100-year-old Charleswood building one step closer to historical status
A sprawling property in Charleswood is celebrating its centennial birthday --- and may soon receive historical status from the city.
It’s a designation the Manitoba Historical Society’s president say is well-earned.
"This is the only iconic building from the early era in Charleswood,” MHS President Dan Furlan told CTV News. “It’s unique stone building as opposed to the wood buildings in other places.”
The building was constructed in 1922 by the International Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization initially established in the 1800s.
"The Odd Fellows home was for members of their order that was retired and to live here," Furlan explained.
The Odd Fellows Home also housed orphaned children of deceased members.
It was only the second home for the organization in all of Canada, with the first located in Toronto.
The building closed its doors in 1997 and was eventually renovated and turned into an assisted living facility in 2001.
Now the building is on the verge of being added to the city’s list of historical resources – a designation that would preserve the building’s structure, brick façade, gabled roof, and other elements.
"It is an iconic lasting monument to the history of the place, but it is one of those unique buildings that has significance to this area," said Furlan.
The potential designation comes months after proposed 10-storey apartment complex on the property’s green space was rejected despite city council’s approval.
"What I saw in the Roblin property was actually a really great 199-unit development that the Municipal Board turned down,” Sherri Rollins, property and development chair, told CTV News Friday.
Following the decision, the Manitoba Municipal Board told CTV News the size and scale of the development wasn’t compatible with the character and context of the neighbourhood.
Rollins said she supports historic designations as an integral part of Winnipeg’s identity and heritage, but believes there is room for compromise.
“You can see nice preservation and you can see new plans emerge and grow --- in and around or even attached to,” Rollins said.
Her ‘best of the both worlds’ sentiment is shared by the Manitoba Historical Society’s president.
"If there's apartments over there, but still keep the building and the green space. It's a much more attractive environment."
The city’s historical buildings committee meets on December 14.
- with files from Devon McKendrick
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.