Winnipeg projects that overcame early derision to become iconic urban locations
For a city that has such a chip on its shoulder about being looked down on by the rest of the country, Winnipeg can sometimes seem pretty defeatist about efforts to transform the city.
We envy Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver for their subways, metros, rapid public services and walkable, bustling downtowns. But do anything to steer Winnipeggers away from their cars and they come close to barricading themselves at Portage and Main in protest.
To be sure, grandiose architectural and planning projects — even those shaped by extensive public consultation — can go off the rails in grand style, as have several projects that we'll avoid naming here.
And whether the city's recent transformations — from the pedestrian pivot at the intersection of Portage and Main and Graham Avenue mall, to the adoption of a spine-and-feeder transit model — will come close to delivering on their lofty promises remains to be seen.
Winnipeg is the capital of what's bluntly called a 'have-not' province, and its downtown often stands out as a stark reminder of this. Could urban planning efforts in prioritizing pedestrian traffic put the cart before the horse when so many deeper socioeconomic issues affect the city's core?
Even if the answer is at least partially yes, this isn't really an excuse to take refuge in our suburban enclaves, avoiding the downtown except as commuters. And it's too easy to forget how many of our most iconic, essential pieces of civic infrastructure were once met with skepticism, even scorn.
In this spirit, let's consider a few examples, focusing (this being the arts section) mostly on arts and cultural projects without which it's now nearly impossible to imagine the city core.
WAYNE GLOWACKI/FREE PRESS FILES
There was no shortage of cynics when the MTS Centre, now the Canada Life Centre, was erected downtown.
WAYNE GLOWACKI/FREE PRESS FILES
There was no shortage of cynics when the MTS Centre, now the Canada Life Centre, was erected downtown.
'Demolition is one of our city's few growth industries,' intones Guy Maddin in his 2007 film My Winnipeg, after nostalgic odes to the Eaton's Centre, the old Winnipeg Arena and the Jets.
'Overnight, a construction of a new arena on the old Eaton's site was announced … city council suddenly rushed out this new architectural lie to Winnipeggers. The result: a sterile new thrift-rink for minor league hockey… with the name the Emp-ty Centre!' he goes on while the camera lingers on the then-MTS Centre's sign, where the S flickers in and out.
Fast forward almost 20 years, and the resurrected Winnipeg Jets have just finished one of their most successful and memorable, if underattended, seasons at the Empty Centre.
But even if you're not a Jets fan, at some point you've probably ended up in the middle of a White Out Party, shoulder to shoulder with thousands of people chanting G-J-G. It takes a special kind of civic-cynic to stand there mute and arms crossed. Ultimately, there's no denying the power of this rather funny arena to light up Winnipeg's underused downtown, however fleetingly.
Ken Gigliotti /Free Press files
The Winnipeg Art Gallery is a monumental example of prairie modernism.
Ken Gigliotti /Free Press files
The Winnipeg Art Gallery is a monumental example of prairie modernism.
The term 'brutalism' tends to invite the most negative connotations surrounding modernist design: top-down, remote, austere. And there's definitely a monolithic quality to architect Gustavo da Roza's triangular, brutalist-adjacent design for the WAG, which started construction in 1969,
Former WAG director Ferdinand Eckhardt, who played a vital role in spearheading the gallery's new building near the end of his tenure, once colourfully called it 'the prow of an icebreaker cutting through the cultural apathy of the masses.'
But the WAG is also one of Winnipeg's most beautiful buildings.
Its almost lush Tyndall stone facade is an organic substitute for concrete and further distances it from brutalism. Stand at its northern point, and you can literally hold the building between your fingers.
For such a monumental example of Prairie modernism, the WAG is also a relatable, humanizing example of the same. It's complemented strikingly by the Qaumajuq addition, with programming that likewise strikes a balance between the urbane and the accessible.
MIKE APORIUS/FREE PRESS FILES
An aerial view of the The Forks
MIKE APORIUS/FREE PRESS FILES
An aerial view of the The Forks
It stands out as one of Winnipeg's most famous and, arguably, effective urban developments.
When it was first getting going, back in the 1980s, many considered it a disaster in the making. Winnipeggers looked out at the contaminated, abandoned railyard and industrial ruins at the meeting of the two rivers and saw another white elephant.
It's likely many weren't even thinking about the site's deep historical importance for Indigenous Peoples and the relative lack of consultation with Indigenous communities in development efforts.
The Forks continues to wrestle with colonialist legacies, supporting ceremonies and powwows, National Indigenous Peoples Day and other relevant cultural programming, while facing criticisms for, among other things, its security practices.
There's no easy way to square these inconvenient realities with The Forks' reputation as one of the core's most vibrant social hubs, but that reputation is deserved.
While some early critics could envision nothing more ambitious for The Forks than a public park, its momentum owes a lot to its ambitious avoidance of the 'single purpose' trap.
Its always-evolving offerings blend not just park-like amenities such as skating trails, green space and walking trails, but market stalls, restaurants, beer gardens, art and growing residential developments, giving Winnipeggers reason to return all year around and live in the area.
Janek Lowe/ Free Press Files
Architects Sasa Radulovic (left) and Johanna Hurme in 2010 at the Cube; the stage was initially criticized and underwent years of repairs.
Janek Lowe/ Free Press Files
Architects Sasa Radulovic (left) and Johanna Hurme in 2010 at the Cube; the stage was initially criticized and underwent years of repairs.
The complaints against the cheese grater-like stage at Old Market's Square are familiar. The Cube's knockers say that, with its perforated metal mesh and modernist symmetry, it's mismatched with the Exchange District's turn-of-the-century Chicago School architecture.
Also: the thing just didn't seem to work at first.
The motors on its retractable panels broke down easily in Winnipeg's harsh climate, and musicians and performers complained that its acoustics sucked. (Surprise, surprise: surfaces with as many holes as Swiss cheese don't encourage reverberation.)
The Cube, designed by 5468796 Architecture and erected in 2010, was and is criticized as a stage prioritizing appearance over function, and an appearance that isn't to everyone's tastes.
That appearance is to this writer's taste. There's something so satisfying about seeing the surfaces of this metallic cube fold inward to create a stage and then fold back out, like a Transformer, to its original shape.
The Cube also just seems to work better today; the panels have been fixed and the structure is more reliable, while concert organizers have learned to adapt to the stage's acoustic limitations with directional speakers and other tricks.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS files
The Burton Cummings Theatre.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS files
The Burton Cummings Theatre.
Some people snickered at renaming the theatre — built in 1906 as the Walker Theatre and converted to a movie house in 1945 — after a local star whose lingering Winnipeg connection involved a few performances here and there and a stake in Salisbury House. Others questioned whether its restoration in 1992 would boost commercial interests and mainstream acts at the expense of local music and community.
But today it seems fair to describe this former vaudeville theatre as a widely cherished cultural landmark.
Sure, the seats still aren't super comfortable and it would be nice to have more space to dance.
But overall, the upgrades — more of which were undertaken when True North took ownership in 2016 — have wisely preserved the Burt's charming heritage and built on its natural virtues. Its high ceilings and horseshoe shape aren't just eye-pleasing, but acoustic strong points — enhanced by additional acoustic panels and sound-diffusing elements. It usually sounds great.
With its 1,579 seats, it's well positioned to serve as a conduit to the crème of Canada's music scene. Seemingly all of Winnipeg's music royalty — from Neil Young and the Guess Who to the Crash Test Dummies, Begonia, Winnipeg's Most and the Weakerthans — have played there.
The Burt's centrality to local music is further highlighted today, as it hosts a celebration of life at 7 p.m. for Brendan Berg and Olivia Michalczuk, vital forces in the Winnipeg music scene whose lives were tragically cut short by a fatal car accident a couple of weeks ago.
conrad.sweatman@freepress.mb.ca
Weekly
A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene.
Conrad SweatmanReporter
Conrad Sweatman is an arts reporter and feature writer. Before joining the Free Press full-time in 2024, he worked in the U.K. and Canadian cultural sectors, freelanced for outlets including The Walrus, VICE and Prairie Fire. Read more about Conrad.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Forward
21-07-2025
- Japan Forward
To China Provocations, Ishiba Gov't Response is Truly Pathetic
このページを 日本語 で読む Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama all adopted timid stances toward China. This situation is extremely unfortunate as it undermines Japan's national interests. On July 9 and July 10, a Chinese J-H7 fighter-bomber made an abnormal approach towards a Japan Air Self-Defense Force YS-11EB electronic intelligence aircraft over the East China Sea. On both days, the Chinese military aircraft came within about 70 meters of the ASDF plane if measured in a straight line. These were abnormal, dangerous, and provocative manners of flying. The latest incidents came shortly after similar incidents on June 7 and June 8. In those cases, a Chinese military aircraft made an abnormal approach towards a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force aircraft over the Pacific Ocean. The Chinese military's high-handed behavior is utterly unacceptable. China must reflect on such foolish actions that impair its dignity as a country. But even more concerning is the Ishiba administration's truly pathetic response to these Chinese provocations. This Chinese JH7 fighter bomber approached Japan's Air Self-Defense Force YS11EB electronic measuring device on July 9. (Photo provided by the Ministry of Defense) On July 10, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. At that time, Iwaya conveyed Japan's serious concerns about the dangerous approaches of Chinese military aircraft. He also called for China to desist from such behavior. Also, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Takehiro Funakoshi expressed serious concern about the incidents to Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao via telephone. However, expressing "serious concerns" is a milder diplomatic response than a formal "protest." How Germany handled a similar incident in early July stands in stark contrast. After a German military aircraft was targeted by a laser on a Chinese warship during a reconnaissance flight over the Red Sea, Germany's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chinese ambassador to Germany. When he arrived, German officials delivered a strong protest. Why don't we learn from Germany? Leaders of Japanese political parties attend a pre-election debate in Tokyo on July 2. (©Sankei by Masahiro Sakai) During a street corner campaign speech ahead of the July 20 Upper House election, Ishiba said, "We will not be disrespected." He was referring to the tariff policy of the Trump administration. Yet he refused to speak out in protest regarding abnormal behavior on the part of the Chinese military. It is Chinese behavior that could lead to an accidental military conflict. Ishiba has also been silent on the subject on social media. His responses have been clearly imbalanced. Even after the close encounters over the Pacific in June, the government only expressed "serious concern." Then, too, Prime Minister Ishiba issued no statement on the matter. After this pitiful performance, Japan should expect to be disrespected and once again subjected to dangerous provocations. Clearly, the Japanese government should display more righteous anger. The attitude of LDP Secretary-General Moriyama is also bizarre. On July 11 he met with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Osaka. But according to reports, the main topics discussed were the issue of resuming Japanese beef exports to China and a request for China to loan Japan more giant pandas. Why is it that Moriyama did not press He to engage in a frank and honest exchange regarding the abnormal approaches of Chinese military aircraft? Even more so, why didn't he call for the release of Japanese nationals currently detained by Chinese authorities? The same also holds true for Foreign Minister Iwaya. If our leaders will not speak and act resolutely for the sake of Japan, they are not fit to serve at the nation's helm. Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
CBC
19-07-2025
- CBC
Winnipeggers weigh in on banning encampments near places like playgrounds
A motion from a Winnipeg city councillor, set to go before council in September, suggests banning tent encampments in public places where children gather, such as playgrounds, spray pads, community gardens and community centre spaces. CBC asked some Winnipeggers how they feel about the idea.
Winnipeg Free Press
15-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Manitoba Hydro embarks on $7-billion overhaul of two main transmission lines
Manitoba Hydro has launched a historic and long overdue overhaul of its two main transmission lines that will cost at least $7 billion and require up to 15 years of electricity rate hikes, the Free Press has learned. The HVDC (high-voltage direct current) Reliability Project involves the replacement of the converter stations and other equipment at both ends of Bipoles I and II, the two main transmission lines that each run nearly 1,000 kilometres from northern Manitoba through the Interlake to Winnipeg. The two lines carry more than 70 per cent of Hydro's total generated electricity. WAYNE GLOWACKI / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Hydro has launched a historic and long overdue overhaul of its two main transmission lines that will cost at least $7 billion. WAYNE GLOWACKI / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Hydro has launched a historic and long overdue overhaul of its two main transmission lines that will cost at least $7 billion. Hydro has estimated the project will cost at least $7 billion, although because it is still at a very early stage, officials at the utility concede the final price tag will be higher. A Hydro spokesman confirmed the utility has started a procurement process that will establish a precise cost to replace the converter stations and is conducting a search for contractors to oversee the work. A more accurate estimate of the total cost will not be available until 'the full scope of work' is identified, the spokesman said. Even at $7 billion, this would be the most expensive capital project undertaken by the Crown corporation, exceeding the investments made in any single generating station. It's significantly more than the cost of Bipole III, the politically controversial transmission line that runs from the north along the west side of Lake Manitoba. Bipole III was completed in 2018 at a cost of just over $5 billion. Hydro's 2026-28 rate application, which has been filed with the Public Utilities Board, said the project would take more than a decade to complete and based on Hydro's latest calculations, require 15 years of annual rate increases of 3.5 per cent. Although electricity rate increases are politically unpopular, Hydro will argue before the PUB that the viability of the transmission system is at stake if the work is not done. 'This is not just about meeting new energy needs in the future,' said Ben Graham, chairman of the Hydro board of directors. 'It's about ensuring a reliable grid now so that Manitobans will have the power they need when they need it.' MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala, the minister responsible for Hydro, says the NDP government approved the HVDC project as part of its process of reviewing the utility's 2025-26 budget. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala, the minister responsible for Hydro, says the NDP government approved the HVDC project as part of its process of reviewing the utility's 2025-26 budget. Finance Minister Adrien Sala, the minister responsible for Hydro, said the NDP government approved the HVDC project as part of its process of reviewing the utility's 2025-26 budget. He said that despite urgings from Hydro, the previous Tory government ignored the state of the transmission line converters and deferred a formal decision about starting the HVDC project. 'We know for many years, the former government failed to make necessary investments to ensure continued reliability at Hydro, and also ensure that we would have the energy we needed to support Manitobans and our businesses,' Sala said. 'So, I think we're making sure that we keep that all important balance between preserving affordability while ensuring Manitobans have access to the energy they need to power their homes and their businesses.' 'For many years, the former government failed to make necessary investments to ensure continued reliability at Hydro.'–Finance Minister Adrien Sala Peggy Barker, board member with the Manitoba branch of the Consumers' Association of Canada, which monitors Hydro rate applications to the PUB, said she's concerned about the size and speed of the project given Hydro's poor performance in forecasting the cost of capital projects. 'For over 10 years, the Public Utilities Board and independent experts have said that Manitoba Hydro's process for deciding on the pacing and prioritization of asset management was not mature or adequate,' the association's statement said. 'While Hydro has made modest progress in recent years, there is still an absence of a mature, standardized methodology for ranking investments based on asset risk, customer value, and cost-effectiveness.' MARC GALLANT / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba is known throughout the energy world for technology that has allowed electricity to be transmitted via high-voltage direct current lines over extremely long distances. MARC GALLANT / FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba is known throughout the energy world for technology that has allowed electricity to be transmitted via high-voltage direct current lines over extremely long distances. Bipole I went into operation in 1971 and underwent a major upgrade in 1993. Bipole II was fully completed in 1985. Currently, the converter stations that are essential for the transmission of power to the south are well past their life expectancy. Given the long distances the electricity must travel, converter stations are needed to convert alternating current (AC) that comes from the generating stations to direct current (DC) for transmission to reduce the amount of electricity lost during transmission. When the electricity reaches the other end of the transmission line, it is converted back to AC. In most instances, the converter stations are more expensive than the cost of erecting hundreds of kilometres of transmission lines. According to Hydro, the converter equipment normally has a life span of 35 years. Hydro currently estimates the earliest it could acquire and install new converters and connectors is between 2032 and 2037. By that time, the Bipole I converters will be 44 years old and its control mechanisms will be 65 years old, while Bipole II converters and controls will be 57 years old. Although the cost estimate and electricity rate hikes could be a source of political controversy, the need for the refurbishment project should not be a cause for much disagreement between the NDP government and opposition parties. The distance between northern generating stations and the southern region of the province, where most of the electricity is consumed, has always been a major source of concern for Hydro and the government of the day. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Former Tory premier Brian Pallister called Bipole III the worst political scandal in the province's history and spent $1 million on an in-depth review of the project. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Former Tory premier Brian Pallister called Bipole III the worst political scandal in the province's history and spent $1 million on an in-depth review of the project. In 1996, a huge wind storm damaged both Bipole I and II and nearly resulted in a blackout of Winnipeg. Hydro was forced to import electricity from Minnesota while both transmission lines were being repaired. Ultimately, that event became the motivation for the construction of Bipole III. Again, the need for the project was never really questioned; the cost and management of it by the then-NDP government of Gary Doer sparked years of political conflict. The final cost was nearly three times the initial estimate and the project was afflicted by numerous delays and mismanagement. Former Tory premier Brian Pallister called Bipole III the worst political scandal in the province's history, and spent $1 million to have former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall, a Tory, conduct an in-depth review. The Wall review did not reveal new details about the project. The big question facing Hydro, and successive provincial governments of both political stripes, is why the HVDC project was delayed. By all accounts, Hydro has been planning for decades to replace essential equipment at both ends of the transmission lines. However, documents available at the PUB and legislative committee meetings show it was not discussed in detail until about 2016. An engineering report released by Hydro in 2019 fully explored the danger of pushing the equipment too far beyond its normal life span. The 2026-28 general rate application, now before the PUB, is the most detailed description yet of the need for, and cost of, replacing transmission converters and connectors. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. Manitoba is known throughout the energy world for technology that has allowed electricity to be transmitted via high-voltage direct current lines over extremely long distances. Bipole I (895 kilometres) and II (937 kilometres) run from the northern Radisson and Henday converter stations near Gillam, down to the Dorsey converter station just northwest of Winnipeg. Bipole III is much longer at 1,400 kilometres, starting at the Keewatinohk converter station near Gillam and ending at the Riel converter station east of Winnipeg. However, in its most recent submission, Hydro noted that Manitoba currently operates the oldest HVDC transmission system in the world. Dan LettColumnist Dan Lett is a columnist for the Free Press, providing opinion and commentary on politics in Winnipeg and beyond. Born and raised in Toronto, Dan joined the Free Press in 1986. Read more about Dan. Dan's columns are built on facts and reactions, but offer his personal views through arguments and analysis. The Free Press' editing team reviews Dan's columns before they are posted online or published in print — part of the our tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
