Heritage Winnipeg Corporation is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

charitable organization A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, Religion, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definitio ...

Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

, that works to save and redevelop the city's built heritage.

History

Heritage Winnipeg was established in 1978 as a direct result of the protests surrounding the proposed demolition of the Bank of Commerce (now the Millennium Centre at 389 Main Street). Both the Bank of Commerce and the neighbouring Bank of Hamilton were threatened with demolition to make room for an employee parking lot. In response to these protests, the City of Winnipeg, the

Province of Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

, and the Heritage Canada Foundation (now known as the

National Trust for Canada The National Trust for Canada (french: La Fiducie nationale du Canada; formerly known as the Heritage Canada Foundation) is a national registered charity in Canada with the mandate to inspire and lead action to save historic places, and promot ...

) created Heritage Winnipeg as a cooperative effort to preserve notable buildings threatened by demolition or neglect, and to promote the establishment of a

heritage conservation Historic preservation (US), built heritage preservation or built heritage conservation (UK), is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance. It is a philos ...

area in Winnipeg.

Operations

Heritage Winnipeg relies on a combination of public

grants Grant or Grants may refer to: Places *Grant County (disambiguation) Australia * Grant, Queensland, a locality in the Barcaldine Region, Queensland, Australia United Kingdom *Castle Grant United States * Grant, Alabama *Grant, Inyo County, C ...

( City of Winnipeg and

Manitoba Sport, Culture and Heritage Manitoba Sport, Culture and Heritage (; formerly Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport) is the department of the Government of Manitoba responsible for managing government programs and services that support the sport, art, culture, and her ...

), private donations, and memberships. Initial projects of Heritage Winnipeg included the Bank of Commerce and

Bank of Hamilton The Bank of Hamilton was established in 1872 by local businessmen in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada under the leadership of Donald McInnes, the bank's first President. Like the other Canadian chartered banks, it issued its own paper money. ...

, as well as the

Bank of Nova Scotia The Bank of Nova Scotia (french: link=no, Banque de Nouvelle-Écosse), operating as Scotiabank (french: link=no, Banque Scotia), is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. One of Canada ...

. More recent projects have included Chelsea Courts on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

, the Crocus building (formerly the J.H. Ashdown Store), the reopening of the Dalnavert Museum and Visitors' Centre, the installation of the First World War Digital Memorial Project at

Union Station A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

(123 Main Street), the King building in the

Exchange District The Exchange District is a National Historic Site of Canada in the downtown area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Just one block north of Portage and Main, the Exchange District comprises twenty city blocks and approximately 150 heritage buildings ...

, Raleigh Apartment Block on Vaughan Street, the creation of the Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park, and the Wilson building on Main Street.

Doors Open Winnipeg

Doors Open Winnipeg is a free public event presented each year on the last weekend of May by Heritage Winnipeg. The event features tours of approximately 80 buildings and sites that are not normally open to the public. The event also features People's Choice Awards, which allow visitors to vote for their favourite buildings in five categories: Best Architecture, Best Restoration, Best Guided Tour/Programming, the 'Hidden Gem', and Best Overall Experience.

References

{{Authority control Organizations based in Winnipeg Organizations established in 1978 1978 establishments in Manitoba