Historical Winnipeg discussion - Page 101

CoryB · #**2001** Posted **Jan 9, 2017, 10:33 PM**

The Northstar opened late 1970 and was rebranded to Delta in 1983. That helps narrow the window down some. I am sure with more review could get that picture more precisely dated. My gut feel is it is roughly 1971-1978.

drew · #**2002** Posted **Jan 9, 2017, 10:40 PM**

^ The cars visible seem to indicate the mid-70s.

cllew · #**2003** Posted **Jan 9, 2017, 11:55 PM**

BuzzBuzznews Canada has that Gulf Picture with a caption of Looking east along Portage Avenue, ca. 1969

3 years before that 1966 the same sign shows in a picture as B/A so that time sort of makes sense as B/A was bought out by Gulf in 1969

Urban recluse · #**2004** Posted **Jan 10, 2017, 2:52 AM**

https://www.flickr.com/photos/951304...-QSc5jB-QSc5fZ

Jeff · #**2005** Posted **Jan 10, 2017, 3:36 AM**

ahhhh that red rose tea sign omg

Urban recluse · #**2006** Posted **Jan 10, 2017, 4:21 AM**

I know huh?

BuildUpWpg · #**2007** Posted **Jan 11, 2017, 5:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

I know huh?

Does anyone know if these classic big old neon signs are in storage somewhere? It would be nice that these be put back up like what's happening in Minneapolis (Pilsbury, Gold Medal Flour, etc).

1ajs · #**2008** Posted **Jan 11, 2017, 7:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuildUpWpg

Does anyone know if these classic big old neon signs are in storage somewhere? It would be nice that these be put back up like what's happening in Minneapolis (Pilsbury, Gold Medal Flour, etc).

a bunch of them where in the gateway industrys yard on waterfront up untill it got lvled by centre venture

neon factory has a bunch. theres more in buildings hiden away

Urban recluse · #**2009** Posted **Jan 11, 2017, 10:49 PM**

Time for a resurgence.

Urban recluse · #**2010** Posted **Jan 12, 2017, 3:26 AM**

Hey Esquire--check out the name of the restaurant in this stunning pic...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/951304...-PNn7P1-R2kyAS

esquire · #**2011** Posted **Jan 12, 2017, 4:58 AM**

^ Wow, my handle has a quirky local history connection and I didn't even know it. Right at Portage and Main, no less.

Great photo, by the way... such a lively spot in those days.

buzzg · #**2012** Posted **Jan 12, 2017, 5:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff

on the sign subject..

I was stopped on main st. northbound at portage and I was staring at the blank wall of the electric railway chambers. there is no excuse that that wall should be sitting there blank. a couple advertising banners draped down the building with the existing screen would make that square pop.

On this note, I'm curious if painted-on signage (old school style) counts as a "billboard" by the city's terms?

Because I'd love to see people start doing painted billboards and signage on buildings, the one you mention is a great candidate, and start using blank walls in the Exchange and downtown like they used to.

The side of the Sterling Building makes me smile a little bit every time I walk by because they still paint the businesses on the side and keep it up to date. Looks great. Will be interesting/sad to see what happens when it becomes residential. Hopefully the main floor retail can use it.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.89384...7i13312!8i6656

I ask this because I'm wondering if no one thinks/wants to use paint, or if Sterling is grandfathered since the sign was already there, they just update it.

1ajs · #**2013** Posted **Jan 12, 2017, 10:07 AM**

the city really needs to change the way its charging for signs

Labroco · #**2014** Posted **Jan 13, 2017, 9:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Wow, my handle has a quirky local history connection and I didn't even know it. Right at Portage and Main, no less.

Great photo, by the way... such a lively spot in those days.

The picture I believe is looking towards the North East corner of Portage and Smith. This was the united cigar store. My father told me the cashier's hands were black from handling money all day.

What is also interesting in these type of photos is the perception of congestion. If one looks closely, to the right of the photo is Main Street where Scotia Bank is.

The foreshortening created by the lense and how it was developed onto the photographic paper creates this compressed image. The photo does not appear to have a vanishing point creating perspective we are used to seeing in modern photographic images. Look at how the block from Smith to Main visually disappears in the picture .

This build up helps to create the hustle and bustle of the photo. If one counts the cars and trolleys in the actual image, it is substantially less than the volume one sees every moment on this street today.

It does seem more exciting then than today though...

Maybe it was just the Black and White days...

esquire · #**2015** Posted **Jan 13, 2017, 9:15 PM**

Man, Esquire ran this town back in the day... they were everywhere!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9513047@N05/32220979536/

esquire · #**2016** Posted **Jan 13, 2017, 9:17 PM**

Whatever happened to these kinds of semi-elaborate Santa Claus parade floats?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9513047@N05/31417921294/

I took my kids to the parade last year and I swear half the entries were semis or pickup trucks with some Christmas lights strung up on them.

drew · #**2017** Posted **Jan 13, 2017, 9:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labroco

The picture I believe is looking towards the North East corner of Portage and Smith. This was the united cigar store. My father told me the cashier's hands were black from handling money all day.

What is also interesting in these type of photos is the perception of congestion. If one looks closely, to the right of the photo is Main Street where Scotia Bank is.

The foreshortening created by the lense and how it was developed onto the photographic paper creates this compressed image. The photo does not appear to have a vanishing point creating perspective we are used to seeing in modern photographic images. Look at how the block from Smith to Main visually disappears in the picture .

This build up helps to create the hustle and bustle of the photo. If one counts the cars and trolleys in the actual image, it is substantially less than the volume one sees every moment on this street today.

It does seem more exciting then than today though...

Maybe it was just the Black and White days...

There were certainly a lot more moving targets for cars to be wary of at that particular moment in time.

People lining up for the streetcars just a few feet away from the Portage Avenue traffic doesn't seem all that safe either..!

Kinguni · #**2018** Posted **Jan 14, 2017, 1:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Whatever happened to these kinds of semi-elaborate Santa Claus parade floats?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9513047@N05/31417921294/

I took my kids to the parade last year and I swear half the entries were semis or pickup trucks with some Christmas lights strung up on them.

I remember that float.

Jeff · #**2019** Posted **Jan 14, 2017, 5:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Whatever happened to these kinds of semi-elaborate Santa Claus parade floats?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9513047@N05/31417921294/

I took my kids to the parade last year and I swear half the entries were semis or pickup trucks with some Christmas lights strung up on them.

might be because a lot of them were terrifying! look at that person in the duck costume!

greyraven8 · #**2020** Posted **Jan 15, 2017, 4:33 AM**

Acquired 2 double sided album pages of small photos off Ebay - three of the pages are from NW Ontario - many dated 1929. The fourth page are some rooftop shots; been suggested they are from Portage Avenue East - possibly from the roof of the Bank of Montreal.

In any case here are the 4 photos for anyone to do as they wish with them: