Transcona is a

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

and suburb of

Winnipeg 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 749,60 ...

Manitoba , image_map = Manitoba in Canada 2.svg , map_alt = Map showing Manitoba's location in the centre of Southern Canada , Label_map = yes , coordinates = , capital = Winn ...

, located about east of the downtown area. Until 1972, it was a separate municipality, having been incorporated first as the Town of Transcona on 6 April 1912 and then as the City of Transcona in 1961. The first Council for the Town of Transcona met in 1912, with Colin J. E. Maxwell as mayor; and the first Council for the City of Transcona met on 19 June 1961, with T. F. Copeland as mayor. Today, the ward is represented by a member of

Winnipeg City Council The Winnipeg City Council (french: Conseil municipal de Winnipeg) is the governing body of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Council is seated in the Council Building of Winnipeg City Hall.Municipality of North Kildonan, and much of the area west of Plessis. It is primarily a

working-class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colo ...

residential area with some light industry.

History

Beginning in 1835, the area now known as Transcona was administered by the

Council of Assiniboia The Council of Assiniboia (french: Conseil d'Assiniboine) was the first appointed administrative body of the District of Assiniboia, operating from 1821 until 1870. It was this council who is credited for the arrival of a functioning legal system, ...

until 1870, when the Province of Manitoba was created and took jurisdiction over the area, after which they began the process of

municipal incorporation A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally owne ...

.Transcona (Man.)
" ''City of Winnipeg Archives''. Retrieved 2021 June 10. The community of Transcona came about in 1908 when the Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP) and

National Transcontinental Railway The National Transcontinental Railway (NTR) was a historic railway between Winnipeg and Moncton in Canada. Much of the line is now operated by the Canadian National Railway. The Grand Trunk partnership The completion of construction of Canada's f ...

(NTR), looking to build a second railway line across Canada, settled on a large area of unoccupied, flat land east of

. This land functioned as the centrally-located site for repair and maintenance of the GTP and NTR railways. (Built in 1926, CNR Steam Locomotive #2747 (CNR 2747), a

steam-powered A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a Cylinder (locomotive), cylinder. This pus ...

railway locomotive in Rotary Heritage Park on Plessis Road, was the first of 33 engines to be built completely at the Transcona Shops and the first engine to be built in

Western Canada Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada– ...

.)CNR 2747
/ref> The land was also intended to be a

townsite A townsite is a legal subdivision of land for the development of a town or community. In the historical development of the United States, Canada, and other former British colonial nations, the filing of a townsite plat (United States) or plan (C ...

, so that

municipal services Municipal services or city services refer to basic Public services, services that residents of a city expect to the city government to provide in exchange for the taxes which citizens pay. Basic city services may include sanitation (both sanitary ...

could be provided to workers who came for prospective employment for the railway. The name ''Transcona'' derived from combining ''Trans''continental with Strath''cona'', the name of Lord Strathcona, Donald Smith, a former Manitoban who was instrumental in building the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

not too long before. In 1910, the Transcona post office opened and the area's population was reported at 1,600 people. The community at the time included two boarding houses, a bakery, butcher shop, a bank, two churches (

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

and

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their na ...

), and a two-room school in the Saunders Block. A year later, on February 10, the Transcona

Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for International Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...

was inaugurated. Soon after, on 6 April 1912, the Town of Transcona was officially incorporated. The first Transcona election was held on Monday, 20 May 1912, resulting in Colin J. E. Maxwell as mayor. Six town councillors were also elected: Peter Watt, J. W. Gunn, C. Fieldhouse, Alex Campbell, Ovide Brodeur, and Matt Hall. The first

town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...

met later that year. During World War I, between 1914 and 1918, more than 400 men from Transcona enlisted in service to their country and the

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

; and the Transcona Shell Company and Eley Cartridge Company manufactured

munitions Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weapo ...

. With the town declaring

bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debto ...

in 1921, the mayor and council were required to resign, and administration over Transcona was handed to the Manitoba government from that year until 1928, after a Town Council was elected in 1927. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, from 1939-1945, over 800 men and women from Transcona served in uniform, while others worked at the Cordite Plant, on the armoured train, or helped with the Transcona War Efforts Committee. By 1955, Transcona had a population of 8,000, which grew to 13,000 by 1961. That year, the municipality gained a

city charter A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document (''charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages. Traditionally the granting of a charte ...

and became the City of Transcona, whose first council 19 June 1961, with T. F. Copeland as mayor. On 3 October 1966, "The Park City" was officially adopted as the official

slogan A slogan is a memorable motto or phrase used in a clan, political, commercial, religious, and other context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose, with the goal of persuading members of the public or a more defined target group. Th ...

through a motion passed by Mayor Harry Fuller and Alderman C.J. Perry, Paul E. Martin, William Dzyndra, and M. Sharpe. In 1972, the City of Transcona and several other municipalities merged with

as part of the Unicity project laid out in the 1971 ''City of Winnipeg Act'', whereupon it became a ward of the city and moved to first-past-the-post voting. At the time of its amalgamation into Winnipeg, the mayor was Harry Fuller and its final councilors were D. E. Perry, Walter Phillip, George E. Marshall, Charles J. Perry, William Dryden, and Albert J. Thompson. Today, the

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...

is still a major employer in the community. CNR 2747 is now on display at the corner of Plessis Road and Kildare Avenue in the Kiwanis Park courtesy of the Winnipeg Railway Museum.

Timeline

1907 -

Canadian Pacific The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

builds additional railway tracks near district in the Municipality of Kildonan (CPR) 1908 - Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP) decides on Transcona as location for railway shops and buys of land. Name of Transcona adopted for future town. Townsite was originally to be created in what is now the South Transcona area, but this area was low-lying and subject to flooding and so the main townsite was moved north of the shops. 1909 - Haney, Quinlan and Robertson start work on excavation for the foundation of the new shops 1910 (January 1) - first steel pillar is raised in the new shop building, and the post office opened 1911 (February 10) - first

is organized. 1912 (April 6) - Town of Transcona receives its

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...

, and on November 12 municipal offices and Fire Hall opened for Public Inspection. The first electric light and power installed from Pointe du Bois generating station of Winnipeg Hydro. Central School officially opened but classes do not begin until 1913. 1913 (January 18) - Transcona Shops opened, on April 10 the Transcona mayor presented Morley Donaldson, Vice-President of GTP, with golden key as memento of shop opening. CPR builds grain elevator and opens yards near Transcona in the Municipality of Springfield and the Municipality of Kildonan. In October, the grain elevator tilts due to failure of its foundations, becoming a textbook example of the importance of

soil mechanics Soil mechanics is a branch of soil physics and applied mechanics that describes the behavior of soils. It differs from fluid mechanics and solid mechanics in the sense that soils consist of a heterogeneous mixture of fluids (usually air and wat ...

. It is later restored. 1914 - Sewage system installed 1915-1918 - Transcona Shops manufacture munitions for the war; apparently part of the machine shop was converted to a shell shop. 1919 - Shoal Lake water connection for Town. Transcona athletic organization 1919 - Biggest sports field in Transcona's history held 1921 - Having run out of money, the town council dissolves, and the town is run until 1928 by provincially-appointed administrators 1926 - First locomotive built in CNR shops Steam Locomotive CNR 2747

1929 - New post office built 1930 - Transcona Horticultural Society organized 1933 - Effects of the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagion ...

hit Transcona. At the peak the town is paying the rent for 192 families. 1942 - is commissioned, a named for the town. The vessel participates in anti-submarine combat in the North Atlantic in December 1944. 1950 - The Red River floods. Some Winnipeg residents are temporarily sheltered in Transcona churches. 1961 - Becomes City of Transcona 1972 - Amalgamated with the City of Winnipeg along with 11 other communities

Former reeves and mayors

Prior to its amalgamation into Winnipeg in 1972, Transcona was led by a reeve or

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...

Places and government

Transcona is part of the Elmwood—Transcona federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons by Daniel Blaikie of the

New Democratic Party of Canada The New Democratic Party (NDP; french: Nouveau Parti démocratique, NPD) is a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as social democratic,The party is widely described as social democratic: * * * * * * * * * * * * th ...

. In the Manitoba Legislature, Transcona falls in parts of two constituencies; the representatives are James Teitsma of the

Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba (french: Parti progressiste-conservateur du Manitoba) is a centre-right political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is currently the governing party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, after winnin ...

and Nello Altomare of the

New Democratic Party of Manitoba The New Democratic Party of Manitoba (french: Nouveau Parti démocratique du Manitoba) is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba ...

. Among its attractions, Transcona is home to the Transcona Historical Museum, the only designated historic building in the neighbourhood; Kildonan Place, the city’s third largest mall; Kilcona Park; and Club Regent Casino.

Neighbourhoods

The city ward of Transcona includes the neighbourhoods of Melrose, Victoria West, Kern Park, Radisson, Kildare-Redonda, Canterbury Park, Meadows, Mission Gardens, Peguis, Grassie, Transcona South, Griffin, North Transcona Yards, Transcona Yards, Regent, Transcona North, Dugald, St. Boniface Industrial Park, Symington Yards, and Southland Park. Though the majority of the area consists of houses built several decades ago, there are newer developments located in the east and northwest sections of the community including Canterbury Park, Lakeside Meadows, and Mission Gardens. Transcona's future expansion is limited by the presence of the

Red River Floodway The Red River Floodway (french: Canal de dérivation de la rivière Rouge) is an artificial flood control waterway in Western Canada. It is a long channel which, during flood periods, takes part of the Red River's flow around the city of Winn ...

and the

Perimeter Highway Provincial Trunk Highways (PTH) 100 and 101, collectively known as the Perimeter Highway, form a beltway around the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Perimeter Highway is approximately in length and serves as a ring road around Winnipeg ...

Education and demographics

As of the 2016 census, the Transcona neighbourhood cluster was home to 36,285 people. In 1959, the Transcona-Springfield School Division was created, supported jointly by the Town of Transcona and the

Rural Municipality of Springfield Springfield is a rural municipality (RM) in Manitoba, Canada. It stretches from urban industrial development on the eastern boundary of the City of Winnipeg, through urban, rural residential, agricultural and natural landscapes, to the Agassiz Pr ...

for high school education only, and administered by a school board of nine officials. The Transcona School District No. 39 remained for elementary and junior high students. The School Division and Transcona School District merged in 1967. In 2002, the Transcona part of the former Transcona-Springfield School Division and the River East School Division were united as the River East Transcona School Division.

Elementary schools

* Bernie Wolfe Community School * Ecole Centrale * Ecole Margaret-Underhill * Harold Hatcher Elementary School * Joseph Teres School * Radisson School * Wayoata Elementary School * Westview Elementary School * St. Joseph The Worker School

Middle schools

* Arthur Day Middle School * Bernie Wolfe Community School * Ecole Regent Park School * John W. Gunn Middle School

High schools

* Transcona Collegiate Institute (TCI) * Murdoch MacKay Collegiate * Collège Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau

French-immersion schools

* Collège Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau * École Regent Park School * École Centrale * École Margaret-Underhill

Notable people

The neighbourhood has produced several celebrities, including sports commentator

Rod Black Rod Black (born September 28, 1962) is a Canadian sports announcer best known for his work with CTV Sports and TSN from 1990 to 2021. He is now a host and brand ambassador for NorthStar Bets, a brand of NorthStar Gaming. Education Black was bor ...

, former

MuchMusic Much (an abbreviation for its full name MuchMusic) is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults. MuchMusic launched on August 31 ...

on-air personality

Bradford How Bradford How was a MuchMusic VJ from 2000 to 2003. He won the 2000 MuchMusic VJ Search, and became one of the channel's most well-liked video jockeys. After stints hosting ''Electric Circus'' and '' Gonna Meet A Rockstar'', among other shows, he l ...

, Canadian athlete and cancer research activist

Terry Fox Terrance Stanley Fox (July 28, 1958 June 28, 1981) was a Canadian athlete, humanitarian, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated due to cancer, he embarked on an east-to-west cross-Canada run to raise money ...

, professional wrestler

Kenny Omega Tyson Smith (born October 16, 1983), better known by the ring name Kenny Omega, is a Canadian-born professional wrestler. Omega is an executive vice president of All Elite Wrestling (AEW), in which he also performs. Omega is a former one-time ...

, Olympic speed skater Susan Auch, and librarian Lorna Toolis. In 2005, following in the style of CBC's

The Greatest Canadian ''The Greatest Canadian'' is a 2004 television series consisting of 13 episodes produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to determine who is considered to be the greatest Canadian of all time, according to those who watched and p ...

series, the Transcona Historical Museum sponsored their own local version called "The Greatest Transconian." The award was given to citizen Paul E. Martin, who was a

veteran with the

Royal Winnipeg Rifles The Royal Winnipeg Rifles (R Wpg Rif) are a Primary Reserve one-battalion infantry regiment of the Canadian Army. Nicknamed the "Little Black Devils", they are based at Minto Armoury in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Royal Winnipeg Rifles are part of 3r ...

, a long-serving City Councillor, former Mayor of Transcona (1958-1959), and member of the School Board. He was influential in creating the Transcona Historical Museum. Professional wrestler

(born Tyson Smith) was born and raised in Transcona, and in 2018 became the first Canadian-born

IWGP Heavyweight Champion The was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an IW ...

in the title's history. This follows a career in Japanese professional wrestling that includes a number of championship wins across weight classes. The

New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party (NDP; french: Nouveau Parti démocratique, NPD) is a federal political party in Canada. Widely described as social democratic,The party is widely described as social democratic: * * * * * * * * * * * * th ...

politicians,

Bill Blaikie William Alexander Blaikie (June 19, 1951 – September 24, 2022) was a Canadian politician. He served as a member of Parliament (MP) from 1979 to 2008, representing Elmwood—Transcona and its antecedent ridings in the House of Commons of Cana ...

, Rebecca Blaikie and Daniel Blaikie were also born and raised in Transcona.

Sport and recreation

Transcona is the home of the Transcona Nationals, a sports team of Football Manitoba that has age groups ranging from 7 to 21. Three major community clubs and two indoor arenas can be found in the neighbourhood. Park City West, Oxford Heights, and East End Community Clubs organize a variety of recreational activities, while East End and Roland Michener arenas host most on-ice activities. From 1983 to September 10, 2011, Transcona was represented by the Transcona Railers Hockey team in the MMJHL who played out of the Roland Michener Arena. They were disbanded because the team found it hard to draw players of the required skill levels and numbers. A team of Railers alumni applied for membership into the MMJHL. On January 7, 2012, the league board accepted the new Transcona franchise for the 2012-2013 season. The new team plays at the newly renovated east end arena in the new side of the building.

References

External links

Transcona Museum History of Transcona retrieved 2012 Jan 4
{{Coord, 49, 53, 44, N, 97, 00, 19, W, display=title, type:city_region:CA_source:GNS-enwiki Neighbourhoods in Winnipeg Former municipalities now in Winnipeg Populated places disestablished in 1972 Transcona