Beer Can at the Granite Club

The Granite Club is this year's host for the Beer Can and it is much bigger than we have ever seen it.

The previous location just on Main Street was extremely popular as case counts went down for Covid 19 in the summer but restrictions remained tight for operations inside bars and restaurants.

The Granite Club is a beautiful building and curling (like a lot of sports) has taken a hit this years as a result of closures.

The city has footdragged on patios forever. Still does. Or overcharges. If we want streetlife, it can't be by making everyone go inside. And if we want to stay safe, we need more outside. That is not just from pandemics but having people around leads to a collective watch group. I mean...aren't we all people watching? Hard to be up to no good when everyone is watching. And nowadays...recording.

The view is amazing.

Osborne Village overlooks the site across the Assiniboine River. You have to bet that the patio has not gone unnoticed there.

Danger is still all around us. Outdoors is better than indoors for the moment. Be mindful of those who are vulnerable. Things are still serious out there. We don't want even further restrictions.

Enjoy your patio time.

University of Manitoba Broadway Campus

In 1956 the Broadway campus of the University of Manitoba was still going strong on what is now Memorial Park. The Osborne Stadium is still visible but would be demolished shortly after this picture was taken. It would not be long till the downtown campus was also headed for the wrecking ball.

Ten years after World War II, returning soldiers were hitting the market for school and work and the war rationing had ended along with the Great Depression. The era of the personal car was really moving ahead and streetcars came to an end in 1955 in favour of buses which were considered more flexible.

The suburbs of Winnipeg were really starting to grow. Case in point: The Osborne Stadium was ditched in favour of Winnipeg Stadium which was on the border of Winnipeg and the City of St. James. The Broadway campus of the University of Manitoba was about to be abandoned for the Fort Garry campus in the municipality south of Winnipeg.

The Drewery beer plant soon to be Labatt's can be seen on the right The one smokestack that can be seen, The Great-West Life building one and two still not built yet.

Winnipeg was no longer the third largest city in Canada. Vancouver had surpassed us twenty years earlier but still still was a titan of the west and would hold onto that for another twenty years forward when Edmomn and Calgary would speed past us.