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Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dalnavert shines during Doors Open Winnipeg
West End I really enjoyed touring Dalnavert House during Doors Open Winnipeg. There were many interesting and historic locales welcoming visitors during Heritage Winnipeg's annual weekend event (held May 24 and 25) but Dalnavert House didn't disappoint. The museum, which includes an attached visitor centre, is nestled downtown at 61 Carlton St. The grounds are verdant and the garden is blooming. The gothic-looking Victorian mansion was built for Hugh John MacDonald, the son of Sir John A Macdonald, and his family in 1895. (At that time many well-to-do Winnipeggers lived just south of Broadway.) Volunteers in period costume imparted interesting facts and anecdotes about life in the house from the moment my group stepped onto the faithfully restored veranda. Photo by Anne Hawe The coal stove in the kitchen at Dalnavert is one reminder of how different life was more than a century ago. Hugh John was a notable Manitoban. A lawyer and politician, he was premier of the province for a very short time before becoming Winnipeg's magistrate. Although he took a hard line against strikers during the Winnipeg general strike in 1919, he was also known to let women and children sleep in the basement instead of being sent to Vaughan Street jail for stealing. History is complicated and the museum doesn't sugarcoat it. The jewel-toned carpet and wallpaper, the narrow hallways, and the beautifully appointed rooms on the first floor were atmospheric. The icebox and the cumbersome coal-burning stove in the kitchen illuminated how hard the cook and the maid would have worked to put food on the table — all with only half a day off, on Sundays. The white doorknobs in the kitchen? They were there to ensure the help washed their hands in case typhoid, influenza or Spanish flu lurked. After Hugh John died in 1929, his wife, Agnes, couldn't afford the upkeep. The house sat empty before being converted into a rooming house. The Manitoba Historical Society bought it from a developer then spent several years painstakingly renovating it before opening it as a museum in 1974. The doors closed in 2013 but the newly formed Friends of Dalnavert Museum non-profit re-opened it in 2015. The vibrant and community-minded organization brings history to life at the museum. lists Victorian themed workshops and events coming up this month. There is everything from a flower pressing workshop to watercolour painting in the garden while sipping mimosas to a foodie tour featuring Victorian snacks. Mondays A weekly look at news and events that matter in your communities. Perennially popular tours listed include Dalnavert on Drugs which explores Victorian drug culture, and Behind the Ropes which offers a closer look at Dalnavert's many rooms. Only the visitors centre and the first floor are accessible so there is a virtual tour of the house on the site. And admission is always free on the second Saturday of every month with family-friendly activities included. Anne HaweWest End community correspondent Anne Hawe is a community correspondent for the West End. She can be reached at annie_hawe@ 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
02-05-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
CFB Winnipeg flying high after 100 years
Members of Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg are preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary in style. One of the country's oldest air bases, CFB Winnipeg — which contains 17 Wing — opened on April 1, 1925. The commanding officer and chairperson for the centennial, Lt.-Col. Geneviève Dussault, said the members are excited to celebrate the historic milestone with the community. Photo by MCpl Darryl Hepner, 17 Wing Public Affairs A member of CFB Winnipeg shows off the 100-year badge commemorating the anniversary. 'We're just so busy, day in and day out, accomplishing our mission, that we're not stopping to highlight our history,' Dussault, who has more than 25 years of service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, said. 'It's really important to thank our people for what they've done over the last 100 years.' Originally called RCAF Station Winnipeg, the base trained pilots, navigators, observers and wireless operators during the Second World War. Today, CFB Winnipeg continues to train aircrews and provides search-and-rescue assistance. The base will hold a freedom of the city parade in which members will march to city hall carrying rifles and bayonets at 10 a.m. Wednesday. A fly-over is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Dussault said freedom of the city events date back to the medieval ages, when armies and cities were separate. She said the army would request a city allow them in with their weapons to show trust. Today, it is a ceremonial and rare event, reserved for special occasions. The last one in Winnipeg was in 1992. The base will also participate in Doors Open Winnipeg — a free event where community members can visit, take guided bus tours of the base and learn about its history — from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 24. 'That's going to be good because we'll be able to connect with the community, and people that did not know we existed — or knew we existed but never had the chance to visit — will be able to come and really learn about the amazing things we do,' Dussault said. 'Hopefully, at the same time, we'll be able to inspire the future.' Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. The base began centennial celebrations last month with a gala and a contest to design a new badge, which was won by a member. The patches will be worn over the next year. Dussault said CFB Winnipeg has grown a lot in 100 years. It now includes 17 Wing and the headquarters for 1 Canadian Air Division and the Canadian region of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command). It is also a training facility for the RCAF, and is in charge of 16 Wing in Borden, Ont., and 15 Wing in Portage la Prairie and Moose Jaw, Sask. 'It makes me proud of all the 100 years of dedicated work from all the folks. We didn't know then when construction was being done, how much this place would develop and how important it would be for our operation in Canada and across the world,' Dussault said. Drivers and cyclists on parts of Main and King streets and James and William avenues could experience delays during the parade, but the streets are expected to remain open. fpcity@
