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Winnipeg Free Press
28-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Try out being a tourist at home — in Winnipeg
Opinion Many Canadians and Manitobans are rethinking their travel plans to the United States this summer. Rather than exploring the architecture and history of other places, we might take this opportunity to become tourists in our own city, rediscovering Winnipeg — a city that is often underappreciated, but one that is truly unique in Canada. A good starting point for exploration is Upper Fort Garry Heritage Provincial Park. Once the administrative hub of the fur trade and the site of the Louis Riel-led Red River Rebellion, this fort is often considered the birthplace of both Winnipeg and Manitoba. Visitors can connect to its history by walking through interpretive gardens that outline the ghosts of lost buildings or take in the dramatic public art wall that rises along the original fortifications. The land surrounding the fort was once part of the HBC Reserve, a 200-hectare tract that stretched north to present-day Notre Dame Avenue. After the Hudson's Bay Company surrendered Rupert's Land to the federal government, it retained this property, transforming it into Winnipeg's first planned neighbourhood. With Broadway as its central thoroughfare, streets were laid out, thousands of elm trees planted, and schools and churches were built to attract residential development. Many of Winnipeg's most prominent citizens moved in, building elegant homes along the tree-lined avenues. Brent Bellamy Photo The Union Bank Tower, Canada's first skyscraper, the tallest building in the country at its completion. One such citizen was Sir Hugh John Macdonald, a Manitoba premier and son of Canada's first prime minister. In 1895, he would build Dalnavert House, a red-brick mansion on Carlton Street, one of Winnipeg's first homes with electricity, indoor plumbing, and central heating. A century later, the Canadian Antiques Society hailed it as 'one of the finest examples of Victorian domestic architecture in North America.' Unfortunately, much of the beautiful historic neighbourhood has been replaced with parking lots and large modern buildings, but you can still find a few of the houses, apartments and churches hiding in their shadows, and Dalnavert is today a beautiful immersive museum. Walking through its doors allows one to imagine what the grand neighbourhood was once like, providing a glimpse into the way of life for early Winnipeggers. North of the HBC Reserve, a neighbourhood of muscular, stone buildings was also rising, the entrepreneurial centre of an optimistic young city. The Exchange District National Historic Site is today the most intact turn of the century commercial neighbourhood in Canada, standing as a physical record of Winnipeg's transformation from pioneer settlement to modern metropolis. Strolling through the Exchange on a warm summer day, it's easy to imagine a time when wooden sidewalks bustled with men wearing dark hats, ladies wearing long dresses, and the clip-clop sound of horse-drawn carriages filling the air. Stand at the corner of McDermot and Albert and you are surrounded by buildings that have witnessed much of our city's history. Their worn and uneven brick walls are eager to tell us their story. Taking the time to read their facades — the rhythm of arched windows, the detailed brickwork, the ornate cornices — you begin to unlock their quiet narrative. Walk under the shadows of Union Bank Tower at the bend in Main Street to appreciate what is Canada's first skyscraper, the tallest building in the country at its completion. A landmark of such significance would be nationally recognized if it had the boosterism of Toronto or Montreal. Brent Bellamy Photo Lower Fort Garry. An added layer of the Exchange District experience is to explore Canada's best collection of ghost signs, the layers of hand painted wall advertisements that are slowly fading into time. These ethereal pieces of the urban fabric tell the colourful story of the neighbourhood as a manufacturing centre, our once-thriving garment industry represented by companies such as Buffalo Cap and Neckwear, Patrick's Shoes and McGregor Hosiery. Today, the Exchange's yellow brick warehouses and terra cotta towers are filled with galleries, restaurants, theatres, and shops. Visitors can enjoy concerts or festivals, take tours, or simply wander through this 20-block National Historic Site — an urban treasure few cities possess. Across the river from the Exchange, another chapter of Winnipeg's unique story is brought to life. Once two cities — one English, one French — Winnipeg's dual identity is expressed through a small collection of historic buildings, with the city's best view of its modern skyline. Standing in the tranquil courtyard of St. Boniface Cathedral the circular opening that once held a stunning rose window tells the story of a young painter working in the attic on a mid-summer day in 1968. A cigarette carelessly flicked away would cause a fire that ripped through the largest and most imposing church in Western Canada. Within an hour, the two great towers at its front would collapse, tearing through the roof of the building, and through the heart of the Franco-Manitoban community. A beautiful modern church, designed by architect Étienne Gaboury, sits with grace and elegance withinthe ruins, creating an internal courtyard that provides a place to quietly reflect on both the sense of loss and the perseverance of a dynamic community that found such a thoughtful way to rebuild and move forward. Weekday Evenings Today's must-read stories and a roundup of the day's headlines, delivered every evening. Next door, the Saint-Boniface Museum continues the celebration of that community, housed in the former Grey Nuns Convent built in 1846, a gracious two-storey hipped roof structure that is the largest oak log building in North America. Brent Bellamy Photo Upper Fort Garry Moving north, an exploration can go even further back in time to reveal the stories of the earliest settlers in the west — from Seven Oaks House, the oldest home on the Canadian Prairies, and its neighbour, Inkster's General Store from 1831, the oldest building in Winnipeg, to the settler homesteads along River Road and St. Andrew's, the oldest church in Western Canada. As a bookend to the interpretive gardens that hold the memory of a lost fort in Downtown Winnipeg, the real thing still sits along the Red River just north of the city limits. Despite a junior high field trip being the last time most of us have visited Lower Fort Garry, the oldest intact fur-trading post in North America and the location of the signing of Treaty One deserves to be given a profile of international prominence. Wandering the grounds, listening to the interpreters, and absorbing the history of an original, perfectly preserved two-century-old fur-trading fort is an experience that cannot be had anywhere else in the country. Winnipeg is a city that is rarely thought of as a tourist destination, but the stories told through its architecture are unique in Canada. Taking the time to be tourists in our own city might help us more deeply understand ourselves and invite others to join us on that journey. Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group. Dalnavert House on Carlton Street, one of Winnipeg's first homes with electricity, indoor plumbing, and central heating. The courtyard of St. Boniface Cathedral. Brent Bellamy Photos Winnipge's Exchange District shows off the layers of hand painted wall advertisements that are slowly fading into time. Brent BellamyColumnist Brent Bellamy is creative director for Number Ten Architectural Group. Read full biography 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
26-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Supporters of removing barriers at Portage and Main excited to take steps 46 years in the making
Brent Bellamy plans to be one of the first to cross Portage and Main — and he plans to do so in style. The Winnipeg intersection will open to pedestrian traffic Friday morning for the first time since 1979, and Bellamy will be wearing a custom T-shirt with results from the 2018 plebiscite in which 65 per cent of Winnipeggers voted to keep the streets closed. 'I'll be there first thing in the morning. I might cross back and forth all day, actually, just for fun,' Bellamy said Thursday. 'It's obviously long overdue.' The creative director for Number Ten Architectural Group and Free Press columnist has been one of many long-standing advocates for removing the concrete barricades that prevented Winnipeggers from crossing the intersection for nearly 50 years. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Brent Bellamy at Portage and Main the day before the crosswalks are going to become active, allowing people to cross the famous intersection, legally, for the first time since 1979. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Brent Bellamy at Portage and Main the day before the crosswalks are going to become active, allowing people to cross the famous intersection, legally, for the first time since 1979. 'At one time it was the centre of our city, and it was where people came together,' he said. 'The storefronts in every direction are empty, and the plazas are empty all the time. It's really just a place void of life.' With nearly 20,000 people living and working between the intersection, Bellamy believes people returning to the sidewalk will help bring a new energy and life to the downtown. 'I don't expect the world is going to change in one day, but I think there are lots of good things happening already.'–Brent Bellamy 'I don't expect the world is going to change in one day, but I think there are lots of good things happening already,' Bellamy said. 'Reintroducing Winnipeg's history back into our consciousness will be an important thing.' He hopes that will someday include the city revitalizing the area using art and sculptures to tell the story of Winnipeg's history. Adam Dooley, another prominent supporter for opening the intersection, said he's thrilled the city is correcting what he called a 45-year-old mistake. 'It's a time of hope and progress for how we're looking at how we should be building our cities,' said Dooley, who was a spokesperson for the Vote Open campaign prior to the 2018 plebiscite under then-mayor Brian Bowman. 'Cities need to be designed for people first and cars second.' At the time, Winnipeggers voted 'no' by nearly a 2-1 margin in the non-binding plebiscite. Dooley hopes the public takes pride in the change as he believes it will help people feel safer and help visitors better navigate the area. Mayor Scott Gillingham will do something Friday Winnipeggers haven't been able to do legally in 46 years — walk across Portage and Main. Gillingham, with Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of the public works committee, and representatives from construction company MD Steele, will take the first steps following a brief ceremony planned for 10:30 a.m. Mayor Scott Gillingham will do something Friday Winnipeggers haven't been able to do legally in 46 years — walk across Portage and Main. Gillingham, with Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of the public works committee, and representatives from construction company MD Steele, will take the first steps following a brief ceremony planned for 10:30 a.m. 'I simply plan to walk across the street, when the walk light tells me I can,' Gillingham said Wednesday. The mayor stressed patience with the intersection, which closed to pedestrians in 1979 as foot traffic was redirected to an underground concourse. 'I once again please ask motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to be patient,' he said. 'Slow down, slow down at all intersections, but certainly at Portage and Main. This is going to be an adjustment. For 46 years, pedestrians have not been permitted to cross that intersection. Now they will be permitted to cross that intersection. 'So, let's just have everybody be patient.' The opening will occur despite a 2018 citywide plebiscite where 65 per cent voted 'no' to opening the intersection. The mayor said the move will help revitalize the area. 'Opening Portage and Main to pedestrians is not going to save downtown, but it is one important piece of many pieces of investment that are happening simultaneously throughout the downtown.' Gillingham said a report on the underground concourse will come forward this fall. — Kevin Rollason He intends on celebrating the occasion by walking across the intersection with other Vote Open colleagues. Former mayor Glen Murray, another significant proponent of foot traffic at Portage and Main, applauded the move but said it won't change much. 'Opened or closed, the serious issue is how everything functions,' said Murray, who served on the Exchange District Business Improvement Zone for eight years. 'It's good news, but it has a marginal impact.' Murray said the open intersection won't change the city's ability to retain strong business development, which he said is affected by heavy, undisturbed crime and traffic congestion caused by poor street planning. 'Every time I go back to the city for a couple of months, I just go for a long walk through the city or go on my bike, and I'm always sad to see what's going on downtown,' he said. 'We're just not seeming to get it.' Murray, who has residences in Winnipeg and Toronto, said Portage and Main needs to be restructured so it is cohesive for everyone. He believes parks, residential developments, businesses, and pedestrians should be spotted every three blocks within either direction of the two streets. 'This moves us in the direction we need to go, which is a downtown that invites people to the heart of the city that makes it an exciting place to go.'–Loren Remillard Loren Remillard, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, expects more people to be engaged with downtown once the blockades are permanently axed. 'This moves us in the direction we need to go, which is a downtown that invites people to the heart of the city that makes it an exciting place to go. People walking and milling around downtown who don't normally come for activities will start to build more momentum that we need.' Remillard knows crossing an intersection is not the be-all and end-all or the cure to what ails downtown, but he said it is a key ingredient to becoming a people-centred area. 'It's been a long time coming, and we're hoping it will create a vibrant atmosphere with people walking, engaging in events, and activities downtown,' he said. Remillard said members from the Chamber will be crossing the street Friday and working with partners and businesses to celebrate a historic Winnipeg moment.
Winnipeg Free Press
09-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Finding what's missing in the Winnipeg housing market
Opinion Last week, Winnipeg city council spent several long days and late nights debating a sweeping set of zoning bylaw amendments that could fundamentally change how our city is built in the future. Like all Canadian cities that signed on to the federal government's Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), Winnipeg is being asked to revamp its planning policies to allow greater density and more diverse housing types to be built in every neighbourhood across the city. The federal government recognizes that if we are going to build more housing supply in cities to balance market demand and create more affordability, it can't be accommodated by simply expanding outward in sprawling low-density suburbs. Brent Bellamy photo New rules for infill housing can invigorate Winnipeg neighbourhoods. The costs of infrastructure and municipal services can no longer be supported by low density growth, evidenced by increasing taxes, reduced services, and deteriorating infrastructure. The federal government is using the financial carrots of HAF to push cities into making uncomfortable changes to policies that regulate where housing can be built. The planning changes being implemented effectively eliminate single-family zoning, allowing at least a duplex to be built on almost any lot in the city. It will also allow up to threeplexes and fourplexes depending on lot size, location, and considerations like proximity to transit and existing street conditions. To speed up development, these new housing types will be allowed as-of-right, meaning that if they meet certain restrictions like height, lot coverage, and setbacks, they can be built without a public hearing. The need for cities to densify, combined with ever-rising land and construction costs, means that the future of housing will be less and less about single-family homes. Already only one-quarter of new homes built in Winnipeg each year are houses, with three-quarters being multi-family dwellings. This is an almost perfectly inverted ratio from 25 years ago. Current zoning policies effectively segregate densities, protecting single-family neighbourhoods and pushing most multi-family options into downtown high-rises or six-storey buildings on large streets. The new zoning changes will allow smaller multi-family developments to be peppered throughout neighbourhoods instead of being relegated to their fringes. Many people prefer the quality of life offered in a single-family home, and much of what is desirable in that lifestyle can be more affordably found in the types of housing these new zoning changes promote, commonly called 'missing middle housing.' Low-rise, multi-family housing types like townhouses, duplexes and fourplexes can offer more flexible and diverse living arrangements than a neighbourhood that is exclusively single-family, accommodating a wider range of household sizes, ages, and income levels. Missing middle housing can fit seamlessly into the character of walkable residential neighbourhoods, while still increasing density and providing a greater range of home sizes and affordability options. This housing diversity responds to the needs of people at different stages of life, whether it's a rental or starter home for a young person, a downsizing option for a senior ageing in their community, or a family home. A concern often raised about missing middle development is that it can mean the loss of smaller, older houses that are often affordable. Winnipeg is fortunate in some ways to have the oldest housing stock of any major city in Canada, with one in five houses being more than 80 years old, and one in 10 more than a century old. An old housing stock creates affordability, but it can't be relied on as a strategy to achieve that forever. We must allow our housing stock to be organically replenished in a way that will respond more specifically to the evolving needs of people today and in the future. Change will happen to our aging neighbourhoods whether we like it or not, but we can shape and guide this change by designing zoning regulations that push more multi-family housing towards smaller scale, neighbourhood focused developments that provide a more desirable lifestyle option for many. When a small bungalow is demolished for a fourplex, one house may be lost, but three more families are able to gain access to the neighbourhood. The new construction may not be as affordable immediately, but a neighbourhood's transition to higher density happens slowly, and as more and more older houses are lost over time, the infill will age and start a new cycle of affordability. In today's market, most new missing middle housing is built as rental properties, but 10 years ago it would likely have been condominiums. Market trends change, and by creating zoning regulations that promote this scale of development, more ownership options and home types will appear in the future. As this housing type becomes more prevalent and ages over time, it will replace the old bungalow as a common type of starter home that is the first step in the property ladder for young people. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. The idea of allowing different densities and housing types to sit on the same street is not a new one. Many of our most beloved older neighbourhoods have houses, townhouses, condominiums and apartment buildings sitting comfortably side-by-side. Higher-density neighbourhoods serve the greater good of reducing the cost of infrastructure and services needed to support new growth, helping to keep taxes down. It also improves support for local shops and amenities like libraries and community centres, while making public transit more effective, and improving walkability. New zoning bylaws that will create more missing middle housing over time will result in more diverse and livable communities that provide varied ownership models, home types and sizes. Missing middle housing will also allow broader access to good neighbourhoods, creating a more prosperous, affordable, and socially equitable city in the future. Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group. Brent BellamyColumnist Brent Bellamy is creative director for Number Ten Architectural Group. Read full biography 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.
