A housing development appears set to breathe new life into a protected heritage building.
A developer is seeking approval to create 31 housing units at 210 Masson St., the site of the former St. Boniface Normal School.
A heritage advocate is welcoming plans to preserve the building, crediting the former school with helping preserve the French language in Manitoba.
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The St. Boniface Normal School at 210 Masson St. was a place for Winnipeg teachers to learn for decades.
“The public will really realize the importance of that building for the survival of the French language in Manitoba,” said David Dandeneau, vice-president and founder of Héritage Saint-Boniface.
The final construction plan should include an element, such as a plaque, that honours the building’s history, said Dandeneau.
One of the first normal schools in Western Canada, the St. Boniface facility opened in 1902.
Dandeneau said he worked for decades to help preserve the building and ensure it is once again occupied.
The bilingual normal school taught teachers to educate public school students in English and French. After a provincial act made English the sole language of instruction in 1916, the school officially became English-only but instructors snuck in French lessons, said Dandeneau.
“Everybody had a job to do to hide the (French) books and so forth … That worked for many years,” he said.
Dandeneau said the now-vacant building remains important to the community.
The building is protected against demolition, since it was added to the city’s historical resources list in 1989.
The protected elements include all wood panelling on the ground floor, a ground-floor fireplace and a wooden stairway between the ground and second floor, along with the building’s exterior and structure, according to the city’s website.
The new construction plan calls to reuse the building while protecting its heritage elements, creating seven studio and 23 one-bedroom units, as well as one two-bedroom suite.
“I think it’s important to add housing where we can, particularly right now. Our intention had always been for housing at this site. Rental housing options in St. Boniface are not always plentiful … I think that will be a great addition to the community,” said Jason van Rooy, director of marketing for Towers Realty Group, the site’s developer.
He said the plan will restore the building’s façade, while interior heritage elements are incorporated into the design. Housing will be added in the original structure, as well as a later addition.
“The opportunities are to breathe new life into something that’s very important to the surrounding community … Members of the community were educated in that building, people went to daycare in that building,” said van Rooy.
Coun. Jason Schreyer, chairman of the city’s historical buildings and resources committee, said the project is an excellent example of putting a heritage building to good use.
“We can maintain certain virtues of old architecture and historical significance at the same time as not (wasting) space or our city resources,” said Schreyer (Elmwood-East Kildonan.) “This is creating 31 units and at the same time maintaining certain historical (elements).”
City staff recommend approval of the plan, which will be considered by the Riel Community Committee on Oct. 30.
A city heritage report notes the original “beautiful brick” structure played host to a variety of different education facilities and other uses over its first several decades, eventually offering seniors housing before it became vacant.
The project’s variance application was previously approved.
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Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter
Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.
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