Winnipeg | St. Boniface | Water Tower District

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by cllew

I wonder when the water tower is relocated if there will be money in budget to paint it while its on the ground? I would look a lot better without the rust spots in a new development.

You’d think there would be ambitious plans for the water tower. Why name the entire development after it if it’s not going to be preserved and showcased as a prominent piece of public art representing the district?

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

You’d think there would be ambitious plans for the water tower. Why name the entire development after it if it’s not going to be preserved and showcased as a prominent piece of public art representing the district?

Probably cause it makes too much sense.
If it does not get repainted & preserved, then it would be the correct time to publicly shame the developer & involve the media if need be.
An entire district bearing its name & Not being restored would cause some buzz.

[Biff]

I can see them taking the existing one down and after evaluating it's condition, will say that it can't safely be re-installed. They will then put up a smaller, token water tower installation somewhere near the entrance.

Not the end of the world, but most times you are renovating something old, it's deteriorated condition always makes re-installing it in it's original way challenging...and costly.

[bon_vivant]

Originally Posted by Biff

I can see them taking the existing one down and after evaluating it's condition, will say that it can't safely be re-installed. They will then put up a smaller, token water tower installation somewhere near the entrance.

Not the end of the world, but most times you are renovating something old, it's deteriorated condition always makes re-installing it in it's original way challenging...and costly.

I hope that's not the case. I'd rather no water tower than some chintzy, miniaturised replica. Why can't they just design around the tower and thoughtfully incorporate it into the development?

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

You’d think there would be ambitious plans for the water tower. Why name the entire development after it if it’s not going to be preserved and showcased as a prominent piece of public art representing the district?

Streets and developments often get named after what they removed to build the street or development. It's so prevalent it's not even ironic anymore.

[Mr Tall Forehead]

Yep. If the tower can be salvaged, great. If not, it is what it is.

As noted above, developments are often named after what they replace. I bet people of the day weren't complaining when the inaugural Polo Park didn't incorporate some chintzy replica horse race track.

[bomberjet]

It's not a water tower district without a water tower. Classic move here. Let's take down the water tower.

[peg]

Classic... They will make a 1/8th scale version and place it in a roundabout.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by bon_vivant

I hope that's not the case. I'd rather no water tower than some chintzy, miniaturised replica. Why can't they just design around the tower and thoughtfully incorporate it into the development?

the existing site where it is has a bunch of underground sistrens and tunnels that need to be removed so would not surprize me if it came down

the pump house was literaly next to it as well
photo june 2008

[Biff]

Lets calm down folks.

I said IF they can't put up the existing tower.

[Brule-le]

Originally Posted by Biff

Lets calm down folks.

I said IF they can't put up the existing tower.

Listen, you can wind us up, but you can't wind us down.

I want a non-binding plebiscite now! Save the tower!

[cllew]

I know the water tower in the City of Winnipeg yard (552 Plinguet) is a historic site, is the one in stock yard designated as historic as well?

Doing a quick Google search I don't see any designation for the stock yard tower

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by cllew

I know the water tower in the City of Winnipeg yard (552 Plinguet) is a historic site, is the one in stock yard designated as historic as well?

Doing a quick Google search I don't see any designation for the stock yard tower

On The MHS webpage, it does list the former Stockyards and water tower as being a historical site.

[WildCake]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

You’d think there would be ambitious plans for the water tower. Why name the entire development after it if it’s not going to be preserved and showcased as a prominent piece of public art representing the district?

Because it's a shindico development, so you can expect the cheapest of the cheap suburban copy/paste with all expenses spared, other than maybe the image renders.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by BAKGUY

On The MHS webpage, it does list the former Stockyards and water tower as being a historical site.

I saw that before I posted but could not find a 2nd source online to confirm.

Usually I will find a link to a City of Winnipeg meeting about a historic site, or background report that's going to a city meeting.

[Wpg_Guy]

It’s not designated as a historical resource by the city.

[The Jabroni]

I guess water towers are designed to be sturdy enough to support thousands of kilograms of weight in water up in the sky.

Even after all these years, it's still standing, and yet, it's facing the wrecking ball to make way for a new apartment complex.

Sure, move it, and do whatever it takes to remediate the site and the water tower itself.

Just don't take it down and say it will be erected again, and then not erect it again.

Even if it doesn't get erected again, at least we have the other water tower near Archibald and Plinguet, right by the G.W.W.D. and city fleet refuelling depot.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by Biff

Wpg_Guy will do a much better job of posting this project, but here is the first building for the Water Tower District. 6 storey - 91 Units. They will be dismantling the actual water tower and relocating it to a different location.

Originally Posted by WestEndWander

What is the aversion in this city to pushing buildings right to the street front, especially in new developments? Unless there are services present the parking should be to the rear and clear out of sight.

The property has a utility easement containing large pipes beneath the front portion of the lot. As a result the building had to be set back from the street, so they used that space for some surface parking.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by neutroniks

The pessimist in me says it'll loose all those nice angles, colours and balconies will either be changed and downsized, if not removed completely.

The peaked roof portions feature two-level apartment units.

[Wpg_Guy]

Water feature: 113-year-old St. B tower to be saved
Kevin Rollason
Saturday, May. 2, 2026



One of the last remnants of what was once the largest meatpacking facility of its kind in the British Empire is being saved by a developer.

A 27-metre high water tower in St. Boniface, emblazoned with Union Stock Yards on the side, will be “disassembled and relocated,” says a report to the city from a developer who plans to turn the site, dubbed the Water Tower District, into housing.

Robert Scarletta, a senior vice-president with Shindico Realty, said the tower will be relocated to either the site’s business district or one of its parks.

We were always going to try to relocate it somewhere else in the development because right where it is is not really fundamentally suitable,” Scarletta said. “We’ve got a lot that we want to sell. It’s not a featured area.”

The Union Stock Yards, which was on a 232-acre site on Marion Street, officially opened in 1913. At its peak, there were about 3,000 workers on the site, which could house as many as 450 rail cars from CP Rail, CN Rail, and Grand Trunk Pacific. It also had room for 3,200 cattle and 13,000 sheep. It closed in 1988.

Cindy Tugwell, Heritage Winnipeg executive director, said it’s refreshing to see a developer save a heritage item.

“It’s great they want to go above and beyond to pay homage to the water tower and save it,” Tugwell said. “It really adds to the site’s industrial heritage. It respects the past while looking to the future.”

St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard agreed.

“I’m pleased to see the developer take the tower seriously — even going as far as taking it apart to put in the Water Tower District,” he said.

“It’s a good symbol for the area and it is iconic. It’s a signature piece.”

Shindico, along with Alberta-based Olexa Developments, plans to turn 165 acres of the former stockyard site into about 2,800 multiple housing units, as well as restaurants, retail, commercial space and parks.

The water tower removal was mentioned in a report to the Riel community committee meeting this week.

The developer received final approval for a plan to build a five-storey building with 91 residential units and 4,405 square feet of commercial space on what would be Ibrahima Diallo Avenue on the site. It will also have 68 underground parking spots and 37 parking stalls outside the building.

Scarletta said originally the tower was going to be put into the centre of a roundabout, but that was scrapped when the city decided it wanted a regular intersection instead.

“It will come down and be restored and then we’re going to figure out how to put it back up again.”

But the project isn’t cheap.

“Just to take it down will be about $200,000,” Scarletta said. “It is a hazard. If we left it there then we would have to put fencing around so nobody went near it.

“Who knows if one day a big storm, could be 10 or 15 years from now, blows it over and it lands on somebody. So it will be relocated and made structurally sound.”

Winnipeg Free Press