Fairmont Hotel and Fort Garry Hotel Undergo Multimillion Dollar Upgrades

The Richardson Family repurchase the Fairmont Hotel in 2024 after selling it in 2010. Since then they have been upgrading mechanical, plumbing and heating and cooling systems. The 1970 built hotel was part of the overall Richardson work that included their headquarters, a hotel, parkade and another office building. In 1979 it also included the Richardson Concourse connected to the main Concourse and Winnipeg Square. 

The hotel was originally called the Winnipeg Inn and was the foremost luxury hotel in the city and has remained such for decades. Even now, it is the main hotel for Hollywood stars and NHL players because of the king-sized beds and two secure floors. It hasn't been without its critics. Some NHL players have been critical of Wi-Fi, the isolated location away from things and that isn't as posh as some of the hotels they stay at. The accelerated pace of the long delayed Sutton Place Hotel and the very low vacancy rate of hotels has hastened the Fairmont to upgrade now.

They are not the only downtown hotel to upgrade. The Delta has also upgraded so that it has captured some of the NHL, AHL and officials bookings. The Fort Garry Hotel has had $5 million dollars of work since 2020. Yuk Yuk's was one addition in the old Club Room. The Oval Room was completely upgraded. The Sunset Terrace outdoor patio was built as well as the Vida Cucina Italia formal dining room. The latest work is nearing completion for April and involves first floor rooms being turned into suites and luxury Regal rooms for about $1 million. These 15 rooms are possibly the poshest and largest in the downtown.

Mid-range hotels have also been upgraded and in some cases expanded in the downtown and beyond. The Best Western Plus was re-branded as Hampton Inn and had floors added. The Holiday Inn and Suites Downtown was also renovated. The Holiday Inn Airport West was re-branded to Birchwood Inn. The Hilton Garden Inn by Seasons is expanded a few floors and unknown amount of room. The Holiday Inn on Pembina Highway is getting a full renovation.

All 340 rooms at the Fairmont will be upgraded. Every restaurant and ballroom will get the same treatment. At $120 million, it could be one of the biggest investments in a hotel in Winnipeg ever. It is unclear what the price of the Sutton Place Hotel near the arena will be. The overall cost is listed for True North towers and the like was $400 million but there has not been a breakdown of what cost what.

Many downtown organizations and businesses are nervous about the Fairmont being closed for nearly a year. Some of the media comments make it clear that some small restaurants get a lot of customers referred by the hotel. The hotel also serves a lot of guests for concerts and entertainment in the area. I'm sure the Richardsons considered just doing floor by floor but it sounds like this will be far bigger in scope for piecemeal work like that. 

Between 2026 and 2027 so many big projects for hotels are planned that the city will look very different when they are complete. Another noteworthy project is a Hyatt Centric Hotel on Broadway. It is being built where the former CRA federal building was. It is surprising that it took this long for another hotel to join the Fort Garry Hotel on Broadway considering the government and business offices on the street.

As for the Fairmont, it will be ready for a real revival of Portage and Main when the Metis museum and apartments just down the street open in the next years.

Birchwood Inn Returns - Converting from Holiday Inn Airport West

In the 1970s construction in west Winnipeg was booming. While St. James had commercial activities all way from Polo Park to Headingley, it was often confined to Portage Avenue. Throughout the 1960s, some neighbourhoods closer to the river were developed but was possible to drive out west and literally see the bald prairie in many places even in the 1970s. The Charleswood Bridge would not be built until 1995.

For more than 30 years, the former Birchwood Inn has been the Holiday Inn Airport West. Prior to Birchwood when it was first built in 1976 and was called the Wandlyn Inn.  It only stayed that with name till 1977. The hotel had been built atop Birchwood Bowl and the bowling alley was part of the hotel for decades. The Birchwood name was hard to lose.

The Ladco Company built the hotel along with several of the apartment blocks along Portage in the 1970s, They still own the hotel today. At fourteen floors with three floors of balconies facing west, the hotel was a landmark. As the avenue curved, it was in a very prominent spot to be seen travelling west or east.

 When the Charleswood Bridge was built, it became even more important on both sides of the river for banquets, relatives and out of town guests. Just prior to the pandemic, the hotels had conducted $11 million in renovations. In 2025, they expect $4 to $5 million more in upgrades. 

One of the things that will have to replaced is signage. The Holiday Inn signage is done. The affiliation has changed to Best Western but part of the group that allows local hotel owners some individuality. With long term employees who have been working for decades, the hotel certainly feels like it. At the moment a temporary a temporary sign with Birchwood Inn over the doors.

A hotel the size of the Birchwood has about 130 employees. The amount of banquets and meetings hosted in the hotels has become part of the fabric of St. James/Charleswood. Hockey banquets, political debates, weddings have all been part of the 9000 square feet of activities in the hotel. 

The next few years will see major residential building along Portage Avenue. The reason is that many retail businesses are going online and the density along a major street like Portage. There will be still be places that can't do online such as medical, dental, fitness, restaurants and convenience and grocery stores. However, retail stores are being squeezed out at everything turn so the gaps will be filled by residential units. And if there is one thing that west Winnipeg really needs is hotels. Motels just don't have the capacity for meetings that hotels do. The fact that the Birchwood is investing millions to be around the next decades is a good thing.

Is the Fairmont Hotel the Issue for NHL Players?

The digital sports newspaper polled 111 players in the league about what city was on their no trade list. Just under 50% said this. Many of the seven cities were listed with the general consensus that it was cold living there. An actual Jet said the ride in from the airport is underwhelming. 

This was a direct quote from the self-identified Winnipeg player.

"I don't think that hotel meets the criteria for the league, but it would be better than staying downtown."
 

This hotel being the Fairmont Hotel in Winnipeg.

Not the first time we have heard criticism of the city by NHL players but when food and hotel are talked about, it feels more like this could be a Fairmont Hotel issue.

In fairness, the Richardson family has repurchased the hotel and it is understood to be under renovations now. The word dated is used by many business travellers so Richardson investment will be appreciated. 

Post Covid though the area around the hotel probably feels deserted. The words "nothing to do" came up often. From the perspective of a young NHL player visiting the city from elsewhere, they are in a hotel where few people are on the street, have limited food options super close to where they are staying and unknown entertainment options in the short time they are around.

Alas, this wasn't supposed to be. The story was that the Sutton Place Hotel would be the new home of visiting NHL players and they'd be within walking distance of all sorts of amenities from their 5-star hotel. Instead we have the slowest construction of a hotel in the history of Winnipeg.  It is now eight years since it was first announced.

The Jets can't do anything about taxes in Manitoba. They can't do anything about winter. No Canadian team can. But they can improve the player experience. Winning is the tonic for a lot a doubters in the league. If a player is interested in winning, they will look for teams that win. If a player is interested in their golf game and not playing in playoffs, they seek something else. And there are players who wanted to be in Arizona, not get media attention and hit the links regularly. Many did not want to go to Salt Lake City.

In terms of playoff experience, the Jets don't get too many complaints about their facility. A team can have a bad facility and still have people lined up to play. Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL have their own players rank their locker room terrible. But who wouldn't want to play on a team that wins?

Teams go through cycles. Chicago and Detroit were the best out there but are rebuilding. For some NHL players, the attraction to play there is less. If they are going to lose all the time, why not play in Arizona? Winnipeg Jets are on an upcycle and we have been able to attract a variety of players. This is a team that pays right to the cap so salary is not the issue. 

NHL athletes are among the elite pay levels that are rarely achievable for the majority in their age bracket. As the theft rings across North America have shown, these athletes are targets so they look for safe and secure places for themselves and their families. There are a number of neighbourhoods in Winnipeg that the players have gravitated to. Those are usually large suburban home with walkable paths. Many players on the Jets have dogs and do walk them all the time. Many are married and have kids who are in the school system so choose areas with schools and sports programs. And there are many Jets who want passionate fans. Some might not care about a quiet church crowd watching but 41 home games and playoffs like this is not what many players want.

Once players are in the Jets system, it has been easier to get them to come back. They see the benefits and are more like to sign contracts. And even when they don't it could be about the length of contract and money. Jets can pay to the cap but they have not been signing crazy contracts like some other NHL teams are for free agents. There are a lot of players getting bought out because they just aren't playing anymore. The Jets don't like burning salary cap that way.

Let's start with the cons that some NHL players have about Winnipeg.

Cons:

Cold

Small market

Higher taxes

Less top retail stores

Less top restaurants

Smaller arena

Fewer sponsorship opportunities

Longer/farther travel schedules

No gated communities

No other big league sports to go see

No year round golfing

No big media

Pros

Passionate fans

A max cap salary team (paying their players right up to the line)

Farm club and NHL club same city

Safe suburban districts

Good schools for kids

Support system for families

A winning team

Good local media coverage

Good coaches

Good health and medical supports

Good neighbourhoods where players live

In terms of the site of the Canada Life Centre, the Chipmans, Thomsons and Richardsons have all done their part to create the entertainment districts between the convention centre and the arena. The Gagladi Family is the builder of the Sutton Place Development which includes a hotel, suites and restaurants that the family own like Chop near the RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre. The family owns the Sandman Hotels, the Shark Club, Moxie's and Denny's. It is this block which has had a prolonged delay in being built. 

This block is key to both the convention centre and arena. Some major conventions are in great need of a luxury hotel connected to the the RBC. Likewise, True North needs specialized rooms for 82 regular seasons games for Manitoba Moose and Winnipeg Jets. Officials require rooms as well. Play-offs are additional rooms. 

The hotel has been delayed for eight years as mentioned earlier. It is without doubt that visiting NHL players would be staying at the new 5-star hotel if it was up. The only 5-star hotel the city has is at the airport and not suitable for hockey players due to distance from arena. To reach top level rating, room size is the difference maker. Fairmont and Delta cannot change the structural size of their rooms. This is a key to the 5-star ranking: room size.

The new Sutton Place Hotel still might be two years away from completion but it is probably something that that could help with impressions of visiting hockey players. The entertainment district in five years could feature enough attractions for a player who is in only once or twice a year. Better food offerings, better proximity to arena and other entertainment. While it might not be golf or the ocean, players do not just stay in their hotel rooms.

The impression should be when a hockey player or anyone travels to the city is that there is something to do, somewhere safe, somewhere convenient and ultimately, something cool. And that just isn't happening in a hotel which is an island away from the entertainment district. At least they seem to have solved the high speed Internet issue.

Quiet January 1st in Winnipeg

The First of January is generally one of the quietest days of the year. It isn't a religious holiday per se. It isn't one where a family dinner or gifts are required. Over the decades in Winnipeg it has entailed going out for dinner and dancing but this has greatly been reduced by the falling amount of bars, cabarets and lounges. This is a change long is coming with young people's relationship with alcohol. It also has to do with tobacco.

The late night opening of some stores and restaurants is a story about liquor and cigarettes. No need for a 24 hour Shopper's if people are not coming in at all hours to buy tobacco. Likewise, no need for a 4 AM closing at a restaurant if booze is not sold in sufficient quantities. The aging population means that people don't roll into a restaurant at midnight and spend a few hours there.

And so it goes for a day like January 1st. The evening event on the Eve in places like The Forks and Assiniboine Park end early. There are no fireworks. Skating and restaurants are still open although close before midnight in the parks. City parks are largely empty after 10 pm. There really has been a turn against fireworks in the city of Winnipeg.

Fireworks have largely been left to the community clubs and few of them do it on Canada Day or January 1st. I suspect a bylaw at some point to ban them in Winnipeg including sports events. The opposition to them has grown so determined that it will probably be something that could preclude fireworks for Grey Cup. Much of the resistance to fireworks has centered on the noise that affects animals. However, we have come to see public parks largely abandon evening events on New Year's Eve entirely.

The night lights program over winter at the zoo and Assiniboia Downs are good but the days of a New Year's celebration in the evening are largely gone. If New Year's Day is not that important or overrated as a holiday in Manitoba, it strikes me that more stores and services should be open. If city, provincial and federal governments think the day should be devoid of real celebration, open it up and remove it as a statutory day. Have people return to work that day if it is a normal day of the week. Or at the very least, let's grocery stores and malls open.

Federal holidays should be re-evaluated after consultations with the public. It is likely July 1st Canada Day and Christmas remain statutory days. However, does Victoria Day mean anything? Truth and Reconciliation is new and likely to stay but I expect it evolves over the years. Thanksgiving is unlikely to change as is Remembrance Day (although I can see it becoming a Monday at some point). However, Good Friday and Easter Monday are probably not needed. 

It is clear that many public places would rather not do much on New Year's Eve so what is really special about it? Perhaps it should be just like any other holiday like Halloween or Valentine's Day: Just a regular work day.

 

Sherbrook Inn and Vendor Closed

The announcement that Sherbook Inn had closed their vendor and lounge in the last weeks has been met by stony silence from the owners. The pawnshop and other businesses located in the building have as much information as the public does. The Tallest Poppy closed sometime ago.

The hotel sits in an area that has seen some spark of business but for decades, it has been the proximity to violence and perhaps even the source of problems in the area. It remains a question of whether parts of the neighbourhood are the problem or the hotel is the problem. Perhaps they feed off each other.

In the 1990s the area was suffering over a good part of the west end. Arson was a major problem as was rooming house murders. The hotel itself was scene of a murder back then and the reputation was a rough one. Since then we have seen part of Sherbrook and Maryland have new housing built, assisted living by the hospital and some new restaurants and shops.

The last few years have seen a return of arsons and nearby there were four people killed in a shooting. In another recent murder, the victim's truck was found in the hotel parking lot. The possible killer died after a police interaction. Drugs and alcohol have always played havoc in Manitoba. The harder drugs are hurting the entire continent. 

The province has been very slow on supporting rehab programs and supportive housing. Mental health supports have been just as challenging. The one thing that people in the West End all seem to agree on is that the Sherbrook Hotel has been scary and despite the efforts of some in the community to put wrestling in and Tallest Poppy, it has gotten worse, not better. 

The Free Press article ripping Sherbrook was one of utter contempt and disgust. The big question is: Will this compel the owners to sell? And if they sold, would it be another hotel operator to own it? At this point, the building may not be worth anything whereas the land might be. There is potential to turn this site into something that might enhance retail on Sherbook as well as provide housing. There have already been a few hosing projects along Sherbrook as well as Maryland that show developers are interesting in investing.

One thing for certain is that each block of an area has to be part of the solution to a vital neighbourhood. If the hotel is a no go zone then whatever success you have near the hotel or across from it is blunted by the feeling of danger.  A hotel by itself doesn't have to be a bad thing. The Osborne Village had at times been a vital part of the business and culture of the area. It remains to be seen whether its demolition and what is coming will contribute to a real street life presence on Osborne. Perhaps with some of the developments down the street, we might see Osborne be reborn again. But the rent for commercial and residential people has to be more sensible.

The backlash against high costs has hit even McDonald's which has taken hits for $3 hash browns in the U.S. The company has declared they will be looking at the affordability issue. This was major news worldwide as the CEO said the complaints have the company looking at this issue. This can be said of so many industries where they have kept increasing prices.

It is always somewhat amazing sometimes that commercial space goes unrented for so long. One of those reasons often is that some owners refuse to sell or bring down the price or subdivide. It will be interesting to see if the owners of the hotel will sell it as a hotel or for the land. Or maybe the wait goes on forever as we sometimes see. 

As with the 1990s, Wolsely is on the edge on either a slide downward or a turn for the better. In the past, a revival of property values, people investing in property and security, a downturn in crime helped west of Maryland become a favoured community to own a house and some businesses thrived. The hotel closure and something new happening on the land might help change things extending down Sherbrook and spread to surrounding streets.

At the moment no one knows what's happening. It can be a slow burn of empty properties just siting and doing nothing. Even on major roads like Portage Avenue it is surprising how many places remain idle year after year. Former hotels have been converted at the Clarion and now the Balmoral for medical visits from the north. By all appearances they seem to be a practical solution for a need that is growing with an aging population. In Minneapolis, some older hotels have been converted for local income housing for those who have been homeless.

The mayor and the premier have both said they want faster solutions to the housing crisis in our region. An old hotel on Sherbrook might be what is needed.

Will Dinner Theatre Ever Return?

 For the first time in decades, Winnipeg has no dinner theatre. It has been some time since Celebrations has closed. A combination of years of Covid, rising inflation and a union strike made theatre owners throw in the towel. It remains to be seen whether a private theatre serving dinner will ever be able to get off the ground again in Winnipeg.

Over the decades we have had Holly Mug and Stagewest Dinner Theatre in Winnipeg. The only one listed as still active in Winnipeg is the Tara Players Irish Theatre and Dinner. It is unlikely that Winnipeg has tired of dinner theatre but the margins much be tight and renting a spot in a hotel has to be difficult. Owning your site is probably helpful but that rarely seems to be the case.

Still, Celebrations was around since 1990 and probably able to keep its costs downs by having the same theatre production show in Calgary as well as Edmonton. The days of Canad Inns having their nightclubs and other attractions filled has obviously been more challenging the last few years.

You never want to say never say never when it comes to things making a comeback. Yuk Yuk's is back with a comedy club in Winnipeg at the Hotel Fort Garry after many years of not being here. 

Some dinner theatres like Medieval Times around North America rely on tourism. While tourists likely came to Celebrations, it relied on Winnipeggers and surrounding areas for the bulk of their audiences. The shortage of restaurant staff and the uncertain dynamic post pandemic probably means no business will be in a rush to open. Sill, it will be curious what Canad Inns does with the property. Additional meetings rooms? Performance space?

Stagewest success, which started in Edmonton, was that that they were operators of hotels and wrote literally thousands of plays to perform in their dinner theatre. The Winnipeg operation only closed on Kennedy Street because of the construction of Portage Place. 

I think dinner theatre remains something that Winnipeggers want but it will likely not get unless it has a major partner from a hotel, restaurant or theatre company.  In Calgary and Edmonton, Jubilations (Celebrations sister locations) are based at shopping malls including the West Edmonton Mall. 

The two most likely spots for a dinner theatre would seem to be Polo Park or St. Vital Shopping Centre. However, both are nearly full or completely leased and would likely have to be fully committed to the concept. I am more surprised that neither mall has added a hotel attached to the mall as an amenity. Give the approvals CF Cadillac Fairview has for development around Polo Park that isn't a bad bet. Still, we haven't seen the type of hotel development around malls in this province that U.S. malls have. Even Columbia Mall in Grand Forks which could be called a failed mall still has several hotels surrounding it.

I don't think anything will happen soon but after decades of dinner theatre, it is hard to imagine that it will never return.

Windsor Hotel Burns Down and Demolished

It was only in March that the Windsor Hotel was boarded up for safety and health reasons. This could have been far more tragic than losing a 120 year old building with an interesting history. Built in 1903 as the Le Clair apartments, it became the Windsor Hotel in 1930. Linked to Charlie Chaplin during the Vaudeville days, it found new life later on as a blues and jazz club. Now, it is rubble. How long it is rubble will be determined if there is asbestos within the wreckage.

Any chance of turning it into housing, boutique hotel or anything is gone. It will be a parking lot. And so it goes with any downtown building. It is always a rush to turn the spot into parking.  Given the continued slow return to work downtown, the question has to be asked: parking for whom?

The fire department has said a record 100 vacant building's have burned down so far in 2023. The cause listed is arson.  Many occupied buildings have had arsons as well. Even as the provincial election continues through to the vote October 3, there does not seem to be a concerted effort as there was in the 1990s to eliminate the threat. Moreover, the painfully slow process to remove rubble only grows with every fire.

Drug deaths are soaring and the desperation of addicts for shelter, money and resultant impulse control is seeing violent crime and property crime increase. Winnipeg is not unique in this. News from all over North America has reports of the harm that opiates in particular have wrought. The potency and overdoses keep going up and available law enforcement, health and addiction services are strained.

While we have not heard a definitive answer on what caused the fire, the officials on site seemed to lean towards arson. The Windsor Hotel will not be the last place building to end in fire. However, if there isn't a concerted effort to reduce arson, insurance companies could look at not insuring certain areas as we saw in the 1990s. Even now with a summer of fire in the forests, some insurance companies are evaluating the risks of their policies.

As the weather grows colder, the fear of more fires has to be in the minds of emergency services. If the bulk of the fires are limited to a few people, let's hope they are identified and removed as a risk factor for buildings and people.

New Hampton Inn By Hilton to Open Fall 2023

The former Charter House and a Best Western Plus since 2002 is under construction and adding two more floors. This picture in 2022 shows the work in progress and opening is scheduled for September 23, 2023. The entire interior was gutted for a completely new configuration. There will be a change in branding too from Best Western to Hampton Inn by Hilton.  This will be a return of Hampton Inn to downtown as the Humphrey Inn used to be a Hampton. An increase from 87 rooms to 134 will make it easy for convention groups in town can stay in one hotel. The former seven conference rooms will be reduced to two. There will continue to be balconies on the west side continuing a tradition of hotels in town. Yes, it's true. 

The old hotel with the Rib Room and Tivoli Cafe was a popular destination  for the business and lawyer crowd for years. The hotel was originally built in 1959 and had additional floor built in 1960 and for a time had 96 rooms. It also had one of the first patios and a swimming pool. Built as a motor hotel, it served the car traveller coming to town for leisure and business. In 1960, Winnipeg's downtown was hopping with business, shopping and entertainment.

Above is the supplied picture of what the new hotel will look like. It is not the only hotel is progress right now. It seems that work by the Sandman has been going on for years. The Windsor, the Pembina and the Cambridge all gone. The Marlborough is for sale. If one had to guess, it would not be too far fetched to think it might be a candidate for conversion to apartments.

While downtown Winnipeg is not the shopping mecca it once was when the original Charter House Hotel went up, the expanded RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre and the Canada Life Centre are quite close by for out of town guests in for a hockey game, concert or a convention. Some who live in the city might question those outside of Winnipeg about the hotels they choose to stay in but consider this: If you are coming in for an Eagles concert from Dryden, you might want to stay downtown to avoid having to find a place to park your car if you had stayed in the airport hotel area. Likewise, if you are attending Ai-kon over three days the RBC, you might want a hotel close by to go back and forth in your anime costume. 

The entertainment district being built piece since the 1975 construction of the convention centre has accelerated in recent years. The new arena downtown was built in 2004 connected the two buildings via skywalk system. The doubling of the convention space by 2015 has triggered a long awaited hotel and condo complex. True North has also added and continues to add office, residential and event space in the former parking lots that had marked the area for decades.

It is easy to see why two floors was being added to a hotel only steps away from the arena and convention centre. The business actually sees quite a future ahead. They are also trying to get work done before Sussex Place Hotel and condos are complete to re-establish their bonifides for the motoring crowd who have stayed there since the 1960s. 

There has been tens years of construction in this area, seven towers, a double sized convention centre and coming out on the other side from the pandemic. Expect to see more business announcement i the surrounding area as Portage Place, The Bay and Portage and Main begin their construction phase.

Windsor Hotel Evicts Residents

One of the major causes of homelessness in Winnipeg was the closure of so many hotels that were affordable to many. While those in the city called a large part of Main Street skid row and reviled the violence and alcoholism, most people had a place to stay and there were no encampments of people on the streets. There were also several temporary job offices up and down Main. Now there are only social agencies or parking lots of displaced people with no where to go.

One recent report said that Winnipeg has lost over 45,000 units of housing the last few years that were $750 and under. The province itself has closed social housing and sold off buildings and has watched landlords convert huge amount of housing into condos. The cumulative effect is a loss of the affordable spaces. Older housing stock is reaching a point where there needs to be massive renovations or outright replacement. A lot of times now, it is simply being abandoned, sold off or demolished.

City and provincial officials know there is a massive problem on housing and while it seems self evident, the best way to way to end homelessness is to make sure people don't lose their homes. The sale of the Windsor Hotel and the eviction of 20 people from the 46 units building makes it clear that new owners have something in mind for the site. It is quite possible that whatever is coming surpasses what is there now. But there is no way to know as no plan has been presented. It could be that the building is slated for a parking lot although the city would resist that.

The Windsor Hotel has a quite a history and for a while during the 1990s was enjoying a good second life. Built in 1903 at 187 Garry Street, it soon was converted to a hotel called La Claire Hotel in 1910. A gentlemen's club was established. Men's only licensed establishments were common. The only women allowed being staff. This existed till the 1980s in some older hotels, often with veterans of the war, I still remember the TV story on the last one going co-ed and the old guys looked fragile, even scared, but resigned that there were fewer of them around each year.

In 1930, the hotel went through extensive renovations and became The Windsor Hotel. And that is how it remained till 2023. In the 1990s, the bar attached had a renaissance and jazz was the tonic. As a popular jazz joint more renovations and an expansion was done to accommodate the influx of fans. It is uncertain what led to that decline. The closure of Lo Pub and the Royal Albert left the Windsor as a music mecca in 2013. Ten years later, it was a place where the police regularly visited for major crimes and the music died.

It is hard enough for artists to survive in the marketplace with how expensive it is to tour and costs of venues. A less expensive venue is awesome. An unsafe one will hurt as surely as an expensive one, Perhaps literally. And now it is too late for The Windsor Hotel. The evictions certainly look like the building will not survive. What will come of it is extremely important. A sad time for the place where Charlie Chaplin once stayed at back in Winnipeg's heyday.

The Original Pancake House Closes on Pembina Highway in Winnipeg

In 1958 the Original Pancake House opened along Pembina Highway in Winnipeg and operated for 63 years until 2021. The sign is one of the first things you see heading south into Fort Garry. There are three remaining Pancake Houses in Winnipeg at The Clarion next to Polo Park, The Forks and the newest at McGillivary at Kenaston across from Costco. The staff have all found homes in the remaining locations.

Like many restaurants, the pandemic has been hard on Pancake House. The lockdowns, reduced capacity and slow return of staff resulted in reduced hours at all locations. 

However, the Pembina location likely would have remained open had it not been an offer they couldn't refuse. The adult children of Wally and Monty Guberman entertained an offer from Vic's Market owner Scott Schriemer for the land where the Original Pancake House stands.

Amazingly Vic Schreimer and Wally Guberman started their businesses in the same year of 1958. The companies remain family owned. Scott Schreimer is son of Vic.

It is no secret that Vic's was feeling cramped and the land surrounding the Pancake House is substantial. The completion of the underpass at Pembina has had many owners look at their long time businesses and consider what comes next. 

Vic's itself has had many locations over the decades along Pembina Highway. They only moved to the 5000 square foot location across from Pancake House in 1986. They occupied only a small portion of it but over the years took over the whole building.

Vic's shares a parking lot with the Cambridge Hotel so expansion was not an easy proposition on its present lot. Looking across at the lot empty lot of the Pancake House during the pandemic must have been the impetus of crossing the street and knocking on the door.

The iconic sign for Pancake House will be sorely missed. You truly don't see the like anymore.

After nearly four years of non-stop construction on the Jubilee Underpass, Covid came along. As you can see the combined sidewalk and bike path are pretty inviting as you enter Fort Garry.

The impending demolition of the Pancake House is not the only thing happening on the west side of Pembina Highway. The Pembina Hotel, built in 1953 for Carling O'Keefe and taken over by the Druxman family in 1958 when the beer companies were forced to sell their hotels.  Sabino Tummilo and family took over in 2015.

There is presently a proposal for a 22 floor apartment building with 226 suites and 7000 square feet of retail space on the first floor. 

There have been quite a few former university residents who are crying about the loss of the Pemby. A re-fresh of some sort seemed inevitable.

Resident of Fort Garry are now probably wondering if they will lose their competing waterhole across the way The Cambridge. It was once owned by Labatt's.

Density is probably preferred along Pembina Highway. The active transportation by the overpass is a fine piece of infrastructure despite the dogear it does as it proceed past Parker Avenue. A 20 story building is likely to find residents.

It is the end of an era for sure but it doesn't have to bad change. Winnipeg sometimes doesn't seem to change for decades but we have seen some major change in the last several years.

Still, a long time grocer like Vic's beside a 20 floor apartment seems to make a lot sense, doesn't it? And while the loss of a vendor and beverage room hurts, it is possible that we will see new innovative places places for restaurants and lounges.

Our family went to many a birthday and family gathering at The Pancake House. My dad was a Fort Garry resident just before it was built. He and my mom went in search of it in 2018 and construction made them go past it all the way to St. Norbert. They never did make it to to that location but enjoyed Polo Park until just before they moved to assisted living. 

I will miss it. 

Sandman Hotel Addition

It seems like more than a year has gone for the Sandman Hotel addition on Sargent has been under construction. I'm not sure if there were delays but it is starting to look like something now. The site used to be a works yard as well as CDC Computers and for a while a a heating a cooling place.

It attests to the fact that so much of the airport area was industrial. Warehouses, manufacturing and other industry. It used to be that there really was only one hotel by the airport: The International Inn (Victoria Inn now).

Hotels started being built down Wellington. On the corner by Route 90 a Hilton Hotel went. At Sargent and Route 90 a Journey's End (Comfort Inn). Eventually other hotels were built in quick succession the last 20 years. Greenwood Inn (Best Western Plus) and a rapid success of hotels at airport and up and down Route 90: Hampton Inn by Hilton Winnipeg, Days Inn and Suites by Wyndam Winnipeg and Mainstay Suites. Almost all these hotels were built on former industrial land.

Three hotels were also built right on airport grounds. The Courtyard by Marriot, The Lakeview Signature Collection and The Grand Hotel.

For years Winnipeg was out of step with a lot of cities with so few hotels by the airport. Now there are many including the only 5 star hotel in The Grand at the airport.

The Sandman Hotel was built in 2007 and brought with it the return of Denny's which has been in the city but had failed in the past. The Chop Steakhouse and Bar was also added to the hotel. 

The Sandman is a Canadian chain starting to also build in the states. Their expansion will see the hotel occupy a full city block.

Across it is Don Vito who did a massive expansion on the collision center on Route 90 in recent years.

Winnipeggers often don't think of our city as a tourist place but people all over Manitoba and northwest Ontario come to the city for shopping and services. In recent years pre-pandemic, the city had a pretty good occupancy rate for hotels.

The Sandman looks like it is months away from completion. The timing might be perfect for a return to more normal in the fall and a Christmas rush.

Look for completion sometime late in the year.

Red River Co-op Grocery to Open at Seasons of Tuxedo

Red River Co-Op Grocery announced that one of the last major retail spots in Seasons of Tuxedo has been claimed by them for their 9th food store in the province. Rumours had been swirling for some time that it had come down to two or three choices but Red River had been the most aggressive in pursuing south Winnipeg locations. The other south location being built is the St. Norbert food store which replaces the formerly flooded location in the neighbourhood.

Although it wasn't announced where the store would be located on the 100 acre mixed development that makes up Seasons of Tuxedo, there is really only one place it could go. It will be located in the 35,000 square feet space available in front of the 55 Plus The Link and the Brightwater Assisted Living Tuxedo location. Access will come along a number of Sterling Lyon Parkway turn-offs that also head into Outlet Collection and residential areas.

It is the growing residential make-up of along Kenaston and Sterling Lyon that will most welcome Red River Food Store. Competition among grocers is a good thing. And having one where residents can literally walk to is even better.

Across the road from the new grocer is a hotel, residential units and Cabela's. It is very likely that by 2021, there will be very little development left in all Seasons of Tuxedo as a flurry of restaurant, residential and shops will be opening. It is easy to see this is a bit of a race to get thing done before Kapyong Barracks demolition is complete and development plans are announced. Waiting two years could have seen Red River choose Kapyong instead.

Another useful thing about Red River Food Store being in the Seasons of Tuxedo location is a pharmacy. Given the proximity of so many residents, this might be their pharmacy if choice, especially for some many seniors.

Expect the doors to open on the grocery is summer of 2021.

Viscount Gort, Polo Park and St. James Bridge History

It seems like the Viscount Gort has been under renovations for years. There is scaffolding surrounding it as the last phase of the most recent work continues.The original hotel was built in 1960 just one year after Polo Park was built as an open air mall and two years before a new span was built alongside the St. James Bridge in 1962.

The picture below is the original St. James Bridge heading north just past the Assiniboine River in 1935. The road is Madison Street. The bridge would be a critical link to the north of the city and the communities of St. James and Assiniboia. Much of the area north would have been rural and rustic. The route north would also lead to the Polo Park Racetrack as well as Stevenson Field, Winnipeg's airport.

The picture below is 1935. The St. James Bridge is visible as is Stevenson Field. World War II is only four years away. By 1941 massive construction would take place in support of the war effort including training and manufacturing. The bridge is visible in the top right corner. The Polo Park Racetrack is seen in the center.

The above picture from 1937 shows the St. James bridge two years after its original construction. In
the background is the residential school that would remain open till early 1970s.

The Polo Park Racetrack in 1949 also included a golf course. However, by the early 1950s developers saw all that land in between Winnipeg and St. James an an opportunity to build one of the earliest malls in Canada. No doubt this was to cash in on all the returning service people from World War II starting work and families.

The sale of the golf courses to the city brought immediate construction of very much needed sports facilities. The Winnipeg Stadium was built in 1953 and the Winnipeg Arena was built in 1955.

Below is a picture of the Winnipeg Stadium's baseball diamond in 1959, home to the original Goldeyes but later teams such as the Winnipeg Whips as well.

It was in 1955 that the Winnipeg Arena was built in Polo Park. Although St. James and Assiniboia were just down Portage Avenue, the feeling was that this was truly out in the sticks.

The Winnipeg Stadium was built in 1953 and expanded in 1966 with north side grandstands. The picture below is 1971 before the east side grand stands got an upper deck in 1972. The younger crowds on the west side would have to wait to get their companion upper deck in 1978 with upgraded press boxes.

The picture above was taken in 1959. one year before the Viscount Gort was built. Note the two way traffic headed to the St. James Bridge at the bottom of picture. Ahead is Hydro building in right corner on St. James across from newly built Polo Park.

St. James Bridge 1935
Polo Park Mall 1959
Viscount Gort 1960
St. James Bridge Second Span 1962

The Viscount Gort was named for Standish Robert Gage Prendergast Vereker, 7th Viscount of Gort (Robert Vereker). Verecker would between 1911 and 1917 acquire land that would later become the hotel and Kiltarton Towers.The building would be designed by Roy M Lev, a Winnipeg architect, who was known for designing the Dakota Hotel. The modern cube design with onsite parking was in keeping with the new car culture sweeping North America,

The land was leased by Robert Vereker (Lord Gort) to the Kives family of Winnipeg. Phil Kives built and owned the hotel itself. If the hotel owner name sounds familiar it is because Kives owned K-Tel which went onto fame as an international television merchandiser. Kives continues to own the hotel and now owns the land as well.

The 1959 picture below is the approach to the old St. James Bridge from Portage Avenue. The Viscount Court is not yet built. The Co-Op Building which later became Government Services and now the Herzing School is on the right.

The picture below is 1959. Polo Park is built, the present Blue Cross building is built but the MTS building has not even begun construction. The Viscount Gort in the background is under construction. The second span of St. James bridge has not begun yet.

The picture below is from 1960. Polo Park is complete as is the Viscount Gort. Winnipeg Supply is directly across the street and took over that location in 1959. It is my impression there was another supply business located there prior. Billboard signs were in an abundance directly across from Polo Park. The Paddock restaurant is visible in the lower part of the picture.

The picture below is from 1962 and you imagine the owners of the Viscount Gort must have been thinking: How is this bridge going to affect us?

The picture below is from the Academy in 1962 just before the St. James Bridge second span's was construction.

The picture below is Academy Road in 1962 and shows the approach to the old St. James Bridge. Parked by the signing announcing the bridge work is a Winnipeg Police car and a Town of Tuxedo Police car. The trolley bus lines are seen over the road.

The picture below shows the southbound lane from the St. James Bridge in 1962 as it heads toward Academy Road. Note the Viscount Gort in the background on the far left side in the middle.

The picture below from Portage Avenue shows literally how sleepy the original St. James Bridge was in 1962 before the second span was constructed. The Viscount Gort on the left and Co-Op Building is on the right. It would later become Government Service Building for decades and now is the Herzing School

The picture below in 1962 really shows construction on the second span across over the Assiniboine River. It ran between the rail crossing and the 1935 St. James Bridge span.

The picture below in spring of 1962 shows the completed St. James Bridge second span. The Viscount Gort is seen in the middle on the right side. The river is partially iced over in the picture.

The above picture from 1965 shows how the Viscount Gort would literally be encircled by elements of the St. James Bridge. I'm sure there have been times the city has just wanted that land for its own use but they were a year short in making that happen. Polo Park, the Winnipeg Arena and Winnipeg Stadium were attracting development everywhere in the area and the Viscount was pretty much closest to it.

The picture below of construction of Simpsons-Sears in 1958 at Polo Park.

The pictures below shows Polo Park completed in 1959. Still open air at the time in the middle. So it was more like two strip malls with a roof and anchor stores at the end. The Viscount Gort would not come till the following year in 1960. The second span of the St. James Bridge would not come till 1962.

The Dominion grocer was initially on the north side of Polo Park and Eaton's would only come years later. Doiminion and Loblaw's would eventually go head to head and side by side on the east of the mall when the Eaton's expansion happened.

Polo Park complete in 1959 but the MTS building and the Manitoba Heath Commission building were not built yet. They would be more or less complete same year,

The Polo Park sign was a distinctive feature. The mall could have been called anything but to actually adopt the racetrack name was a stroke of genius. From day one till this very day it remains unique in a country that calls everything centre, plaza and place.

In 1959, Polo Park really changed what the future of Winnipeg would look like. At the time it was a suburban mall but now it is more central. The above pictures show how new and expansive it was on the grounds of the old Polo Park Racetrack.

The picture below is inside the open air Polo Park in 1959. Rain kept people under partial roofs.

A picture of Simpsons-Sears below from 1960. Take a look at the VW bug,

This 1960 picture below Empress looks out toward Portage Avenue. 

A picture below of Polo Park in 1962. The Viscount Gort can be seen on lower left. The MTS phone building, built in 1959 can be seen in upper right. The two spans of St. James Bridge are built at this time. The present Blue Cross building, built in 1959, is partially seen in right corner on Empress.

The picture is Polo Park in 1962 with the Winnipeg Arena and Winnipeg Stadium in the background. Note that there is no through street to Polo Park yet on Ness Avenue yet. 

By 1964, as witnessed by the cars in the parking lot above at Polo Park, the trend towards bigger, longer cars that could travel to the suburbs was well established.

The above pictures in 1964, two years after the bridge was built by a partnership of the province and the feds shows how massive the project was. And there in the middle of it is the Viscount Gort.

The picture above from the River Heights and Tuxedo side of the Assiniboine in 1964. Viscount Gort peaking from top left corner. Kenaston seen heading south from Academy Road. The residential school in the middle of the right of the picture was still very much in operation.

For those on Portage Avenue itself, the Viscount Gort was there right at the turn-offs Route 90. A pictures below from 1964 shortly after the overpass was built.

Below picture looking north on Route 90 taken in 1964. Car is headed southbound towards the St. James Bridge. The Viscount Gort sitting in the middle alongside the road on Portage Avenue where the overpass is seen.

The picture below from 1965 is looking south on Route 90 towards the St. James Bridge. The Viscount Gort is on the left.

The Paddock Restaurant with the horseshoe on top was a reminder that Polo Park had indeed been a racetrack. The unique design of the building and the fabulous interior made the Paddock beloved. This picture in 1965 shows the restaurant and the Viscount Gort behind it along Portage Avenue.

Here are a few more gratuitous pictures of cars at Polo Park in 1964.

Looking down Portage Avenue in 1966. MTS building on the right with new Canadian flag and British flag, possibly from a royal visit that year. Polo Park on the right. Esso sign visible from St. James Street. City buses were a orangey red.

The picture below from 1966 shows the Viscount Gort was the place to go for food and entertainment.

By 1967 to 1969 Polo Park was already expanding with Loblaw's and Dominion going up on the east side of the mall and enclosing Polo Park. The two grocers below under construction in 1967.

The picture above in 1967 shows where the Pancake House originally was.

The picture below from 1967 shows the Portage Avenue overpass. The Co-Op building is still around at this time. It will later be taken over by Government Services.

The picture below in 1969 looks north from the Viscount Gort. The overpass fountain, flowers and grass were lovingly taken care of by the city for years. It has been one area of consistent cuts as witnessed by our poor trees all over the city being cut down.

The picture taken from the Kiltartan Towers in 1969 shows the beautifully maintained grounds of the overpass and the long stretch of Route 90 leading to the airport and Red River Community College.

The stairs leading down from the Viscount Gort to the sidewalk in 1969. For many years there were flowers in all the flowerbeds.

The picture below in 1969 shows very much how the area surrounding the St. James Bridge filled up in addition to the Viscount Gort.

The pictures below also from 1969 shows the landscaping that was on the Academy Road side of the St. James Bridge second span. The city really did care for the site for years.

The picture below in 1970 shows the St. James side where the firehall now stands. The Viscount Gort is top left corner. A pond was on this side.

The picture below from 1972 shows the sundial that graced the front of Polo Park.

The picture below taken from MTS building shows what Polo Park looked like in 1974 when Loblaw's and Dominion were going strong in their new location on the east side of the mall. A corridor separated the two stores and price checkers from each retailer would walk the aisles of the other's store on a daily basis.

The picture below from 1974 is Polo Park with the St. James Tower behind it. The apartment with retail on the first floor was built in 1969. It is unlikely any future tower would be allowed the build as high due to restrictions today on building height.

In 1974 Simpsons-Sears had over 600 employees at Polo Park and was packed most days of the week. Their car center and one time marine sales section on the west side was extremely busy. At just under 300,000 square feet, it was a very competitive with the big department stores and had a very good catalogue.

The picture below from 1977 shows the Viscount Gort with the K-Tel logo on it. For a time the Osborne Village in was known as the K-Tel Hotel as it was owned by the Kives family.

The picture below from 1978 when both east and west sides of Winnipeg Stadium have upper decks. The Polo Park area was the top shopping and recreation spot in Manitoba. The Winnipeg Velodrome built for the 1967 Pan Am Games is seen on the right.

By 1978, the infrastructure of what became Route 90 became the major route the airport and later Red River Community College. The picture below is looking north and taken from Portage Avenue overpass.

Another picture above from 1977. I don't think it can be understated how much landscaping and grounds management the city did around the St. James Bridge expansion. There was stairways, ponds, flower gardens on both sides of the bridge that were lovingly maintained. Most of that has been plowed over today.

As the closest hotel to Winnipeg, the Viscount Gort became the hotel that visiting hockey teams would use when playing at the Winnipeg Arena. It would also be the the place where out of town shoppers might stay when shopping at Polo Park across the street.

The late 1970s saw an explosion of malls built right through to late 1980s. Polo Park expanded to two floors in 1986.

The picture below shows what it all looked like in 1987.

In 2012, the Winnipeg Stadium was demolished after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers moved to Investors Group Field at the University of Manitoba. Six years earlier the Winnipeg Arena was torn down as Winnipeg Jets moved downtown to MTS Centre. Sears is visible in this 2012 picture. Little did they know that five years later in 2017, they too would be slated for closure.

The picture above in 2006 shows the last days of the Winnipeg Arena. By 2013 Polo Park the Canad Inns Stadium would join it too was demolished. The stadium and arena were bulldozed. A Target went up on the stadium site in 2015 and lasted less than a year there. It has new life now has a call center and a Marshals but the area still has not reached its full potential after the carnage in the retail industry.

The St. James Bridge is slated for replacement. The timetable is uncertain. Sears remains unoccupied at Polo Park but the shopping center remains the top location in Manitoba. Meanwhile,
the Viscount Gort is going through its third phase of renovations determined to carry on no matter what.

Many of the pictures came from Manitoba Archives, Winnipeg Archives or collections of pictures over the years by universities and newspapers in the city. Many thanks to the archivists and photographers. Any notations, corrections or credits, please let me know.