’They helped tell a story’: city criticized after parts of historic buildings demolished

City officials say cost and colonial legacy played key roles in the decision to demolish elements of historic buildings the city had long preserved in a downtown park.

A City of Winnipeg spokesman confirmed the columns and balustrades, also known as “shards” of the former buildings, were torn down during the ongoing redevelopment of Air Canada Window Park.

“While it is the preference of the city to preserve historical assets wherever possible, an important aspect of the new design of Air Canada Window Park was a focus on Indigenous stories, which would not be reflected at all by incorporating the Greek columns and colonial-era style of the remaining shards. Relocating the shards to preserve them was also not an option due to the cost,” wrote spokesman Kalen Qually, in an emailed statement.

The shards did not have official heritage status, which means they were not protected against demolition.

City officials did not answer a question on how much relocating the historic building elements would have cost.

In a social media post, local history blogger Christian Cassidy said the demolition ripped down two columns from the Northern Crown Bank (Portage Avenue and Maryland Street) that was built in 1908 and torn down in 1983. A cast iron column from the McIntyre Block, dating back to 1899, and balustrades (a row of small columns connected by a rail) from the Devon Court Apartments on Broadway that dated back to 1909, were also broken down, said Cassidy.

He said he understands why the features from past buildings wouldn’t be included in the new park but questions why there’s no indication the city tried to relocate them.

“It’s still disappointing that they came to that decision. There may have been other places or other uses for those things and it sounds like they just went with the easiest option of just demolish them because we don’t want to deal with them,” he said.

Images he posted of the site following demolition on the weekend show the historic building remnants toppled and mixed in with debris.

The building fragments were in place at the park since it opened in 1985.

“These fragments that people might see as just a hunk of stone … they helped tell a story of buildings that stood around the city at one point. There may have been options for these items (to be saved). It’s not like this was a building fire or failed foundation, where the park had to be demolished right away,” he said.

Cindy Tugwell, executive director of Heritage Winnipeg, said the city’s entire history must be acknowledged, good or bad, so these items should have been preserved. Tugwell stressed city officials should have reached out to Heritage Winnipeg to see if any stakeholders could help store and/or reuse the building elements.

“All of a sudden, everything’s being smashed up … I think it’s terrible because there was a concerted effort … to save these shards,” she said.

Tugwell said her organization has received multiple emails calling the demolition an “outrage” and she fears it sets a bad precedent.

“They’re literally going to wipe out our history, slowly over time,” said Tugwell.

The city said the historic significance was considered.

“The project team had held extensive community consultations about changes to the park and there were no requests at that time to have the shards relocated … With a limited project budget, design elements that supported increased safety, accessibility, and function were prioritized by the project team above potential costs to relocate the shards,” wrote Qually.

Deputy Mayor Janice Lukes said she understands the historic building elements wouldn’t fit with the park’s new design. However, she would have preferred the columns and other elements be preserved elsewhere.

“I think it’s very disappointing that they weren’t preserved in some form or another. If the city didn’t want to put any money in it, (it could be) offered to other organizations,” said Lukes (Waverley West).

“I personally hate the destroying of history, good or bad … Not all history is good but I don’t think we should be erasing it,” she added.

Air Canada Window Park is set to reopen in the summer of 2025 after the $2.5-million construction project is completed, which will celebrate Indigenous culture. A bird’s-eye view of the new park will be in the shape of a turtle.

The site is also slated to receive a new name as part of the revitalization process.

Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), chairwoman of council’s property and development committee, and Coun. Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-East Kildonan), chairman of the city’s historical buildings and resources committee, were in meetings and not available to comment by deadline Monday.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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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.

Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.

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