunch when he noticed smoke entering the boiler room. He called the fire department who arrived to find the St. Matthews Avenue structure ablaze.

Firefighters had quite a challenge on their hands. Aside from the - 20 temperature, the main entrance to the massive structure was located directly underneath the second floor area that was burning.

At the other end of the building, a different drama was unfolding. The Armouries' live-in caretaker Robert Mainer and wife Lily fled to the roof of the building around 6 a.m.. Due to smoke and the size of the building, the couple spent half an hour unseen and unheard calling out for help. Lily Mainer, who was partially paralyzed due to lateral sclerosis, recounted:

"Does anybody hear us? Like heck they do. They're (neighbours) all asleep. Half an hour we stand there screaming and shivering and shivering and screaming."
January 23, 1956, Winnipeg Free Press

They were finally spotted by a passing police car and firefighters were alerted. The couple and their pets were saved.

As news of the fire spread, soldiers came to the Armoury. The first one there was a Lt. Smith who drove ten vehicles out of the basement. As others poured onto the scene, they removed the remaining vehicles as well as regimental trophies and records, musical instruments, kilts, rifles and "refreshments" (the newspaper didn't elaborate on the latter.) Sadly, not all of the regimental records and photos were saved.

January 23, 1956, Winnipeg Free Press

The twelve-hour long blaze took its toll. Two firemen were injured and it cost Battalion Chief Andrew Hebenton his life.

Hebenton, 65, was a 42-year veteran of the force and entered the building numerous times over the course of the morning. On one trip he had chest pains and had to be helped outside by his men. He refused to leave the scene and directed the fight from his car. When his chest pains continued he was brought, against his will, the the hospital.

Hospital staff thought that the feisty Hebenton might be delirious from heat exhaustion and began asking him questions, to which he shot back: “I know what day it is. There’s nothing wrong with me. It’s Sunday. And there’s a fire at Minto Armouries and I’ve got to get back there fast." He died shortly after from a heart attack. (January 23, 1956, Winnipeg Free Press.)

Source: Winnipeg Tribune

It had been a devastating few weeks for the fire department. Chief David Clawson was unable to attend fires due to a heart problem, the deputy chief was injured when he fell at a fire in December and in November Battallion Chief Robert Beatson was killed at a blaze.

Morale had been low at the department for a number of years due to administrative matters. It was further lowered when a couple of firemen openly told the media that that the second alarm, called in at 10:30 a.m., came hours too late, allowing the blaze to become an inferno.

The $600,000 fire spawned three investigations.

The first was by the provincial fire commissioner on the cause of the fire. It was accidental, believed to have been a smouldering cigarette butt on a chesterfield in the second floor Sergeants' Mess.

March 3, 1956, Winnipeg Free Press

Due to the public complaints by firefighters, the Public Safety Committee of city council interviewed those involved and ordered the fire department to report on the fire and whether, in retrospect, a second alarm should have been called in sooner.

The department's 68-page report came in early March and concluded that:

"Fire department records indicate that proper fire fighting techniques were employed in the fighting of the fire."
March 3, 1956, Winnipeg Free Press.

The report cited the age of the building and complicated as reasons for the quick spread and that additional firefighters on-hand earlier than 10:30 would not have made a difference.

The two firemen who went public about the delay refused to sign official statements to that effect. One said that he spoke out of emotion and couldn't remember all of the facts. the other denied speaking to a reporter. Though some on council and in the media wanted a further, independent investigation, others felt that there was no point if there was no 'official' complaint by men on the scene. The report was "received as information."

Finally, the Defense Department explored whether or not the Armouries could be rebuilt. Initially, it was thought that the building might be a write-off, cheaper to rebuild than to repair. They hired consultants, including Green, Blankstein, Russell and Associates, to examine the structure and provide a cost estimate for reconstruction.

February 25, 1956, Winnipeg Free Press

While this was going on, a lobby began to have the Armouries moved elsewhere in the city.

Built in what was the outskirts of the city in 1913, the West End west of Arlington had grown into a mature, residential neighbourhood. The noise and traffic of an armoury was a sore point for some.

Some on council examined whether a zoning technicality could prevent the reconstruction, (it couldn't.) Then, the city looked into purchasing land immediately north of the Armouries to save future expansion. They were too late, though, as DND had already purchased it along with a section of land to the south, across St. Matthews Avenue.

March 16, 1956, Winnipeg Free Press

On March 16, 1956 it was announced in the House of Commons that the cost to restore the Armouries was $470,000, within what the department considered reasonable. In July plans for a $900,000 redevelopment, including new buildings to the north and south of the main building were announced. Work began soon after.

Minto Armouries is still in use today. It is home to the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and their regimental museum as well as the The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders Cadet Corps.

Related:
Armouries in Winnipeg Swept by $600,000 fire Ottawa Citizen (1956)
Visiting Winnipeg's Historic Minto Armouries The Bomb Garden

Do you have a Thelmo Mansions (Burnell St.) connection ?

2012-01-21T05:00:00.002-06:00

Do you have a connection to the Thelmo Mansions at 519 Burnell Street ? Perhaps you or a family member once lived there ?

There is an oral history project underway about the Thelmo, which is now in the process of being renovated. If you have any stories or information that you would like to share please contact: winnipegking@me.com

Fore more about the history of Thelmo Mansions.

Support for the victims of the Sherbrook St. fire

2012-01-20T10:07:00.002-06:00

From the Salvation Army: News about community members supporting fire victims.

Below is reprinted from the DMSMCA newsletter. For more information about donating. For more information about 577 Sherbrook and the fire.

Support for the Victims of the Sherbrook Street Fire

On the morning of Saturday, January 14, 2012, a fire consumed the former apartment block at 577 Sherbrook St. Many of the former tenants were without fire insurance, and some have struggled to find temporary housing. Material and financial donations would be greatly appreciated. See below for what would be useful.

To donate with Credit Card to the Spence Neighbourhood Association (specify that you want it to go to the 577 Sherbrook St. Fire issue)

If you would like to Donate Material Items please Contact Cortney Sinclair and the Spence Neighbourhood Assoc - 783-4141

Items Needed:

*Clean* Clothing of all Sizes (shoes, jackets, shirt, etc.)
Children's Clothing Items are especially needed
Containers for Clothes
Household Items (appliances, kitchen items, TVs, food etc.)
Toys
Bedding

A Disraeli Death

2012-01-19T03:28:00.002-06:00

I was saddened to hear about the death of the young woman who crashed over the Disraeli Bridge yesterday. As a weekly user of the bridge, I know how difficult it can be to maneuver through it with all those construction barricades. That, along with icy roads, make it downright treacherous.

Disraeli Bridge

Sadly, the Disraeli is one of at least two major city bridges that don't have some sort of parapet protecting vehicles from directly hitting the outer fencing. The Osborne Street Bridge is the other. Both are in the process of being replaced.

Midtown Bridge

Arlington Street Bridge

Louise Bridge

For most, the parapet is a metal bumper. This includes the Midtown, Osborne and Louise bridges.

Kildonan Settlers Bridge

Provencher Bridge

Proposed Disraeli Bridge (source)

Proposed Osborne Street Bridge (source)

The new standard for city bridges appears to be the now familiar combination concrete and metal barrier. This can be found on the Midtown, Slaw Rebchuk, Kildonan Settlers and Provencher bridges and appear in the artist's drawings of the new Osborne and Disraeli designs. The Clement Parkway uses just a concrete parapet. (For more on the city's use of roadside barriers.)

Back in 2008 I took these photos of the top and bottom side of what I thought was a rather scary looking (to my untrained eye) state of decay of the Disraeli's outer barrier. Thank goodness it is in the process of being replaced, (after spending who knows how many years looking like this.)

There's been a lot of talk about our crumbling infrastructure and the desperate need to replace it. Still, when push comes to shove, politicians, (with the support of many voters), are still enamored with shiny baubles such as $130m suburban street widenings and $110m inner ring roads while more urgent concerns are shunted off to some future date when a big pot of money will, apparently, land at Portage and Main and make the infrastructure deficit disappear.

Maybe we need to give our heads a shake and get serious about repairing and replacing substandard infrastructure sooner rather than later.

Related media:
Outdated bridge rail not unsafe Winnipeg Free Press
Crash Victim: Kaitlyn Fraser Winnipeg Free Press
Disraeli condition questioned CBC Manitoba

Related:
A history of the Disraeli Bridge West End Dumplings
Bridges Homepage City of Winnipeg
Disraeli bridges Project City of Winnipeg
City Unveils ($700m) Transportation Plan CTV

Tipping Tip: Tip your gas jockey !

2012-01-18T01:45:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks back Winnipeg Girl gave a primer on how much you should tip your restaurant server. It got me thinking about a neglected group of servers that I have a soft spot for. The "gas jockey" or Vehicle Fuel Conveyance Technician (VFCT), thank you very much, often have a worse time of it and people rarely, if ever, consider tipping.

Library and Archives Canada ca. 1981

The job of the VFCT shares many of the same downsides as their serving brethren: minimum wage; constantly on their feet; lots of walking. Customers can be surly, especially after gas prices rise or when told that they need to butt out their cigarette.

There is also the VFCT's worst enemy: the weather. On days where it's 30 above or below and you can hardly bear to roll your window down a crack, your VFCT will dutifully come attend to you and your vehicle until you are on your way again.

Add to all this gas fumes, stained clothes, pinched fingers, (or worse if you work at a station where you need to open car hoods), the threat of robbery and a lunch break diet made up exclusively of gas station fare ... well, hopefully you get my point.

Volunteer gas jockeys, 1919 General Strike (source)

When getting your fill this winter, help acknowledge one of the unsung heroes of the service world and pass a twoonie along to your VFCT.

Related:
Life as a gas station attendant Globe and Mail

Abbott Clinic Building is Sussex Realty's new home

2012-01-17T07:19:00.000-06:00

You may have noticed a change of bronze signs at the former Abbott Clinic Building / Mall Plaza on Memorial Boulevard. Next month Sussex Realty will be moving from Academy Road, their home since the company was created in 1978, to Memorial Boulevard.

Built in 1927 for the Dominion Business College, the commercial space has been vacant since 2006 when the Abbott Clinic closed. The 21-suite Mall Plaza, already managed by Sussex, will continue as residential units.

For a history of the now Sussex Realty Building check out my latest Winnipeg Downtown
Places Post.

The St. Joseph wind farm turns one !

2012-01-16T03:26:00.007-06:00

The St. Joseph wind farm, Manitoba's largest, turned one year old last week.

On January 11, 2011 the first of the 80 metre tall, 2.3 megawatt turbines were put into service. By April all 60 were up and running and generating a total of 138 megawatts of power.

In a recent PortageOnline article about the anniversary, the owner of the $345m project, Pattern Energy, said that they would like to double the number of turbines.

It's the second large scale wind farm in that area. In April 2005 Manitoba's first wind farm, the Algonquin Power, 99 megawatt project near Saint Leon / Somerset, began operating. Its 63 slightly smaller turbines generate 99 megawatts of power.

The two farms generate enough electricity to power 85,000 homes, (St. Joseph 50,000 and St. Leon 35,000.)

View Larger Map

I've driven through the area a couple of times and have to admit that the turbines are mesmerizing. If you get a chance to drive from St. Joseph to Somerset, do. Aside from the turbines there's some lovely scenery, including rolling hills. ! (For a cyclist's perspective.)

Related:
Saint Leon celebrates 99 Megawatt Wind Farm Manitoba News release
St. Leon Energy Project Manitoba Hydro brochure (pdf)
Manitoba's largest Wind Farm Powers Up Province of Manitoba
St. Joseph Energy Project Manitoba Hydro (pdf)

A look back at 577 Sherbrook - Walhalla / Delrey Apartments

2012-01-14T12:48:00.012-06:00

New: To support victims of the fire

Source: Google Street View

Sadly, another West End residential block has burned. This morning it was 577 Sherbrook Street just south of Sargent Avenue. At least two people have been taken to hospital.

Here is a look back at what little I could find about 577 Sherbrook.

Likely 577 Sherbrook(e) at top left, ca. 1914 (Source: winterbos)

August 1910, Manitoba Free Press

The first mention that I can find of 577 Sherbrooke is a Mrs. E. Peters living there in March 1910. Rental ads for the Walhalla Block appear later that summer.

This was the early age of middle class apartment blocks. There were dozens going up around the West End including 615 Sherbrook just a few doors down. I have found a couple of references to owners completing buildings on Sherbrooke between Sargent and Ellice (Paul M Clements, H. Peterson) but am unsure which one is responsible for the Walhalla.

November 10, 1930

November 24, 1930

ca. 1931

Between 1929 - 31 the building underwent a few changes. In 1929 Mrs. King, the owner, took out a permit for a few hundred dollars in improvements and soon after the name changed to the Edenwald Apartments. Months after it changed again to Delrey apartments, a name that lasted in to the 1980s.

After that it was simply known as 577 Sherbrook. It appears to have lived out the century in a fairly quietly. No major crimes, fires or famous incidents.

Update:

Arrest made in Sherbrook apartment fire Free Press (Also CTV)
Gang feud behind $1m fire ? Winnipeg Sun
To support fire victims

Last chance to shop Riediger's

2012-01-13T23:13:00.008-06:00

Source: The Murals of Winnipeg

It's not only the last weekend to worship at St. Thomas Church in Lockport. It is also last call to shop at Riediger's Supermarket at 188 Isabel. CBC reported (though it's not at their website) that the store will close Saturday.

The Riediger family came to Canada from Russia in 1923, first settling in Henley, Saskatchewan. They moved to Winnipeg in 1935 and in 1937 opened the grocery store at this location. In 1976 it underwent an expansion. The third generation, Nick, runs the store.

ad ca. 1954

In a January 2000 Free Press article Ken Riediger told the Free Press "We want to see that the community keeps going and growing. It's the right thing to do, we've got to give something back."

Riediger's joins The Chocolate Shop and J J H Mclean Pianos as long-time local retailers that have disappeared in the past year.

UPDATE:
Closing grocery store gets special send-off CBC
End of an Oasis Winnipeg Free Press

A final church service for St. Thomas in Lockport

2012-01-13T13:06:00.005-06:00

On Sunday, January 15, 2012, there will be a final church service at St. Thomas Anglican Church at Stevens Avenue and River Road in Lockport, (next to the old Skinner's.) The building will be sold off and the artifacts moved the the neighboring St. Andrews Church.

December 9, 1930, Winnipeg Free Press

Built as a 'chapel of ease', a satellite for those who could not make the journey to the main church, the site has seen a number of rebuilds and additions over the years. It appears that the oldest part of the current building is from 1905, though much of what you see was built in 1930.

Below is a brief history from the notice of their 77th anniversary service published in the Winnipeg Free Press on January 15, 1944.

"St. Thomas' church originated in the early 1860's as a chapel of
ease for Little Britain parishioners. A log chapel was built on land
dedicated by Robert Steven and Thos. Truthwaite, and the donors and
community helped in the erection.

This little 1867 church was replaced in 1906 by a larger church, opened
by Archbishop S. P.'Matheson. The chancel was added in 1913 and a
memorial tower was built. In 1930 the church was reconstructed, and
its dedication, Dec. 7, 1930, was the last official act of Archbishop Matheson."

Winnipeg Free Press, January 15, 1944.

St. Thomas has no heritage designation. St. Andrews is a National Historic Site.

Related:
St. Thomas Church turns 138 Selkirk Journal

Reminder: Jan 14 - Daniel Mac / St. Matthews social !

2012-01-12T11:50:00.006-06:00

click for larger version !

The Daniel McIntyre / St. Matthews Community Association is having a fundraising social !

"Raise the Roof 2" will raise funds for the continued renovation of the former West End Library on Ellice at Arlington into a community resource centre. If you haven't been there lately, there's been a lot going on in the past year. You can see some of the community meeting offices and resource library taking shape. It will also include public computer stations and a community cafe.

Here are the deets:

Saturday January 14th, 2012
Lebanese Cultural Center (834 St. Matthews at Burnell)
Doors open at 8pm
Tickets are $15.00
Featuring DJ’s Mama Cutsworth and Hunnicutt
Silent Auction with Great Prizes!

NOTE: Please purchase your tickets in advance or contact DMSMCA to have a ticket held for you. My understanding is that they can't sell tix at the door.

Also, they are selling $5.00 raffle tickets to win a pair of Winnipeg Jets tickets for the February 19th game against the Avalanche. If you want raffle tix as a stocking stuffer, they are available in advance at their offices 823 Ellice Ave at Arlington, call 774-7005 for more info and office hours.

Transcona is turning 100 !

2012-01-11T22:14:00.004-06:00

Dust off those pink flamingos because 2012 is Transcona's Centenary !

Events don't get underway until later this year but a website has gone up and they are looking for memorable stories, taking pre-orders for their history book and have merchandise for sale.

Transcona Shop workers ca. 1915

Trivia: The name "Transcona" is a combination of Transcontinental and Strathcona !

If you are a former Transconian, or have fond memories, check it out !

Related:
Transcona History Museum
A trip through time in Transcona

Here are a few more Transcona history shots:

"Hi Neighbour Sam" is getting a new home

West End: Oral History Project Meeting and History Posts

2012-01-10T13:43:00.003-06:00

The next meeting of the Voices of the Daniel McIntyre / St. Matthews Neighbourhood - An Oral History Project is Wednesday, January 11 @6:30pm at the DMSMCA offices on Ellice Avenue !

For more information

Here is a collection of most of the West End history posts that I have done over the years to whet your appetite !

75 years of School Patrols !
Lil's Beauty Shop - Guy Madden's West End
Burnell's Bakeries
868 Arlington Street (Acme Blower)
618 Arlington Street (Northland Knitting)
Farewell West Central STREETS newspaper
Winnipeg's First Sex 'Scandal'
Home Street
Simcoe Street
639 Portage (Monte Cassino Court)
667 Ellice (former YMCA)
823 Ellice (former West End Library)
The Haselmere Block Fire
585 Ellice (Mac's Building / Ellice Cafe & Theatre)
Winnipeg's first 'Marina Style' Safeway
West End Cultural Centre Makeover
A History of Winnipeg Stadium
Thelmo Mansions - 512 Burnell Street

Some recent developments in the West End:
515 Portage Avenue (Wesely College, U of W)
358 Langside (Richardson College, U of W)
370 Langside (McFeetors Hall, U of W)

These are in the works and will be up soon !
The Sherbrook Pool
A history of St. Paul Avenue
One of Canada's first Safeways (Pal's)
810 Sargent (The Rose Theatre)
Grey Goose Garage
Crescent Creamery Ice Cream Plant (Hignell Printing)
Orioles Community Club
The Saint of 519 Burnell

A look at the St. Charles Hotel UPDATED

2012-01-10T04:58:00.002-06:00

Today, the owner of the St. Charles Hotel appeared before the Committee on Downtown Development, Heritage and Riverbank Management Regular Meeting to appeal a Derelict Building Order issued by the City. (He had another order in 2010.) The result is a 30 day postponement for him to put together a detailed development plan to prove to the city that work is ongoing.

Since taking over the building in 2005 and proposing the redevelopment in 2006, the project has been more notable for the ensuing battle to tear down the neighbouring Albert Business Block. In April 2011 the owner says he has moved on from that obsession and is now touting a six to nine storey addition to the building instead.

I am sure we will be hearing about the St. Charles and its redevelopment for years to come.

Here is a look back at the history of the St. Charles Hotel.

Update January 12:

The Free Press has twice reported (yesterday online and in today's print version) that the owner has been “working on a plan to redevelop the property on Notre Dame Avenue into a boutique hotel since 2008.” That is incorrect (I pointed it out in yesterday’s online version comments section.)

If you search the Free Press Archives (or Google Zaifman + the name of the hotel) the plan has been in the works for much longer - since 2005/6. In New life for the St. Charles? Future hinges on demolition of Exchange's oldest building (Winnipeg Free Press, November 23 2006, by Aldo Santin) notes that Zaifman and partners purchased the hotel in 2005 with the intent to convert it. He told Santin of the neighbouring Albert Business Block: “You can’t have both — we need to demolish the building to redevelop the hotel.”

Related:
More time for heritage hotel plan Free Press (Jan. 2012)
Pitching a grand plan for the St. Charles Hotel Free Press (Apr. 2011)
Protect Vacant Hotel, owner Told Winnipeg Sun (Dec. 2010)
Revamps Plan to demolish century old building CBC (Jan. 2008)

This Week at City Hall

2012-01-08T21:47:00.002-06:00

Here's the list of council committee meetings for January 9 - 13, 2012. The agendas were last updated on the 6th so more items and / or detailed reports will likely come closer to the date.

Here are some bits and bobs that I found interesting. Click the committee titles for a link to their full agendas.

Standing Committee on Downtown, Heritage and Riverbank Management (SCODHARM ?!)

January 9th, 2012

Derelict Buildings: A couple of derelict building issues are on the menu, both for notices that first went out to owners in July 2011.

Source: City of Winnipeg

One is the "Antique Exchange" (Bell) Building at 370 Donald Street. It's their second notice but in the new owner's letter of appeal there is some potentially good news. Beginning in February renovations are supposed to begin to convert the building into residential suites.

Next is the St. Charles Hotel. Most will remember the redevelopment of the space into a boutique hotel dating back to 2008. At that time the owner applied to tear down the Albert Block for a surface parking lot on the threat "... if it doesn't, we'll bring back mud wrestling to the St. Charles Hotel" (source).

In 2011, he applied again for a demolition permit but was refused. The plan then grew to include a multi-storey addition to the building.

The building deficiency has to do with the building not having a fire monitoring or suppression system.

Riel Community Committee
January 9th, 2012

Is mostly reviewing per-capita and community incentive grants.

One item that was to be discussed are proposed design considerations for Pointe Hebert in North St. Boniface. (I will leave it to OMC to explain more about the Pointe development.) the report is in the minutes but it as been put off until their February meeting.

Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development
January 10th, 2012

Derelict House: Another derelict building will be discussed: a house at 562 Balmoral. In his 17 page letter of appeal, it appears that the owner is slowly doing renovations to the house. he also questions the legality of the notice under the charter and the city's "social engineering" practices when it comes to housing renovation.

Boats in Driveways: Do you store a boat on your property ? The committee will be back from administration on allowing for boats to be stored on your residential property off-season (currently only RVs and motor home trailers are allowed.)

North Perimeter Park: Now that a shared-use agreement for water and sewer has been signed between Winnipeg and West St. Paul, the issue of marketing this 44 acre parcel of city-owned riverfront land off of Main Street and north of the Perimeter, is back on the table.

Executive Policy Committee
January 11th, 2012

Is mostly housekeeping. Accepting some civic boards' annual reports and reviewing community incentive and community club grants made by standing committees.

Governance Committee of Council

January 12th, 2012

Current 15 ward boundary map

Before the 2014 civic election the city's Ward Boundaries Commission will review the number of electoral wards. The issue here, of course, is the great growth in the past decade in the south end of the city that has swollen the population per ward to much more than the average in other parts of the city.

The City Clerk will report back on a request stemming from the last meeting (June 2011) to the province to amend the City of Winnipeg Charter to allow for a single ward to be added (if necessary), rather than have to add them in multiples of two, as it now states.

Could we see a "Deep South Kildonan" ward in 1914 ?!

Another downtown parking lot in play ?

2012-01-06T06:00:00.009-06:00

Source

Yesterday, Huntingdon Capital announced that it sold a large downtown surface parking lot for $5m. The land in question is 245 Graham between Smith and Garry, across from the former Canada Post Building.

The major user of that lot was Canada Post. I wonder if the new owner of the building, the City of Winnipeg, were the ones to buy it as additional parking for the new Public Safety Building ?

Source

Source

The site was once home to the Winnipeg Tribune Building, which faced Smith Street. In both photos above you can see the new Canada Post building to the right.

The Tribune closed in 1980, the final tenants moved out in 1982 and the building was torn down in October 1983 to make way for a surface parking lot. In 1994 the Lions Tribune Tower, a 250 unit, $12m seniors housing complex was to be built on the site but never materialized.

Update: here is a photo from 1970 showing the post office and Trib building from overhead.

Year End Clearance: Top stories of 2011

2012-01-04T15:53:00.002-06:00

Yes, I am a bit late on this. This was to be my final post of 2011 but as I was getting started on it, well, a little fire happened next door and that took over a lot of my personal time. For today's Winnipeg Internet Pundits (5 - 6 pm on UMFM 101.5) we're revisiting 2011 stories so I had to go back to my half finished list.

Here are what I considered the top stories of 2011.

Return of the NHL

The return of the Jets has to be the big story of 2011. It had elements of David and Goliath - a big I told you so to the NHL. On a purely financial level, it's a nice sized company to have suddenly plop down on the middle of a city.

It will be interesting to see what the spin offs will be over time.

There was, of course, the announcement of the ALT Hotel development across the street, but a bigger question for downtown is will Jets fans spend any of their money outside the confines of the MTS Centre ? Also, will the Jets create a giant sucking sound that will impact attendance / donations / sponsorship of other sports teams and arts / entertainment groups ?

The Axworthy Effect on Portage Ave

The U of W has been transforming Portage Avenue west of Memorial. Their Continuing Ed department moved into new premises on the old Army Surplus Store site, they got back into the student residence business with McFeetors Hall, their science department left its 1960 era digs behind. There has been some nice spin offs as well. Check out the developments here.

Surface Parking

In a strange twist, many Winnipeggers will cheer (or at least be ambivalent) the demolition of a building then bemoan the empty space left in its wake. This year, there were concrete signs that a couple of the huge downtown parking lots could soon be gone with the Convention Centre expansion and MPI's call for proposals.

Taking back the streets

Something that we discussed on WIPS with Michael Champagne is a new youth movement taking shape in the shadow of Selkirk Avenue's bell tower. Tired of the violence a series of rallies involving North End youth that will soon spin off into a newspaper is taking place.

As I learned living in West Braodway for a decade, you can stomp your feet and call on the police and politicians to do something but if the community is not involved in wanting to make it a better place you're really just asking them to do a better job cleaning up the mess.

I hope to see more of this movement in 2012.

The Burning of St. Paul

I can't let 2011 pass without mentioning the demise of 817 St. Paul Avenue. Thankfully, everyone got out safely.

The building sat 10 feet outside my window and there was fear that our building would come down with it in fire or the collapse. Smoke and water damage is all we have.

The residents were more than just neighbours. We shared common spaces, services and friendship. It wasn't uncommon on a summer's evening to find a collection of residents from all three buildings having dinner together in the courtyard or enjoying a bonfire. The triplets were a community and we lost part of that over the holidays.

Of course, when something hits so close to home you read fire stories that you once glossed over very differently. To everyone displaced due to fires or floods in 2011 I hope that 2012 brings you home.

More Year End Clearance !
- Top stories of 2011
- Top blog posts of 2011
- Most disappointing story of 2011
- Completed developments

Daniel Mac / St. Matthews Community Safety Meeting

2012-01-04T00:12:00.002-06:00

Below is a message about an upcoming community safety meeting by the Daniel McIntyre/St.Matthews Community Association...

Our neighbourhood was the scene of a tragic shooting last month on Beverley Street. In response to this DMSMCA would like to invite you to attend a community safety meeting and have the opportunity to learn about the safety resources available to our community.

All are welcome! Bring your safety questions and we will do our best to answer them!

Tuesday, January 10th, 6:30 pm
Wellington School Multipurpose room
690 Beverley Street

Special guest speakers include: MLA Andrew Swan; Councillor Harvey Smith; Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner, West End Biz; a representative from Winnipeg Police and Dodie McKay, Safety Coordinator, Daniel Mac / St. Matthews Community Association.

Light refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP is possible, it helps us plan a better meeting!

Thank you,

Dodie Graham McKay
Community Safety and Youth Engagement Coordinator
Daniel McIntyre/St.Matthews Community Association
823 Ellice Avenue
Phone: (204) 774 - 7005 ext. 103

A look at the APTN Building(s)

2012-01-02T13:17:00.005-06:00

One Portage Avenue announcement that got a bit overshadowed by SHED talks is the expansion of APTN. In September 2010 APTN bought the concrete clad building that they have leased space in since 1999 and the neighbouring 333 Portage Avenue. At my Winnipeg Downtown Places blog I take a look at each building's history.

339 Portage was built in 1961 for NEFCO (North End Furniture Compnay) but has had a sad financial history including being foreclosed upon four times.

333 Portage is the site of the Time Building, which famously burned in 1954 taking with it most of a city block and damaging the Eatons store. The Bank of Commerce built there in 1958 and remained until the 1990s when the space has for the most part sat vacant.

source

Plans are in the works for a major redesign of the buildings to incorporate them into one. (Also see APTN media release)

Year end clearance: Faux Mayor Poll

2012-01-02T04:29:00.000-06:00

At year end I slog through my draft folder and try to finish or ditch some half-baked items from the year before. Here's one that actually goes back to 2010 !

In the 2010 Calgary civic election, which coincided with ours, a local CTV news anchor threw her name in to the ring. I did a little web poll asking which Winnipeg news personality would make the best mayor here. (Gord Leclerc, Sylvia Kuzyk and Kim Babij won).

I carried it on with local entertainer, morning deejay and mascot. The top three winners of each poll faced off in a final vote in October to decide who would be the 'faux' mayor of Winnipeg.

Voter turnout was almost non existent and it ended in a neck and neck tie between Shaw's Kim Babij and entertainer Fred Penner. Even when late votes trickled in, they continued to be tied for weeks afterwards. As voters dried up and the tie remained, I eventually forgot about the post - until this week.

After a year forgotten in cyberspace, there is a clear winner of Winnipeg's faux mayor poll: Shaw TV's Kim Babij. She managed to finally distance herself from Penner and a seemingly late surge by Benny the Jet !

Appy Nootchie !

2012-01-01T00:01:00.002-06:00

Winnipeg Free Press, Dec. 31, 1953

Red River style greetings from the December 31, 1953 Winnipeg Free Press. Click to read the caption ! And what's New Year's without New Year's baby photos ! Here's 1948, 1964 and 1978.

Jan 1, 1903

I had a collection of other newspaper articles from past New Year's but the Manitobia.ca site, which goes offline about once a week nowadays, is down again. Serves me right for not cutting and pasting the images ! Ah well, in case it comes back online, here are the links !

Daily Nor'Wester, Jan. 1, 1897

Winnipeg Evening Tribune, Jan. 1, 1941

Winnipeg Tribune, Jan. 1, 1942

Tribune New Year Baby stories from: 1939, 1941, 1945.

Year End Clearance: Disappointing story of the year

2011-12-31T12:21:00.003-06:00

One of the most disappointing stories of 2011 for me was the January demolition of 925 Logan Avenue at Arlington, (the Ontario Wind Engine and Pump / Regal Furniture building), by owner Minhas Creek. It wasn't even the demolition itself, but the collection of information gaps and bad practices that it brought together.

First off, I'd like to tell you more information about the application but can't because it's nowhere to be found on the City Clerk's Decision Making Information System. That's the site that is supposed to be a repository of the city's council committee meeting agendas and minutes.

I'm fairly certain that went before committee meeting(s) because I saw a snippet in the newspaper after the fact. Missing information is a huge weakness of the 'System' that I run into time and time again. I certainly wouldn't do any important decision making based on the DMIS and hope that behind the scenes the city itself relies on a better medium for its information.

Anecdotal story: I once called a committee clerk to ask about a meeting that I attended a couple of weeks earlier about why I couldn't find the outcomes on the DMIS. I was told 'oops', they forgot to put it up and to check back the next day and it would be up.

The second aspect of the story that I found maddening was the lack of knowledge or interest about the building by those who are supposed to advocate (or choose not to advocate) for its architectural or historic merit.

According to Free Press coverage neither the city nor Heritage Winnipeg knew anything about the building. "Nobody even knows the date it was built," Heritage Winnipeg's E.D. told the paper.

How can a recommendation be made about a building if that's the extent of the information available ? In a fairly short time I was able to compile a fairly extensive history of the building (including the year it was built) from the comfort of my dining room table using only on-line sources.

For decades Winnipeg heritage advocates and the city have concentrated on a very small geographic area. That's been a good thing. If not, the Exchange District would surely look like the blocks on the other side of Portage Avenue, a sea of desolate surface parking lots. A fraction of that interest, though, needs to extend to other areas and eras of buildings.

As the old airport terminal 'debate' showed, interest that should have been expressed years ago ended up being a last minute 'desperation' campaign launched well after the building was originally scheduled to be vacated.

An often-used tactic to ensure the acceptance of your demolition permit is to float a vague idea or artist's drawing of future development. In this case, Manjit Minhas spun the idea of a new brewery and 100 jobs which the Free Press pumped in their story Brewery may rise after run-down landmark falls:

Manjit Minhas said the company hopes to build a brewery at the Winnipeg site within two years, and would employ around 100 people at the facility. The Wisconsin brewery is at capacity and sales are growing, she said.

Well, that simply wasn't the case. Five weeks before the Free Press story the company issued a news release saying that they had completed a feasibility study for building a brewery "from scratch" in Ontario (after being shut out of buying the Labatt brewery in Hamilton) but found it to be too expensive a proposition.

Soon after the demolition the DTZ Barnicke for sale sign went back up on the property and their on-line listing changed from that of a four storey building to an empty lot. I wonder how many of the inner city's surface parking lots began this way ? (For another 2011 example see OMC's "...bait and switch on Portage".)

Finally, what an eyesore that has been left since its January 2011 demolition.

Yes, we're only talking about the inner city so what's left on display after a demo is of little significance to most. Still, it is a prominent corner and the ugly side of the Minhas Creek warehouse that's been left for the past 12 months will surely be there for the years / decades to come until a new building ends up on the site.

Related:
The last gasp for a dying corner ? One Man Committee
Arlington Street bridge Closed for Weekend Winnipeg Free Press

More Year End Clearance !
- Top stories of 2011
- Top blog posts of 2011
- Most disappointing story of 2011
- Completed developments

Year End Clearance: top posts of 2011

2011-12-30T08:49:00.004-06:00

Now back to regularly scheduled programming.....

Here is my annual look back at my most popular posts according to Google Analytics. So much of my content is history-based, I find that many posts from previous years continue to hover near the top and that is the case again with this year !

1. Kenneth Leishman - the Flying Bandit
By a 2:1 margin this is my most popular post of 2011. It's from 2008 (before West End Dumplings was created) and still gets numerous daily hits. You can see from the comments section that there are many friends and family out there who still remember and love the man. Why a movie hasn't been made about him, I have no clue.

2. Safeway in Winnipeg - Sweeping Styles (1950s - 70s)
This is part 4 of a 2010 series looking at the great architecture of Safeway's past. Part 2 also made the top 10 but I am including only one post per series.

3. Great Winnipeg Stadium Moments - Construction (1958)
This was the first post of a series that looked back at the old Winnipeg / CanadInns Stadium.

4. Winnipeg Building Demolition Derby
This featured a handful of buildings that came down in a short span earlier this year with little fanfare or interest. The post got a lot of attention, though, including in the Free Press and on CBC news.

5. A look back at Winnipeg's airports (Part 2)
A feature on the recently closed terminal. Part 3 of the series, looking at the groovy public art, was also in the top 10.

6. Former Brandon Asylum site
Another golden oldie, this time back to 2009. One of the most beautiful built sites in Manitoba, it is being converted into the Assiniboine Community College campus. Definitely a must-see site for Manitoba travelers.

7. The King's Winnipeg Speech
Looking at (and listening to) the last big address that the King made prior to the one featured in the movie. It was made in 1939 from Manitoba's Government House.

8. A look back at the Paddlewheel Restaurant
There are few Winnipeggers who don't have fond memories of this place. Whether it be tossing coins into the water or Breakfast with Santa.

9. Remembering the Wolseley Elm
If it hadn't been blown up by vandals the Elm would have been 150 years old in 2011. A look back at the battle to save it.

10. Winnipeg's Sweetheart Deanna Durbin
This series just went up earlier this month to celebrate her 90th birthday but already made the top ten thanks to her legions of international fans.

10. (tie) Urban Myth Busted: West Broadway as Murders Half Acre
It was a neat sounding headline in the Winnipeg Free Press but it was an error. The number of murders for an entire police district were attributed to the West Broadway neighbourhood. It was repeated over and over again in their coverage until the name stuck and the neighbourhood gained a reputation that took years to live down.

More Year End Clearance !
- Top stories of 2011
- Top blog posts of 2011
- Most disappointing story of 2011
- Completed developments

West End Fire on St. Paul Avenue UPDATED x 7

2011-12-29T20:26:00.007-06:00

Here's something you don't want to see - a fire right next door at 4 am.

Last night, one of the century old triplet of blocks on St. Paul Avenue had a major fire. Thankfully, everyone made it out alive. The neighbouring block was also evacuated as a precaution.

My thoughts go out to my neighbours who will have some difficult times in the weeks ahead.

UPDATE:

Here's a post I did back in 2008 showing some of the building renos. The three had all been abandoned for over a year before being gutted and turned into condos. In the two buildings to the east the suites run the entire length of the building so there are only 8 units in each. To get an idea of the inside, here are interior shots of one of the condos in the now-burned 817 St. Paul.

UPDATE:

Sadly, 817 St. Paul Avenue has to be torn down. The roof collapsed earlier this morning and the walls have been weakened by the heat.

It's amazing how quickly things change. Last night at 4 am a small basement fire that was thought to be extinguished manged to get behind the wall, travel up the back staircase and into the attic. (My account, that's nothing official from the fire commish's office.)

My building is still evacuated and has had smoke and water damage but considering what happened to 817, there's nothing to complain about.

Thankfully, all got out safely.

Also:
Residents Escape Condo Complex Fire Winnipeg Free Press

UPDATE:

The building is now gone. Torn down through the night and into this morning. It's very sad.

Update:

One slight bit of good news: cats ! One cat (Wyatt) belonging to a couple that were away on vacation has been found alive ! I bumped into friends of theirs at the fire scene last evening and they told me the sad story about the two cats likely perishing and the owners being away. The second one survived but scooted off. Hopefully it will be found. That would make a nice reunion.

The condo building to the west is back in as of Thursday afternoon, except for the two basement suites that have water damage. The daycare to the east still looks closed and worse for wear. It was hit with a lot of water.

Thankfully, no debris came through my windows, which was my biggest fear. The basement neighbours, though, have some nasty water damage. There's a curtain of grungy ice frozen over my windows which is fine. I really don't want to be looking out over the removal of the rubble for the next couple of days.

Kudos to the city for waiving daytime parking restrictions for residents of the neighboring buildings and for Shoppers Drug Mart at Portage and Burnell for offering up their parking lot for overnight parking as the east half of our parking lot is, well, as shown above.

I am interested to hear the fire commissioner's findings. Despite the comments section speculation these weren't dumpy welfare buildings, nobody was smoking no homeless people living in the basement (and I haven't read the Sun's comment section but I assume they blame Aboriginals somehow.)

What a way to end off a year.

UPDATE Dec 30

Removal work has ceased for now. A fire investigation expert is being flown in and wants to be here for the rest of the task.

UPDATE Jan 3

Demolition and removal are back underway. The daycare centre is also open again, which I'm sure is a relief to area parents.

Unfortunately, no sign of Friadie-Cat. it was hoped that if she were still alive the noise of the demo would send her out from her underground lair. Presumed dead.

Jan 3 - 10

Still now word on fire but physical investigation is done as the last of the rubble has been cleaned away. They're just starting on the breaking up of the foundation at Jan 10. Should all be gone by Friday.

January 21, 2012

Well, the final phase of construction is pretty much complete. The hole that was once 817 St.Paul Avenue is now filled in and the heavy machinery gone. It's like it was never there.

Still no official word on the fire but it's doubtful that it was arson as we'd likely have heard by now.

Year End Clearance: Completed Developments

2011-12-27T11:35:00.003-06:00

Here are some smaller developments that I have been photographing over the year that can now be put in the 'done' column:

The $4m retrofit of 363 Broadway appears to be wrapping up. The 80,000 square feet of bronzed glass has been replaced by something a bit more colourful.

Makoosag Intergenetrational Children's Centre, a 52 space daycare, is now open on Selkirk Avenue in the old Oretzky's / Red Apple store.

In late summer Kihiw Iskewock (Eagle Women's) Lodge opened at 667 Ellice Avenue. (For a history of the building.)

The old Scott Block on Main Street (also known as the IKON building) was de-fuglified when the 1960s era metal grating was removed to expose this beautiful facade - who knew ! (Photos of the uncovering are here.) It began leasing in the summer and is marketed as 272 Main. (I have a building history to come !)

Here's a little house on Dorothy Street that I used to pass by every couple of weeks. Each time I expected to see an empty lot in its place. Instead, it got a basic reno and people are living in it again !

Once upon a time, I believe, this lot at Burrows and Aikins was a fire hall with a small hydro substation behind it. Early last year Hydro began work on a new station and built this this facade around it. It looks like a new elementary school ! The station itself doesn't go online until 2013 and will replace two smaller, 75 year old ones on Charles Avenue and on Alfred Street.

The final traces of the circa 1964 Marina-style Safeway at Ellice and Wall are now gone. For a history of the building and photos throughout its transformation see this old post. This leaves just one relatively untouched Marina-style store on North Main:

Farewell to 271 Princess Street

2011-12-26T09:07:00.000-06:00

Demolition is underway at 271 - 273 Princess Street. The building opened in 1913 with Harry Meade's Mission and soup kitchen. It closed in 2010 with Ham 'n' Eggs Grill.

It will the staging area for the Peace Tower housing project being built across the street.

For a history of the building check out my earlier post.

If you do drive by, swing onto Main Street for a last look at the Stuart Machinery / Yellow Warehouse building, also in the process of demolition (though oddly stalled for a number of weeks). You can find a history of that building here.

Winnipeg's 'green' and other colourful developments

2011-12-24T10:26:00.001-06:00

Top Row: Ireland. Below: Winnipeg.

I've always loved colourful buildings. It's something that goes back to my early childhood.

I regularly visited Ireland where it isn't uncommon to see a row of houses that include a red, purple and blue one, or a centuries-old retail street with glaring yellow facade inserted into the mix. I also spent the first few years of my life in the Willow Park Housing Co-op on Burrows Avenue, affectionatley known as 'Lego Land' because of the mixture of colourful facades.

In the past couple of decades it has become increasingly common to see boldly coloured homes here, especially in the West End or Wolseley and now even in new suburban developments that once stuck to neutrals and pastels.

This splash of colour has moved onto the commercial streetscape as well.

Last decade saw the introduction of the aboriginal medicine wheel inspired palate of red, yellow, black and white. One of the first and most obvious examples is the Norrie Centre on Selkirk Avenue which opened in 2005. Since then, it has almost become a staple for new, Aboriginal-related social service buildings.

Earlier this year, Anybody Want a Peanut wrote of the "Haciendaization" of St. Mary's Road that began with the blood orange Banville and Jones in 2005 and continued with the deep red of Miller's Meat Market and the rich, golden Santa Lucia Pizza.

In the past year a new, bold and perhaps risky colour splashed onto the scene: lime green. Some buildings chose to use it sparingly, such as 363 Broadway and Youth for Christ's Youth Centre of Excellence. Others, like the new Centennial Recreation Centre and the BG BX condos at St. Matthews and Wall have taken it to a whole new level.

As someone who appreciates a colourful street scape I have to say that it's quite interesting to look at - for now.

Unlike the other colour schemes that are rooted in some historic, cultural or geographic context, the lime green isn't, (at least as far as I'm aware.) It makes me wonder that if in a few years it will be seen as the the Miami Vice powder blue and pink that still adorns,and dates, the interiors of some of our 1980s developments like Portage Place.

Only time will tell whether building owners will soon be scratching their heads to devise inexpensive ways to de-green their buildings. In the meantime, though, welcome to the streetscape !

It's been quite a year for Brandon's water tower !

2011-12-23T04:55:00.003-06:00

Find the water tower !

Talk about going from zero to hero ... I give you Brandon's circa 1930 water tower.

Decommissioned last decade, it was considered surplus to the city's needs and placed on their 2012 demolition schedule. A group of East End residents, who grew up the shadow of the structure, successfully campaigned to have it removed from the list at October's city council meeting.

Fast forward a few weeks and the water tower is now on TV ! When locations were being scouted for a new Molson's ad celebrating winter and the game of hockey the water tower, which sits on the grounds of the East End Community Centre, was chosen !

The ad was released yesterday - eighty-one years almost to the day) after the tower first went into service. Check it out here and watch for the tower at the 38 and 50 second marks ! Here's a bit of inside information ... BRANDON was painted over for the and repainted soon after !

Also see:
Old water tower featured in Molson ad Brandon Sun
For a history of the water tower
For a recap of the city council decision
For more photos of the tower

A tale of two Manitoba transit systems

2011-12-21T12:39:00.004-06:00

Source: Brandon Transit

Back in In October I blogged from the Brandon city council meeting about Brandon Transit's proposed transit fare strategy. In a nutshell: greatly reduce fares and eliminate free transfers. The expected result is increased ridership, especially from those making short distance trips and traveling at non-peak times.

First proposed in September, it went through a number of citizen panels and presentations before being fine tuned and presented to council.

The City of Brandon has just announced that effective January 1, 2012, the adult cash fare will decrease by 47% (it is now $2.15 to $1.15) and ticket prices by 41%. Youth and Senior fares will decrease by 45% for both cash fares and tickets. (Here's the 2012 fee schedule.)

Now compare that to Winnipeg's strategy: 20 cent additional increase that Councillor Swandel pulled out of his fare box just before the EPC meeting. The expectation here is that ridership will remain the same or continue to grow, Transit will just rake in the additional cash.

That's it, I'm buying my own pirate bus !

I'm interested to see how the fare strategies work out, especially the more unconventional one that Brandon has chosen.

As someone who has lived in or just outside the downtown for 20 years I have often wondered what effect a lower fare would have. It's rarely worth it (at least in my mind) to take the $4.90 round trip, versus paying $3 in parking, to meet someone for lunch downtown. (Winnipeg Girl sums up the same idea in this post post from earlier this year.)

Could at attempt to appeal to more short trip or off peak users ? I think so. We'll see how Brandon's riders react.

P.S. - it's been pointed out to me on the twitter of this post that doing away with the free transfer may prove a hard pill to swallow due to the hub an spoke system BT uses. (Note, though, the fare reduction is almost in half so for one transfer users the fare remains essentially the same).

Related:
Brandon Transit system stats Canadian Transit Systems

A Daniel Mac / St. Matthews community social

2011-12-20T14:00:00.008-06:00

click for larger version !

Saturday January 14th, 2012
Lebanese Cultural Center (834 St. Matthews at Burnell)
Doors open at 8pm
Tickets are $15.00
Featuring DJ’s Mama Cutsworth and Hunnicutt
Silent Auction with Great Prizes!

A look at the new Osborne Street Shoppers Drug Mart

2011-12-19T05:12:00.009-06:00

Shoppers' proposed design (source)

The only meeting on tap at city hall this week is the Board of Adjustment at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 21, 2011. (Click here for the agenda.)

The last item is file DCU 176975/2011C "...to permit the expansion of a retail sales use ... through the construction of an 13,231 square foot (1229.6 sq m) addition for a total of 23,279 square feet (2162.7 sq m)." The property in question is the Shoppers Drug Mart at 43 - 57 Osborne Street at River.

It will likely be a somewhat contentious meeting. The city is recommending that the new use be granted as it complies with the commercial aspect of the Osborne Village Neighbourhood Plan. So far nine people are registered to appear in opposition.

The first Safeway at River and Osborne (1941)

If approved, this will be the last piece of an often adversarial redevelopment plan that began in 1997.

That year, Safeway announced to tenants on its land, Shoppers Drug Mart, MLCC and Toronto Dominion Bank, that the site would be redeveloped. Shoppers was the odd man out and bought the A&W location at Roslyn and Osborne but the owner of the building that housed Vi-Ann didn't sell. In 1998 a shrunken Shoppers opened.

The key redevelopment of the site, the Safeway store, took six stormy years to wind its way though the civic process. A row of homes on Roslyn were torn down and Safeway's site plan ended up with more landscaping, a smaller parking lot and sans the gas bar that were all first proposed. It opened in 2005.

Village meets Linden Woods

Seeing that Shoppers would take over an existing commercial footprint for its expansion and that the space is only for the store, the second storey is for staff and storage space, it's hardly likely that there is a landmine hidden in the the process.

Kudos have to be given to Shoppers for not stirring the pot with bad design issues which have plagued the Village of late. There's the stucco box Blockbuster built a couple of blocks to the south and the Linden-Woodsesque strip mall that houses the TD Bank etc. (above).

This design is built to the curb and features an assortment of facades retaining a bit of a Village feel, (actually, more so than what Vi-Ann and Movie Village do.)

UPDATES:
Also see Chris Leo's take on the Village's SDM.
Shoppers Drug Mart Expansion Approved CBC News

Kay Middleton's WW II Holiday Tips and Recipes ! UPDATED

2011-12-18T13:02:00.006-06:00

This holiday season I am sharing some holiday entertaining tips and recipes from Katharine 'Kay' Middleton. From 1935 - 1948 Middleton was the Winnipeg Tribune's Home Economics Editor, writing 4,000 "A Page for Winnipeg Homes" columns. She was also featured in the Free Press and had a CKJS radio show. For my biography of Middleton.

Remember, this was World War II so some recipes involved the reduction or substitution of items that were being rationed or no longer available on the shelves !

Click the column to go to a Flickr page where you should be able to see a large version. A link to the original source (most are from the Winnipeg Tribune archives at manitobia.ca) is also included !

Batch 6 (final !): Uploaded December 26, 2011:

These Appetizing Dishes Solve Problem of Leftover Turkey
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 26, 1941

Savory Snacks and Tid-Bits Tasty for Informal Party

By Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 23, 1944

These Snack Menus Feature Interesting Fruit Punches
by Kay Middleton
The Winnipeg Evening Tribune, August 7, 1944

Recipe for Ice Box Cookies Is Aid To Busy Housewife
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 4, 1940

Batch 5: Uploaded December 24, 2011:

Dressing for Roast Turkey Should be Savoury and Moist
by Katharine Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 19, 1941

Try This Delicious Bread for Holiday Entertaining
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 6, 1945

Buffet Service a Popular and Simple Arrangement
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 27, 1941

Trimmings for Turkey Dinner and Directions for Carving
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 22, 1939

Suitable Christmas Dishes for Children, Invalids Are Simple and Attractive
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 18, 1940.

Batch 4: Uploaded December 21, 2011

Delicious Carrot Pudding Economical for Christmas
By Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, November 17, 1942

Spiced Beef is Favourite Meat Dish for Christmas
by Kay Middleton
December 13, 1945, Winnipeg Tribune

These Braided Biscuits Delicious With Salads or Casseroles
By Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, May 10, 1944

Colourful Christmas Cookies Made From Basic Recipes
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 20, 1939

Batch 3: Uploaded Dec. 19, 2011

Recipes for Party Punches and Candy Cane Ice Cream

by Katharine Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 30, 1940

Recipes for Mincemeats Required for Holiday Pies (incl. meatless)
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 14, 1942.

These Tomato Aspic Salads Appropriate for Christmas
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 8, 1945

Batch 2: Uploaded Dec. 18, 2011

Gift of Service to Others Reflects Christmas Spirit
by Katharine Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 24, 1941

Victory Fruit Cake Recipe Is Requested By Readers
by Katharine Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, October 18, 1943

Light, White Fruit Cake is Popular for Christmas
by Katharine Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 11, 1945

Three Gingerbread Recipes
by Kay Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, May 2, 1944

Batch 1: Uploaded Dec. 17, 2011

Plan a Work Timetable Guide for Holiday Dinner Affairs
by Katharine Middleton
Winnipeg Free Press, December 22, 1942

Fancy Christmas Cookies Can be Used as Decoration
(*note: bacon drippings as ingredient !)
By Katharine Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 8, 1944

These Steamed Puddings Are Suitable For Christmas
by Katharine Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 5, 1942

Cranberries, Raw or Cooked, Make Fine Relish For Poultry

by Katharine Middleton
Winnipeg Evening Tribune, December 19, 1944 (source)

Holiday Entertaining with the Winnipeg Tribune's Kay Middleton !

2011-12-16T14:15:00.016-06:00

This holiday season I want to share some holiday entertaining tips and recipes from Katharine 'Kay' Middleton. From 1935 - 1948 Middleton was the Winnipeg Tribune's Home Economics Editor, writing 4,000 "A Page for Winnipeg Homes" columns. She was also a regular contributor in the Free Press, published cook books and for a time had a radio show on CKJS.

Here is the post featuring her recipes and tips

which I will add to each day. First, though, a biography.

Katherine "Kay" Major Spink Middleton was born in Toronto in 1906, though her family moved to Winnipeg when she was a child. She attended Rupert's Land Ladies College on Carlton Street, (a forerunner to Balmoral Hall), obtained her BSc in Home Economics at the U of M in 1929 and did post graduate studies in dietetics at the Mayo Clinic.

March 19, 1931, Winnipeg Free Press

Middleton began working at the Morden Hospital and her public career began at the Eaton's test kitchen. There, she regularly demonstrated new recipes and entertaining tips such as how to set a table correctly.

In 1935 she became the Tribune's Home Economics Editor and began her almost daily column "A Page for Winnipeg Homes." It offered up recipes, nutritional information, cleaning advice and household budget tips. She is credited with writing 4,000 columns and 7,000 recipes during her tenure !

Middleton was not afraid to get our from behind her typewriter. She toured schools and visited military barracks to ensure that proper, nutritious meals were being served in a clean, safe environment. She regularly spoke at everything from major conventions to service group meetings and girls' school graduating classes. In the late 30s she hosted "A Winnipeg Home" radio show on CKJS and published her first book of collected recipes.

CBC Program Guide, 1945

Middleton believed strongly in the role of the home economist as change-maker in society. In 1939 she and fellow Winnipegger Anna Speers founded the Canadian Home Economics Association (disbanded in 2003) whose purpose was:

"... to strengthen the home economics profession and to promote improved quality of life for individuals and families. Home economics was concerned with all aspects of daily living including: human relationships and development, resource management, consumerism, foods and nutrition, clothing, textiles, housing and aesthetics."

Many of the things advocated by Middleton are ones we are trying to relearn today. She hosted demonstrations on how to properly carve a turkey so as not to waste any meat. She also advocated for what we now call a 100 mile diet, taking advantage of foods that could be grown in the garden or bought from local producers.

May 2 1942, Winnipeg Tribune

World War II brought major challenges for Manitoba's homemakers. Thousands suddenly found themselves as the head of a single-parent household and many had to go into the workforce. Family incomes were often slashed and, combined with wartime inflation, strained budgets to the limit. Rationing restricted or eliminated the use of many familiar food products. Each day the media brought news of death and every ring of the doorbell could be that devastating telegram from Ottawa.

December 9, 1941, Winnipeg Tribune,

In 1941 the Women's Canadian Club created a "Health for Victory" campaign and Kay Middleton was appointed chair of the Winnipeg chapter. The goal of the program was to ensure that families on the home front continued to eat nutritious meals in the midst of all these changes.

Initially the program was to be a six week course, a combination of films, lectures and cooking classes for homemakers. The Women's Canadian Club funded the program. The Canadian Home Economics Association created many of the new recipes that worked around rationed meat, sugar and butter. The Volunteer Bureau supplied instructors and helped secure centres in dozens of neighbourhoods across the city to hold the courses.

Based on the success of the first round of classes (4,000 participants) and the sinking feeling that the war was going to drag on, the program was extended and expanded to include printed material, organizing "victory" (community) gardens, holding seasonal canning classes and national speaking tours featuring renowned doctors and nutritionists.

Middleton as chair was a perfect fit. She was able to put her cooking skills to work, advising how you could stretch your meat portions using grains and substituting meat fat to save on vegetable oil. Her regularly published rationing timetables (above) and accompanying columns and recipes ensured that homemakers who followed along would waste nothing.

It also allowed Middleton to again step into the bigger issues that led her to create the national Home Ec Association. She was able to explain government policy, such as the need for rationing and spoke out in favour of an international food policy through the U.N.. She told a Women's Canadian Club meeting in Brandon:

Human discontent, which develops from empty stomachs, poor housing and shoddy clothing is basically responsible for wars for hungry, angry people can be led easily by unscrupulous, warring individuals whose lust for power overshadows all humanity.
Winnipeg Free Press, January 18, 1946

In 1948 Middleton announced that she was moving to Chicago to take up a position with a large Home Economics / Consumers Information firm called Harvey and Howe. They did test cooking, published cookbooks and produced related media programs. She also edited the journal "What's new in Home Economics".

She made herself known to Chicagoans as the host of a morning television show. In an obituary the C hicago Tribune wrote:

In 1948, long before Julia Child or 'The Frugal Gourmet', Miss Middleton began 'Chicago Cooks with Kay Middleton' on WGN-TV. The hour-long program, one of the first commercially sponsored shows on Chicago television, appeared at 9:30 a.m. five days a week well into the 1950s.

Middleton was a diabetic and spent many years as a volunteer dietician with the Chicago chapter of the American Diabetes Association. She was doing the final revision of her book The Art of Cooking for the Diabetic, when she died of a heart attack on June 2, 1987 at the age of 80. She is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.

Two 1942 ads published by the Health for Victory Campaign

Related:
A history of home economics Ryerson University
Culinary landmarks: a bibliography of Canadian cookbooks, 1825-1949 By Elizabeth Driver
Obituary Chicago Tribune
Obituary Winnipeg Free Press
- Note that many of the hyperlinks go to Manitobia's newspaper archives which tends to go off-line for a day at a time. I have used images of the articles where I can.

Celebrating Daniel McIntyre, OBE

2011-12-14T11:45:00.001-06:00

Source: Aberdeen School Centennial

Today is the 65th anniversary of the death of Daniel McIntytre. He's one of just a handful of people to have a part of the city named for them, (there's also William Whyte, Andrew Mynarski and Linden Woods .. oh wait, that last one isn't a person !) Most, though, don't know who he is.

Daniel McIntyre came to Winnipeg in 1882 and worked at Carlton School. In 1885 he was appointed Inspector of Schools for Winnipeg. The title changed to Superintendent of Public Schools in 1890.

April 2 1926, Winnipeg Free Press

In 1912 he returned briefly to his native New Brunswick to marry Mary Gretchell. The couple settled at 125 Westgate and began a family that would know a great deal of sadness.

Two of the couple's children died at childbirth, son Stuart was killed in action during World War I and in 1921 Mary died. His surviving children were Andrew Murray, who practiced law in Saskatchewan, (and lost two of his children due to drowning). Other son Donald became a doctor and when McIntyre retired he resided with him at 258 Dromore.

McIntyre dedicated his personal life to charitable work, much of it related to children. He was active in the founding of the School for the Blind, Children's Home of Winnipeg and the Children's Aid Society.

December 1, 1928, Winnipeg Free Press

In 1929 McIntyre retired after a 43 years career overseeing a school system whose population grew more than tenfold. As a retirement present the school teachers of Winnipeg presented him with a vehicle.

Left: Manitoba Calling, May 1944 (left)
Right: June 23 1921, Winnipeg Free Press

The tribute that most Winnipeggers are familiar with is the school. In 1921 the old Winnipeg Collegiate Institute was in need of a new building. The institute and and building were renamed Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute and opened in 1923.

There was also honourary doctorate from the U of M (1912) and an Order of the British Empire (1935). At a celebration dinner after receiving his OBE McIntyre said:

"(This) honor belongs to the teachers and the public-spirited men who have composed the school board. Without them nothing could have been accomplished, certainly not without the whole hearted support and co-operation of the teachers, which I always had."
January 25, 1935 Winnipeg Free Press

I cannot find a reference as to when the "Daniel McIntyre" neighbourhood came into being.

December 16, 1946, Winnipeg Free Press

In retirement McIntyre's advice was sought by numerous boards and commissions at the local, provincial and national levels.

He died December 14, 1946 at Misericordia Hospital.

Related:
Daniel J. McIntyre Manitoba Historical Society
Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute history Winnipeg School Division
Winnipeg's Giant of Education Winnipeg Time Machine
Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba Peel

Dumpling Platter: Council meeting preview; WIPS on tap; do our services suck ?

2011-12-13T05:09:00.000-06:00

A potpourri of items !

WIPS

We've put the finishing touches on Wednesday's WIPS schedule. The Fort Rouge Yards, Tower - Bond Tower, MPI's parking lots and the Going Downtown Twice a Month pledge are all in the mix.

DO OUR CITY SERVICES SUCK?

In his latest Urban Compass, Colin Fast looks at a new survey in which Winnipeggers give their civic services bottom-of-the-barrel ratings. I never know what to make of this type of survey, other than to back up the fact that we're a dour lot who love to hate our city. (I would have fallen out of my chair if more than 25% of Winnipeggers said that they liked anything that the city had to offer.)

It's another disadvantage of being so isolated. We don't have that nearby 'other city' (or two or five) that we visit or see in the news regularly with which we can compare our levels of service versus what we pay. For instance, here's a recent article comparing Toon Town and Regina (which is common in SK media) and their snow clearing policies. (Yes, Saskatoon did away with residential snow plowing well over a decade ago - I've been laid up there for a couple of days because of it !)

The grass simply MUST be greener on the other side and, of course, Winnipeg sucks so whatever we have on offer must be second rate.

CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

Yes, there's double the fun this week ! On Tuesday there is a special council meeting and the regular council meeting on Wednesday. Here's a look at a few notable items....

Capital Budget and Borrowing
The special council meeting is to deal with a single item: the $393 m five year capital forecast released last month. Council will also need to pass a bylaw to borrow the $60 m necessary to help pay for it all.

On to Wednesday's regular meeting ....

Water & Sewer Sharing: Council will be asked to approve the ‘Basic Terms for Service Sharing Agreements for the Provision of Water and Sewer Services to Neighbouring Municipalities'. This, to me, is one of the most under-debated issues of 2011.

On the surface is looks great - we have water and sewer so sell it people outside the city and make some money. Water and waste loomed large in the last municipal election with some R.M.s facing multi-million dollar solutions to their water woes. A perfect marriage, it seems.

The bigger issue, though, is why would or should any city want to provide services to people who live outside the city, many who are there because they left to avoid paying city taxes. Even stranger, why you would provide it at the same rate. After the hook-up charge and a $200 annual fee, the charge for sewer and water service is “... the same rate as the standard rates withing the city of Winnipeg…. The intent being to charge the same rate paid by a typical Winnipeg homeowner."

The city bills it as a way to " ...manage growth in the Winnipeg Capital Region in a way that is environmentally and economically sustainable."(source). Providing an additional incentive for those seeking to leave the city and live in the communities that ring the Perimeter is certainly contributing to the economic stability ... of the R.M.s.

Wow, I guess you really can have your cake and eat it too.

Related media: here, here.

Citizen Boards: Council will approve the 2012 citizen appointees to over a dozen citizen boards. Check them out to see if any friends (or foes) made the cut ! If you missed the deadline, here's what the 2012 application looked like and get cracking for 2013 !

Here is a list of all of the city's boards and commissions, their makeup and role.

Downtown Parking Strategy: Council will be asked to endorse the new Downtown Parking Strategy. It's a five-point plan to encourage new parkade development vs. surface parking lots, explore alternatives to downtown parking at peak times and freeing up meters for short-term use. These are recommendations. No immediate financial implications are attached to it.

Related media: here , here.

New Transit Contract: The contract between the city and Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) members expired in January 2011. Council will be asked to approve an MOU between the city and ATU for a series of pay and other benefit rises (2%, 2% and 2.5%) through to the end of 2014. The increase will cost $8m over the four years, which is about $2m more than what a nickel fare increase would bring in over that same period.

The ATU's 21300 members rejected the last agreement reached in October 2011.

Related media: here.

Also, the Mostyn Place / Granite Way name change and 25-year lease renewals for the Hamilton and Confederation buildings that I wrote about here are to be approved.

Academy Lanes / Uptown Theatre is turning 80 !

2011-12-11T08:31:00.009-06:00

It turns out that December 2011 is a milestone for more than one Winnipeg entertainment icon ! On December 24, 2011 the Uptown Theatre, now Academy Bowling Lanes, will celebrate 80 years !

Here is a look back at what was one of Winnipeg's most unique theatres !

Uptown's sisters: the Palace on Selkirk Avenue; the Rose on Sargent Avenue and the Roxy on Henderson Highway.

Allied Amusements Ltd. commissioned local architect M. Z. Blankstein to design the fifth in their chain of neighbourhood theatres which already consisted of the Roxy (on Henderson), The Rose (on Sargent), the Plaza (on Marion at Tache) and the Palace (on Selkirk).

Safety, of course, was a key selling feature of any theatre of the day. The Uptown would have a state-of-the-art ventilation system and boasted a wood-free hall, (brick with metal lath was used instead). They were also the ‘first in the Dominion’ to use an Orthokrome screen “…said to adhere all the red light rays reputed to be harmful to the eyes” (Winnipeg Free Press, December 24, 1931).

Uptown's interior, December 24, 1931, Winnipeg Free Press

The interior was built for patron comfort. There was a large, well furnished lobby area. Plush carpeting ran throughout the building. The seats, 1200 on the main floor and just over 400 on the balcony, were mohair–backed with leather bottoms stuffed with horsehair for a feeling of luxury. The front row of the balcony and the loges were 'chesterfield style' seating.

It was, of course, Blankstein's architectural details that set the theatre apart from anything Winnipeg has ever seen.

The exterior resembled a Mediterranean villa with wrought iron balconies, colourful stucco finish and red tile roof. The roofline, though, was that of an Islamic mosque.

Inside, patrons were meant to feel as if they were seated outdoors, in the square of a Moorish village. The hall's walls included the facades of village buildings overlooking the 'square'. The ceiling was painted blue with twinkiling stars inserted into the plaster. Images of moving clouds were projected onto it adding to the outdoor feel.

Lighting came from 16 spotlights placed around the periphery of the hall rather than chandeliers so as not to ruin the outdoor effect. (For a more detailed description of the building’s interior see the City of Winnipeg Historic Building’s Report).

October 6, 1931. Winnipeg Free Press.

To name the theatre, Allied held an essay contest that ran in both the Free Press and Tribune. The winner received a Northern Electric radio and had their essay published in the paper.

Some 30,000 entries were submitted, (this was the depression after all !!). Management sifted through them until they found their favourite: The Uptown. It turned out that there were 39 essays that suggested Uptown so no one winning entry was singled out. (I'm not sure if this meant that 39 radios were provided, though the Free Press did print a series of the essays).

On October 5, 1931 the winning name was announced on the stage of the Roxy Theatre.

Left: December 25, 1931, Winnipeg Free Press
Right: J. Miles, President of Allied Theatres; D. Gauld, Uptown's first manager.

On Christmas Eve 1931, Mayor Webb presided over the opening ceremony that included Mr. J. Miles, president of the theatre chain and Donald Gauld, formerly the manager of the Roxy and now the Uptown's first manager. It does not appear as if Blankstein, architect of Allied's Uptown, Roxy and Tivoli Theatres, was present. He died one week after the opening.

December 24, 1931, Winnipeg Free Press.

The ceremony was followed by a newsreel, a movie short and the feature: Sally O’Neill and Frank Albertson in The Brat.

ca. 1945, Winnipeg Tribune

February 27, 1941, Winnipeg Tribune

The theatre was built as a movie house and the stage area was too shallow for many types of of live events. These were hard times, though, and the Uptown had to fill as many seats as possible. Small stage performances, lectures, recitals, fundraising concerts and the like were a regular part of the schedule.

The Uptown mainly showed the second run of top films, often as a double bill. An exception to this was their Uptown's 'Sneak Peak Thursdays' of the early 1940s. Dozens of first run films premiered here before they opened downtown the following night. Saturday afternoons were a mix of Westerns and cartoons.

May 14, 1960. Winnipeg Free Press

The rising popularity of television spelled the end of neighbourhood theatres. A number of chains faltered and one by one their theatres were sold off for demolition or to be converted to other uses.

The Roxy and Uptown were now part of the Western Theatre chain, which hung on longer than some. In 1960 it was announced that both buildings would be converted into into bowling alleys. On Sunday, May 15, 1960 the Uptown held a farewell afternoon with a free feature and six cartoons.

September 29, 1960. Winnipeg Free Press

On September 29, 1960 Uptown Bowling Lanes opened as Winnipeg's largest with 30 Brunswick lanes. On October 21, 1960 they held an official opening featuring 'Cactus' Jack Wells as emcee and a fashion show of the latest bowling attire.

Uptown Lanes is still in operation as Academy Lanes.

Demolition of the Uptown Theatre's interior (source)

394 Academy Road Historic Buildings Committee (source of above demolition photo)

The Amazing Kreskin Returns !

2011-12-10T14:47:00.000-06:00

May 27 1972, Winnipeg Free Press

The Amazing Kreskin returns to Winnipeg just months shy of the 40th anniversary of his first appearance ! (He'll be at the West End Cultural Centre Tuesday December 13th.)

I'm old enough to remember when he was quite the fixture on television. I thought Kreskin was Canadian so I took a look back. Turns out he's not but has a Canadian connection.

He was born George Kresge in New Jersey in 1935. In the 1960s he made a name for himself as a 'mentalist' and by the end of the decade was regular guest on numerous U.S. talk shows and TV specials.

It was CJOH TV in Ottawa that produced his self titled television shows from 1971 - 1975 (am I really that old ?!). CJAY (CKY) carried it here on Sunday nights. After that, he was back to guest appearances and TV specials.

April 19 1973, Winnipeg Free Press

In an interview with the Free Press published May 20, 1977 Kreskin said:

"I don't believe in psychic powers. The things I do are inherent in everyone....
Because of our over-reliance on sight and hearing, we have lost a lot of the abilities that primitive people had. I've just been able to harness those abilities."

In 2007 he was interviewed by Strombo.

UPDATED Photos: Youth for Christ's new centre now open

2011-12-09T18:01:00.000-06:00

UPDATE: See below for interior pics !

On Friday, December 9, 2011 at 2:30 pm Youth For Christ's new Youth Centre for Excellence at Higgins and Main officially opens. Tours follow from 3:00 - 4:00pm.

Last summer at Winnipeg Downtown Places I took a look back at the history of Youth for Christ in Winnipeg and this new project.

Here are some construction update photos from the past year !

October 30, 2010:

March 2011:

May 2011:

July 2011:

September 2011:

November 2011:

December 9, 2011 (Official Opening)

It's back: the local history buff's Chritmas gift guide !

2011-12-08T18:39:00.000-06:00

It's something that I've been doing for a couple of years now at This Was Manitoba: publishing a Christmas gift guide for the local history buff on your list !

I take a look at notable books and A/V from the past year. I also try to dig around for items for the more discerning history buff. This year's new adds: a giant wall map of 1874 Winnipeg and a limited edition Pierre Berton bow tie !

The local history buff's gift guide (Christmas 2011 edition)

Harvey's adds to Portage Ave eatery explosion !

2011-12-07T20:06:00.009-06:00

The stretch of Portage from Memorial to Sherbrook has undergone quite a transformation thanks to the University of Winnipeg. A side benefit has been the addition of a number of new eateries.

Kicking it off was Stellas in the Buhler Centre, then Pop Soda's Coffee House and Gallery. Last month elements The Restaurant opened in the Richardson Science Centre and on Monday Harvey's opened in the long-abandoned former McDonald's at Langside.

Oh, and Garbonzo's is coming soon to the AnX (former Mall Centre).

What a difference a year makes !

For more on the U of W's changes on Portage see The Axworthy Effect.

Old airport terminal's giant murals find new homes !

2011-12-06T20:15:00.005-06:00

Great news on the airport art front. The Canadian Press reports that both of the 100' x 40' murals are off to new homes !

Northern Lights (1964) by former U of M prof John W. (Jack) Graham (1922 - 2007), has already been shipped off to Ottawa's Canada Aviation and Space Museum for permanent display.

Eli Bornstein's (1922 - ) Structural Relief in Fifteen Parts (1962) is off to the U of M. They have been negotiating for it since 2010.

That's now most of our old airport's original public art accounted for - except for the Solar Cone ?!

For a look back at all of the works from the old terminal (as well as the terminal itself !)

Heritage Notes: Mostyn Place to disappear; Main St. leases renewed

2011-12-06T06:31:00.002-06:00

A couple of heritage notes from this week at city hall.

On December 5, 2011, the Standing Policy Committee on Downtown Development, Heritage and Riverbank Management passed these items. They now go to EPC on Wednesday for approval.

Heritage Building Leases

The city has recommended entering into a new 25 year lease with the Hamilton Building at 395 Main. The deal is for 66,194 sq ft at a rate of $14.95 per. The city has leased the building since 1991.

The other deal is for 69,343 sq. ft in the Confederation Life Building (one of my favourites) at 457 Main Street. The city has been leasing space there since 1998.

For details of the deals check out the EPC agenda

Farewell Mostyn Place

Another item that will come up at EPC is the renaming of Mostyn Place to Granite Place (or Granite Way) as requested by the ca 1913 Granite Curling Club. That facility is the only mailing address on the street. Council adopted new, easier renaming rules in late September.

As I did with Repelje last year, I thought I would look back at Mostyn Place before it disappears from our maps !

May 27, 1903, Manitoba Free Press

Mostyn Place was created in 1903 when the Manitoba Mortgage and Investment Company subdivided that tract of land. There are three interrelated sources for the name.

The manager of the company was Mr. Lansing L. M. Lewis, the L. M. stood for Llewellyn Mostyn. Lewis' son was also named Llewellyn Mostyn Lewis and used Mostyn as his first name. The origin of the middle name likely goes back to their apparent Welsh background, (though they were second generation Canadians.) Mostyn is a port village in northern Wales.

October 22, 1882, Manitoba Free Press

Lansing Lewis, sometimes referred to as Captain Lewis, was a Montrealer involved in the insurance business. He came to Winnipeg and served as Aide-de-Camp for Lieutenant Governors Cauchon and Aikins. He was also involved in a number of business ventures, the main one being insurance firm Lewis and Kirby. He was also secretary of the Winnipeg Board of Trade for at least the year 1883.

December 12, 1888, Manitoba Free Press

Lewis was a late entrant to the 1889 city council race. He was approached about running in Ward One on November 26, 1888 and easily won a one year term on December 11th.

As a rookie councillor he had a lot of key responsibilities. For a time he was chair of the finance committee and when Mayor Thomas Ryan (the boot guy) was out of town on business, he often filled in as acting mayor. The Free Press commented that "Alderman Lewis fills the mayor's chair with dignity and ability" (Oct. 1, 1889). Lewis did not run for another term.

Montreal Gazette, March 23, 1927

In 1892 he wound up the firm Kirby and Lewis and returned to Montreal where he continued in business and his work in the church.

When he died in 1927 he took the unusual step of preparing a letter that was read out at his funeral. In it he thanked his friends and affirmed his deep faith in God. He concluded by saying:

"Life is a mystery- but as Dr. Drummond wrote. 'Don't worry about it, just play the game.' Good luck to you all and farewell.
- Lansing Lewis"

Deanna Durbin: Whatever happened to Winnipeg's Sweetheart ?

2011-12-05T08:59:00.001-06:00

Source: Vintage-Stars on Flickr

This is part 3 of a look back at the life and career of Winnipeg-born singer and actress Deanna Durbin who is celebrating her 90th birthday on December 4, 2011 !

Part 1: From Winnipeg to Hollywood (1921 - 1936)
Part 2: An amazing career (1936 - 1949)
Part 3: Whatever happened to Winnipeg's Sweetheart ?
BONUS: Deanna's 1937 visit to Winnipeg (coming soon !)

'Our Deanna is Growing Up'
April 1, 1939, Winnipeg Free Press

When Deanna's contract with Universal was drawing to a close in 1949 she gave her first interview free from the thumb of a studio publicist to Associated Press' Hollywood reporter Bob Thomas. In it, she rails against Hollywood and the treatment of child stars, leaving a hint of blame for parents.

What did she really want ? "I would like to have people like me because I am just Edna, not because I am Deanna." As for her 12 year relationship with Universal and the way it ended, she said "I must say, they paid well to make me miserable."

With that, Deanna and daughter Jessica left for France.

In December 1950 she married french producer / director Charles Henri David, (he directed Durbin's 1945 film Lady on a Train), and the following year they had a son, Paul.

She then informed those in Hollywood who were bugging her to return that after 12 years, 21 movies, dozens of hit records and at the ripe-old age of 28 she was now retired and would not be back. Ever.

As suddenly as she burst onto the scene, she left it.

Associated Press photo ca. 1958 (source)
For a 1981 colour photo

Unlike other stars who "quit" show business there would be no comebacks, talk show appearances or award dinners. Not even a juicy tell-all book. She remained in Neauple le Chateau, a village outside Paris, and has rarely even commented publicly.

The few that I can find:

- In a 1952 visit to Hollywood to see her parents she spoke again to Thomas saying "I can't seem to make people believe that I don't care about making any more pictures."

- In a 1958 refusal of an interview request she wrote an AP reporter to say that she was happy with her life and considered herself lucky to have been able to leave Hollywood on her own terms and relatively undamaged. She declared "Deanna Durbin was dead and my own life really began."

- In 1961 Bob Thomas again caught up with her on a return visit. She reiterated that she was still retired and would remain that way.

- In 1964 American reporter Nino Lo Bello reached Durbin by phone and they spoke for a few minutes. She told him "We live quietly and entertain few friends. Yes, I still sing once in a while at home."

- Durbin's one and only official, sit-down interview since living in France was with David Shipman in 1983. A transcript can be found here.

In it, she breaks a few myths, most notably that she "hated" show business. She didn't but: "What I did find difficult was that this acquired maturity had to be hidden under the childlike personality my films and publicity projected on me.”

She also provides some additional biographical information about her father. She said that the cold Winnipeg winters ate up any of the savings they made over the summer and that's why they decided to move. In Los Angeles her father "worked as a welder and held a variety of manual jobs" until he started becoming ill. He then managed her affairs up until her first marriage in 1941.

April 28, 1978, Winnipeg Free Press

Stories about Deanna were a bit more common. Every few years it was reported that she was coming out of retirement. A 1972 AP wire story carried by the Free Press tells of 20 reporters showing up in Neauple le Chateau after a Paris magazine claimed they had a scoop on her comeback. (Durbin says that she was only seriously tempted once, for the lead in the original Broadway production of My Fair Lady.)

Upon the death of Judy Garland in 1969 Bob Thomas contrasted the two women who began their film careers together with that 11 minute short at MGM in 1936. (The article was carried by the Free Press in June 26, 1969 under the headline Deanna and Judy: A study in contrasts.) His summation: Deanna was able to see the problems and quit whereas Garland couldn't do either and continued on until it destroyed her.

The last significant mentions of Deanna Durbin come in 1999. First, her husband third husband died. Later that year she wrote a letter to the membership of the Deanna Durbin Society apologizing for having to cut back on the amount of fan mail that she was responding to.

She is alive and living in France, as best anyone knows !

Source: Vintage-Stars on Flickr

What about here in Winnipeg ?

By the time Deanna left Hollywood her grandmother had passed away and some of the Reads of St. Vital had moved down to L.A. to live near the Durbins. There was little local connection left. Winnipeg media (the Free Press, anyway) carried some of the above wire stories and any brief, local mention of Deanna still referred to her as the "girl from St. Vital".

Source: Vintage-Stars on Flickr

I found three quotes that I think illustrate the life and career of Deanna Durbin:

Washington Post writer Joseph Masraneglo wrote in 1978, (the wire story was carried by the Free Press on April 26):

"The smile was always real and the blue eyes could make you feel alone in a theatre. When the clear voice of Winnipeg-born Deanna Durbin told you she loved you it made your adolescence livable for 90 minutes."

Basinger, in The Star Machine (p 296), says Durbin had close to the perfect Hollywood movie career - bursting onto the scene, taking it by storm, then walking away. (The Garbo reference points out that despite her famous 'retirement' from the movies, she spent the rest of her life in and out of the Hollywood scene.)

"Deanna Durbin, that most open and radiant of movie stars, remains more enigmatic than Garbo. She retired and led a normal life, the one thing that seems to have eluded almost every other movie star. She’s the winner and still champ.”

Pasnak also uses the Garbo comparison:

"…Durbin’s retirement was such a mystery her persona remained an illusion….Both Durbin and Garbo would remain eternally youthful in the minds and memory of fans and critics alike. In some ways, this would be reason for her present day popularity."

From Silverbluestar on Flickr

So just how big was Deanna Durbin ?

In the many articles and biographies that I have read while putting this together I have come across an interesting list of Deanna's achievements. Here are some of them:

- She was given the key to New York City by Mayor Laguardia and is the only female boy scout in America ! (Basinger)

- Her hand and foot prints are in the pavement outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood.

- She was a favourite of Winston Churchill who often watched her films, even during the height of the war.

- In Anne Frank's bedroom in the secret annex where her family hid there is one (some say two) photos of Deanna on the wall above her bed.

- Strangest of all, in 1941 Benito Mussolini wrote an open letter to Deanna in an Italian newspaper asking her to convince the U.S. President not to get involved in World War II.

Sources and Notes:

Fan sites:
The Amazing Deanna Durbin blog
The Deanna Durbin Society
Deanna Durbin Devotees
Deanna Durbin Showcase
The Deanna Durbin Museum

Biographies:
Overview of Deanna Durbin Turner Classic Movies
Hollywood Songwriters by Parrish & Pitts
The career of Deanna Durbin Pasnak
The Star Machine by Basinger

Notes:
The site that houses the Winnipeg Tribune articles tends to go offline a lot so check back if you get an error message. I have provided images of some of the key articles.

Durbin, or at least her P.R. team at Universal, wrote a syndicated series about Deanna's life. It appeared in the Winnipeg Tribune, (part 1, part 2).

Check YouTube for hundreds of movie and audio clips.

A sample of some of audio recordings from the 1940s.

For other Winnipeg / Hollywood connections check out my posts about the movies Mantrap (1926), 49th Parallel (1943), Die Hölle von Manitoba (1953). Also personalities such as Charlie Chaplin, Monty Hall, Guy Madden, Barbara Streisand.

Deanna Durbin: An amazing career (1936 - 1949)

2011-12-03T23:56:00.013-06:00

December 4, 1947, Winnipeg Free Press

This is part 3 of a look back at the life and career of Winnipeg-born singer and actress Deanna Durbin who is celebrating her 90th birthday on December 4, 2011 !

Part 1: From Winnipeg to Hollywood (1921 - 1936)
Part 2: An amazing career (1936 - 1949)
Part 3: Whatever happened to Winnipeg's Sweetheart ?

BONUS: Deanna's 1937 visit to Winnipeg (coming soon !)

December 9 1939, Winnipeg Tribune

Edna Mae's angelic voice got her noticed. She began to sing at events and recitals around town and eventually on local radio. She was scouted by MGM, famous for their musical stars, and signed to a contract at the age of thirteen.

February 1, 1936, Winnipeg Free Press

Edna Mae attended school at the MGM studio lot where she met and befriended a fellow newcomer to the movie industry, though not to show business, named Frances Gumm. The two girls were subject to a renaming: Edna Mae was changed to Deanna while Miss Gumm became Judy Garland. (Though Edna Mae didn't apply to officially change her name until December 1938.)

Every Sunday on YouTube

The two girls were cast in a short film, essentially a glorified screen test called Every Sunday. It allowed them to showcase their very different singing styles and for the studio to gauge the reaction to each of them. It became so popular that it later was re-cut and released as a movie short.

MGM only had room for one singing teenager. An often told a bit of Hollywood lore, that Durbin herself confirmed in a 1983 interview, was that Louis B. Mayer (who grew up in New Brunswick) said "get rid of the fat one" meaning Garland. It was misinterpreted and it was Deanna that was cut. She said that when she got the news she felt like killing herself.

Almost immediately, though, Universal Studios signed Deanna to a contract of their own.

December 26, 1936, Calgary Herald

Universal had a project in the pipe, a borderline 'B movie' called Three Smart Girls (1936) into which Deanna was cast. The movie, thanks to Deanna and her voice, was a smash hit and cleared a million dollars for the studio, which at the time was near bankruptcy. They rushed her into another film: One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937) which proved that it wasn't a fluke - movie-goers were in love with Deanna Durbin.

Life Magazine spread, September 6, 1937

That same year, the first chapter of Deanna Durbin Devotees was created (and is still active today). She also had her debut feature article in the September 6 edition of LIFE Magazine. It gushed that aside from her mature voice:

“...she has what most singing stars notably lack - a captivating screen personality. These combined assets may well ensure her both an operatic career and top-rank stardom in the movies.”

Having too mature a voice prevented what would have been an interesting Winnipeg - Hollywood side story. Deanna was selected to be the voice of Snow White for Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The Snow White character was designed by Winnipeg artist "Cartoon"Charlie Thorson, based on Kristin Solvadottir, a local cafe waitress.

October 6, 1937, Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg patiently waited for 100 Men to debut as it appears that the Every Sunday short was not shown here, though her radio appearances could be heard on CKY. The big day came on October 7, 1937 at the Capitol Theatre.

February 5 1938, Winnipeg Free Press

Eaton's ad, September 1937

For the discerning fan, Eaton's carried licensed Deanna Durbin approved pullovers and beach togs. Scientific Beauty College would give you a Durbin-inspired permanent wave for $3.50. (In the years to follow a whole merchandising empire would be built around Deanna.)

I can only find after-the-fact references to Deanna visiting Winnipeg at least twice during this time, once in 1936 and once in 1937 hot off the heels of a March performance with the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. (Soon: a look at Deanna's 1937 visit !)

The home visit must have been an interesting one for the studio as they kept Deanna's public image and private life tightly controlled. Universal had a 'reporting ban' on her personal time while on her musical tours and even from covering her 1941 wedding ceremony, (something a LIFE reader pointed out.)

Even in local media there was some compliance. When Deanna's background was 'tweaked' to make her a "St. Vital girl", they played along. A flip through some Henderson Directories or a question to a friend or family member would have confirmed that she was a "C.P.R. Town" (Weston) product. Her St. Vital relatives arrived years after the Durbins left.

Another tweak was that her father's L.A. profession was changed from machinist and labourer to 'real estate broker' (Pasnak p 263). John started having health trouble and when Deanna signed her studio contract he managed her affairs until her 1941 marriage.

Manitoba Calling, January 1941

Two movies were released in 1938: Mad About Music (1938) and That Certain Age (1938). They were variations on the same theme as the first two, something Pasnak (p. 21) calls it the Durbin Formula in which "...hapless, helpless adults who are unable to fix their problems" meet the precocious Durbin character with the angelic voice who will "...use wit and ingenuity combined with luck to solve (them)."

As if to emphasize how closely they were sticking to this formula, her next movie was a sequel to her first, Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939).

In December 1939 Deanna turned 18. It was a crowning end to an incredible year that began with her and Mickey Rooney receiving a special "juvenile" Oscar at the 11th Academy Awards "...for their significant contribution in bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth, and as juvenile players setting a high standard of ability and achievement."

Her films to date had all been hits, earning Universal millions of dollars in the process. Her salary was on a steady increase as well, from $126,000 in 1938 (about $2m in 2011 dollars) to $260,000 in 1940. Not bad for a teenager !

May 12, 1939, Winnipeg Free Press

Deanna's first on-screen kiss was released that year in First Love with newcomer Robert Stack. It went over well, despite Universal's initial concern that it might show her growing up too fast and alienate fans !

Deanna's mother, in town on vacation, assured local fans that despite the kiss, her daughter had little time for romance: "Often on a Saturday night, Deanna will come home, have supper, take a shower and curl up in bed with a book of poetry” though had time to be an active, healthy teenager "... as if she had been living her whole life in the northern climate of Winnipeg.” ( )

L to R: The Durbins; Deanna and Vaughn; the Pauls (source)

Deanna was growing up much faster than the studio wanted her to.

In December 1940 she announced her engagement to Vaughn Paul, who had worked as a second assistant director on Three Smart Girls. The two were married on April 14, 1941 in a grand ceremony in Los Angeles with 850 guests. Thousands crammed the street outside the church to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds.

April 18, 1921, Winnipeg Tribune

The invitation list included a number of Winnipeggers. There was Deanna's grandmother, though her two uncles stayed behind. The Smith family, former Winnipeg neighbours still living at 2260 Gallagher Avenue. Also, Mrs. H. H. Bradburn. The Bradburns and Durbins were close friends, regularly visiting each other throughout the years. The Bradburns' cottage at Lake of the Woods was a welcome retreat.

From the Amazing Mr. Holliday (source)

Even Universal's publicity department couldn't plaster over some cracks that began to form in Deanna's personal life.

Growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of adult, dramatic roles being offered, Deanna refused to come to work in 1941 prompting the studio to suspend her in October. She returned in early 1942 to do The Amazing Mrs. Holliday (1943) and Hers to Hold (1943).

In December 1943 her marriage to Vaughn Paul ended with Deanna citing mental cruelty.

September 22, 1920, Winnipeg Free Press

Though Deanna does not to appear to have come to Winnipeg in the 1940s, she did keep a local charitable presence.

In 1941 Rosemary Lobb, a 14 year old girl who lived at the Rothesay Apartments on Preston Avenue in Wolseley, wrote to Deanna. She explained that she was blind since birth, a student at the CNIB school and a lover of music and opera and hoped that one day she could hear Deanna sing Ave Marie on one of her radio shows.

Deanna did one better. She recorded a special version of Ave Maria for Lobb that included her and her mother sending along personalized greetings.

The recording was broadcast as part of a radio- thon to raise funds for Winnipeg's Community Chest of charities, which included the school for the blind.

In early 1944 Kinsmen International approached Durbin to sponsor a home that would be raffled off to raise funds for their Milk for Britain program that shipped milk (powdered, of course) off to England for children impacted by the blitz and wartime rationing.

August 12, 1044, Winnipeg Tribune

Deanna agreed, the R.M. of St. Vital donated a lot on Kingston Crescent and architects Lloyd Finch and Fred Walker got to work. It was said that Durbin herself approved the final design of the house.

Deanna did not come to Winnipeg for the raffle. Her mother participated in the sod turning and Deanna did a ceremonial signing over of the deed and from time to time sent a recorded or telegraphed message of support to local media.

The home was won by W.G. Campbell, a farmer from Neville, Saskatchewan who opted instead for the $10,000 cash guarantee. The house was then sold off.

Deanna Durbin house still stands and yes, the owners know its pedigree. They held an open house for the 60th anniversary and say that with one small change the exterior of the house is in its original state.

December 13, 1941, Winnipeg Tribune

December 30, 1944, Winnipeg Free Press

The year ended on a sad note when on Christmas Eve 1944 Deanna's 'granny' died at the age of 83. There is no mention of Deanna or her mother attending. A Free Press note states that James Durbin did attended.

June 14, 1945, Winnipeg Tribune

In June 1945, 23-year-old Durbin married for the second time to Felix Jackson (43), the Universal producer who became their point man for steering Deanna's career after her 1941 walkout.

The couple eloped to Las Vegas. There is no reference to her parents attending. Deanna's sister Edith gave her away. Edith had married a bank clerk named Clarence Hickman who now acted as Deanna's personal manager, so it was a combination of family and business.

Deanna seemed to be getting back in the game. Aside from the new marriage, her latest film Christmas Holiday with Gene Kelly was the darkest and most dramatic of her career, (though it didn't get great reviews at the time). By the end of 1945 she was listed among the top ten paid people in the U.S..

Things began to turn after 1945. As the Amazing Deanna Durbin blog writes:

"Deanna Durbin’s film career can be divided into three overlapping eras: the adolescent years...; the post-adolescence/struggle era...; and the resignation years, when Universal’s movie veteran - weary over the struggle for challenging scripts - essentially gives in to whatever work is offered."

A financially secure Universal had a number of newer, younger, cheaper stars now on the lot and felt less of a need to cater to Deanna. After the mixed reviews of Lady on a Train (1945) and Because of Him (1946) Durbin took time off to have her first child in March 1936.

June 14, 1946, Blairmore AB Enterprise

That year she also had the sad task of suing her sister and brother-in-law, the personal manager. She claimed that one of her properties, a home in Brentwood, was to be held by Hickman in trust but instead sold it off for a deflated price. The couple said that the home was gifted to them by Deanna.

March 1949

Upon her return to Universal it was, as Pasnak writes,as if she came full circle to her adolescent film days. A group of light, fluffy romantic comedies ending with For the Love of Mary (1948).

This triggered another sit-out by Deanna, though less out of anger, perhaps, than resignation.

Deanna had been tiring of Hollywood and the battles with the studio. She is said to have confided in her old radio show mentor Eddie Cantor that she wanted to quit the business, (Parish p. 276). Her father told the Winnipeg Free Press on June 5 1947 that Deanna would rather pursue her first love, opera "...but lacks the time for it. It takes study for that and her motion picture schedule doesn't allow it."

Another reality that may have given Deanna cause to think was the plight of her contemporary, Judy Garland. They began their film career together at MGM but by 1947 Garland, addicted to booze and pills, suffered her first nervous breakdown. In 1949 - 50 she was replaced on three different film projects for not showing up on time and was finally dumped by MGM.

Universal and Deanna settled out of court to reduce the number of films left in her Universal contract. Even then, they chose to pay her to sit the time out.

Next: Whatever happened to ...

Reference:
Hollywood Songwriters by Parrish & Pitts
The career of Deanna Durbin Pasnak
The Star Machine by Basinger

See the end of part 3 for a full list of sources and reference sites.