By Canadian Press

As the Bay store in Winnipeg gets a new life, here are some moments from its past

Apr 22, 2022 | 9:44 AM

WINNIPEG — The iconic Hudson’s Bay Co. building in downtown Winnipeg is to get a new life with a transfer to Indigenous leadership. Here is some background about the historical six-storey, 60,000-square-metre building:

— It was the flagship store for the Hudson’s Bay Company when it opened at 450 Portage Ave. in 1926.

— At the time, it was the largest poured reinforced concrete building in the country.

— The building was designed by Montreal architect Ernest Isbell Barott.

— The building was “Manitoba made” with local Tyndall limestone giving it its distinctive appearance, as well as local cement, gravel and reinforcing steel bars.

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— The first purchases were made by then-mayor Ralph Webb. He bought a novelty bracelet for his wife and a tie for his son.

— The first parkade in the Prairie provinces was built onto the Bay building in 1954. It had room for 450 vehicles.

— The building had many changes and renovations throughout the years and included a library, an orchestra, the memorable Paddlewheel Restaurant and a Zellers, briefly, in the basement.

— The building received a heritage designation from Winnipeg city council in 2019.

— A valuation of Hudson’s Bay Co. real estate later that year found the downtown Winnipeg building was worth $0.

— The Hudson’s Bay Co. closed the store for good in November 2020.

— The Bay is Canada’s oldest continually operating company.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2022.

The Canadian Press