Historical Winnipeg discussion

[The Jabroni]

Now that proposal for The Bay would have been extremely bold, yet, extremely glamourous had it been built!! It would put the Ledge to shame many times over!!

[JayM]

Originally Posted by The Jabroni

Now that proposal for The Bay would have been extremely bold, yet, extremely glamourous had it been built!! It would put the Ledge to shame many times over!!

Very much so.

[mrchristian]

A couple of history related things on the go this weekend:

Railway Days
Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm, 2nd floor of the Winnipeg Railway Museum in the Via Station.

There is a great collection of railway memorabilia restored and awaiting restoration, and you can also see Winnipeg's last remaining streetcar and related memorabilia – for more onfo on streetcar 356 check out the new website http://www.winnipegstreetcar.com my previous post on streetcar 356 a couple of pages back for more info.



CBC Radio One will also be giving it a plug at 6:40 am tomorrow.

On sale will be a limited supply of "Winnipeg Electric Company" T Shirts for $20, with the WEC Shield on the front, an image of an old bus ticket on the back for 8 1/3 cents (you could buy 3 streetcar tickets for .25), and the Winnipeg Heritage logo on the sleeve. All profits go to the restoration fund.



The other is the Selkirk Settlers Cemetery Crawl on Saturday September 13, at 7:00 p.m.

"Join us for a walk through the history of the church and cemetery of the Selkirk Settlers cemetery crawl

Presented by friends of the Kildonan Presbyterian Church, and Shadows of Manitoba tickets $10.00, proceeds going to the restoration of the Kildonan Presbyterian Church at 201 John Black ave.

To reserve your ticket, please call 255-3584. Parking is available, and your tour begins at the new church 2373 Main street"


And if you can't make it to that crawl try a cemetery 'self-crawl' before the snow flies. St. John’s Cemetery at St. John’s Cathedral, just a couple of minutes north of Redwood and Main, has a printable map to help you out.



A wander through St. John’s is a wander through Winnipeg’s history: Sir Sam Steele, Norquay, Drewry, Inkster, Ashdown …. The names are a who’s who of Winnipeg’s history.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by The Jabroni

Now that proposal for The Bay would have been extremely bold, yet, extremely glamourous had it been built!! It would put the Ledge to shame many times over!!

haha but the ledge had not even been built yet no?

[The Jabroni]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

haha but the ledge had not even been built yet no?

No, but had that building gone on as planned, and the ledge built as it happened, there would have been no way that the ledge could 1-up that design.

[Only The Lonely..]

Well fellas, look at what I found from the Smith Carter Archives..

[Only The Lonely..]

Here's some photo's taken by Smith Carter Searle of Portage & Main circa Winter 1962.

Presumably these photos were taken in order to do some site planning for Lombard Place.

Enjoy!

[Only The Lonely..]

Looking down what appears to be Portage Avenue East towards Portage & Main

[Only The Lonely..]

Driving towards Portage & Main. It's interesting to note that the Grain Exchange is probably the tallest building at the corner.

You can barely see it in the background.

[Only The Lonely..]

In front of the Eatons building, just look at how contemporary and eye pleasing the Dayton Building (Blush Ultraclub) looked at that time.

[Only The Lonely..]

More from Portage & Main.

[dennis]

In a way, IMO, Portage and Main seems a little more inviting today- at least looking north on Main just south of Portage - than in these photos. It could just be the parking lot at the intersection, and modern colour photography. Perhaps if the lot was occupied by something else it might look better to me.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

Looking down what appears to be Portage Avenue East towards Portage & Main

The lot at Portage and Main seems pretty large in these photos. It is a shame that the Richardson building wasn't designed to save that beautiful building on the corner of Main and Lombard. The corner would look much better today had they shared the space blending old and modern.


....ah, is the way of the Peg.

[Kinguni]

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

Looking down what appears to be Portage Avenue East towards Portage & Main

Looking north down Main St. toward Portage & Main actually.

[Archiseek]

yep. that building with the projecting clock was demolished for the tower alongside the Bank of Montreal - you can just see the war memorial in front of the bank

[Only The Lonely..]

Originally Posted by Kinguni

Looking north down Main St. toward Portage & Main actually.

Sorry my bad, it's a funny angle but now that you point it out I can see the Union Bank building down the street, so you're right.

[Only The Lonely..]

It really is amazing how much this intersection has changed over the last 40+ years.

[Only The Lonely..]

Originally Posted by Biff

The lot at Portage and Main seems pretty large in these photos. It is a shame that the Richardson building wasn't designed to save that beautiful building on the corner of Main and Lombard. The corner would look much better today had they shared the space blending old and modern.


....ah, is the way of the Peg.

It's really not that big of a lot when you drive by. I thought the same thing myself, that it was a shame they couldn't save the older edifice but I don't see how both buildings could coexist.

[Andy6]

Wow. That's quite a find. There was a certain dreariness to Portage and Main then. I can see why they wanted to start over but saving the Merchants Bank Building would have been nice.

[1ajs]

the weat pool building sure looked like it was well looked after just as their tower today looks