Winnipeg | Downtown Developments & Discussions

[TimeFadesAway]

Originally Posted by FactaNV

It really seems like the typical "rich kid" squandering the business story with Canad Inns. The company and the quality of its product has been going down the tubes for years. I hope the Met finds a happy home, such a beautiful space.

I call it the Son of the Owner Syndrome.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Somerset building has tons vacancy, scary. Say what you want about Ledohowski family, my relative knows them quite well and they are very good people. Many you are going to disagree, and I'm not saying the sky is falling but seeing these 3 buildings coming for sale is a general statement on downtown. it continues to decline, more and more strung out people on the streets and fewer people who want to "live, work, play". it's factual. I have 5 nephews / nieces, all between 21-28 and not one of them want to live downtown. all huge sports fans, 3 of them work hybrid downtown areas

[WinCitySparky]

Want and need aren’t different concepts. So many people post here as though everyone can just pick to live wherever they like whatever the cost. Figure it out, everyone isn’t barfing money out of every hole with family financial support to afford owning cars, and renting luxury $2200/month townhouses in Bridgwater. Just because you or your money backed niblings won’t move there doesn’t mean 1000 other people won’t. Someone will buy this junk and make something out of it/live in it. Your somewhat-privileged relatives are a weak example of who will ultimately populate the centre.

[bomberjet]

Many on this forum are probably the same. I'd looove to live a downtown urban life. But there's a 0% chance I'm moving my kids to downtown Winnipeg. I work downtown, take my kids downtown for activities of all kinds. But living? Not happening. Maybe as an empty nester, maybe. I also will never own a million dollar stucco box in Bridgewater. I'll live in older neighbourhoods.

[neutroniks]

I think it all comes down to culture, how they were raised and what they were comfortable with. I know people that grew up in rural towns, craved city life, and moved downtown and live here. I know people that grew up downtown and/or downtown adjacent, are used to the city life and have many many street smarts, but choose to live in Stony Mountain.

We can't have a blanket and brush people with the same stroke. I know people that grew up in Toronto, and LOVE living in downtown Winnipeg. We might have anecdotes and perceptions of who may or may not live here, but it all comes down to the individual.

Theres people that loathe Winnipeg, move to Vancouver or Calgary, realize that the grass is greener where you water it, and come back and live in the Exchange or TNS, and love it.

I can personally say I have several cousins that all moved downtown when they were able to. Are there challenges to it? Sure, but there's also tons of positives if you choose to view it that way. And downtown needs those people to bring it to life. We can't just keep waiting for perfect conditions to populate downtown. There's a dude on instagram that's lived in Toronto, Montreal, Kelowna, and other european cities. He moved here and has lived downtown for the past two years, and genuinely loves and champions Winnipeg. Anyone that looks at the places he's lived would understandably say "Are you nuts? All those other cities are better than Winnipeg", but something about Winnipeg makes him feel the way he does. So I feel like it comes down to the individual.

[Mabel.]

I live downtown Winnipeg and have lots of friends that live here as well in fact one of my friends tried to get an apartment in one of the nice buildings here and none of them replied to him (except for 225 Carlton but they didn’t have any availability). So far none of us or my guests have encountered anything leaving my place at midnight after hanging out and I hope it stays that way. But to be fair maybe it’s because we live in a more pricey building so the security is better

We feel way safer here than in downtown Toronto where we’ve had more than one incidents with guns related there 😬

[WinCitySparky]

Thanks for posting that, some realism is truly appreciated on this topic

[Wpg_Guy]

Today is the last day of operations for The Keg Steakhouse + Bar’s downtown Garry Street location, which is permanently closing. The new restaurant at 185 Donald Street is expected to open later this year.

[Wpg_Guy]

Preserving past, pondering future of 142-year-old downtown church
First phase of heritage renewal project identifies more than $7M needed for ‘critical’ repairs; officials unsure where money will come from
By: Chris Kitching
Wednesday, Jul. 29, 2026



A 142-year-old church in downtown Winnipeg needs about $7.7 million for upgrades and related costs, while an ongoing heritage renewal project aims to create a blueprint for its future.

Potential options include selling Holy Trinity Anglican Church and leasing it back for a decades-long term, or building an apartment or office tower on an existing surface parking lot to generate revenue, officials said Wednesday.

“I think that is part of the negotiation and ensuring we have the right partners, but it is hard to put down on paper precisely every aspect of the future of a place of worship,” project manager Stephen Borys said of the potential duration of a sale and leaseback agreement to ensure the church still exists generations from now.

Similar agreements with 50- or 100-year leases exist elsewhere in Canada, he said, noting the option has been on the table for Holy Trinity for a year.

Officials held a news conference at the church, located between Donald and Smith streets at Graham Avenue, to share the findings of the project’s first phase, an extensive assessment that identified precise repairs and a cost estimate to preserve the building, and to launch the second phase, which they said is a comprehensive engagement and consultation process to determine the future of the property and how it and the congregation serve the community.

The project began after concerns that, without intervention, Holy Trinity could collapse or require demolition.

Borys, president and CEO of Civic Muse Inc., a Winnipeg-based an arts and cultural consulting firm, said about $7.7 million is needed to stabilize the church’s foundation, complete other improvements and cover certain costs or fees.

Past studies suggested it would cost about $7 million to stabilize and restore the building.

Sections of the existing stone foundation need to be underpinned. New structural supports are also needed. Other tasks include roof repairs and mechanical and electrical system upgrades.

The big question is who will pay for the work.

“The honest answer is we’re not sure at this stage, but we have the information we need to begin those discussions,” said Borys, who cautioned the $7.7 million estimate is not a final project budget.

Depending on future plans and partners, funding could be sought from governments and private-sector foundations, he said.

The building assessment, led by Monteyne Architecture, determined the church’s shallow stone foundation, a walkable crawlspace and the deeper foundation of a parish hall built in the 1960s settled differently, resulting in cracks, uneven floors and “localized structural movement.”

Borys said repair work will be complex because the church is a national historic site and a municipal landmark heritage structure. Holy Trinity opened in 1884. The church building is an example of Victorian-era Gothic revival architecture.

Borys said work to address “critical” foundation issues could begin by the end of 2029. A report is expected next spring with preliminary designs and the results of the engagement and consultation process, which will include governments, Indigenous leaders, Holy Trinity’s congregation, residents, potential developers and businesses.

“Throughout this process, we will be asking questions like this: how can Holy Trinity continue to strengthen its role as a place of worship and spiritual life?” he said. “How might it further contribute to the downtown as a centre for music, culture, education, reconciliation and gathering?”

The phase will explore how to preserve the church building so it remains active, accessible, relevant, meaningful and financially sustainable, he said.

By next spring, officials will be ready to sit down with potential partners, developers, investors or others to talk about what could happen on the property. Future decisions will rest with the parish and diocesan governing bodies.

Holy Trinity incumbent Rev. Donna Joy invited all Winnipeggers to take part in consultations.

“This project is about preserving a historic building, but it is equally about strengthening Holy Trinity’s place in the life of our city,” she said.

“We want to listen, to learn and work together to imagine how this remarkable place can continue to serve Winnipeg in new and meaningful ways.”

Borys suggested the parking lot could become a high-rise for apartments or offices, a parkade or a science centre.

“The building will stay. It will be preserved. The diocese has made it clear that there always must be a place and accommodation for worship here,” he said.

A 12-storey, 110-unit housing project was built next to All Saints Church in West Broadway in a joint venture between the church and University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corp. 2.0 to generate revenue. Borys said Holy Trinity is in talks with the latter as a potential partner.

Mayor Scott Gillingham, who attended the event, said it’s too early to say if the city will contribute to the cost of building upgrades. He noted CentreVenture Development Corp., an arm’s-length, city-funded agency, contributed to the project’s initial phases.

After jointly funding the building study, CentreVenture is teaming with the Anglican Foundation of Canada, the Winnipeg Foundation, the Diocese of Rupert’s Land and Holy Trinity’s parish to cover the second phase’s $90,000 cost.

“Not only does this church have an important historic past, I believe this building has an important future for the centre of Winnipeg,” Gillingham said. “I look forward to what the outcome is of the conversations with the community.”

Gillingham, a former Pentecostal pastor, delivered a sermon at Holy Trinity as part of a minister exchange program prior to being elected to city council in 2014.

Rochelle Squires, president and CEO of CentreVenture, said the heritage building has an important role to play in the future of downtown Winnipeg.

“Downtown Winnipeg continues to evolve and we know that successful downtowns are built on a mix of uses and experiences,” she said.

“They need places to live and work, but they also need places that bring people together. Places of culture, community, hospitality and connection.”


Stephen Borys, president and CEO of Civic Muse Inc. and building project manager of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, looking through the first volumn of the Building Assessment and Heritage Condition Report. (Brook Jones / Free Press)


From left: Stephen Borys, Rochelle Squires and Mayor Scott Gillingham (Brook Jones / Free Press)


The Rev. Canon Donna Joy, Interim incumbent at Holy Trinity Anglican Church (Brook Jones / Free Press)


Left: 14th Bishop of the Diocese of Rupert’s Land Naboth Manzongo with Mayor Scott Gillingham.(Brook Jones / Free Press)


CentreVenture Development Corporation President & CEO Rochelle Squires (Brook Jones / Free Press)

Free Press

[Wpg_Guy]

Historic downtown Winnipeg church could 'provide so much more,' CentreVenture CEO says as consultations begin
Holy Trinity Anglican Church, built in 1884, requires about $7.75M in repairs, mostly to foundation

Bryce Hoye · CBC News · Posted: Jul 29, 2026


Holy Trinity Anglican Church, at the corner of Graham Avenue and Smith Street in downtown Winnipeg, was built in 1884. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)

A development group spearheading the years-long restoration of a historic downtown Winnipeg church is asking for ideas about the future of the more than 140-year-old property.

The hope is for Holy Trinity Anglican Church to continue to operate as a place of worship in some way, although faith leaders involved in coming public consultations are also open to other uses, says Donna Joy, reverend canon for Holy Trinity.

"We are open to really, truly listening and making decisions today that will carry on in generations to come," Joy said at the church Wednesday.

"What that looks like we don't know, but certainly housing, [a] cultural centre, these are all possibilities depending on what we find out from the community."

A feasibility study completed this spring confirmed "quite a bit of work … needs to be done" to fix Holy Trinity Anglican Church's foundation and other issues, CentreVenture Development Corporation president Rochelle Squires told CBC News on Wednesday.

"The foundation wasn't in as bad of disrepair as originally believed," said Squires, who is also CEO of the City of Winnipeg's arm's-length development agency.

But "when you're dealing with a historic building … any kind of restoration is going to be costly, and the building hasn't done this work in a very, very long time," she said.

A consortium of groups announced some of the findings of the assessment by Monteyne Architecture on Wednesday, along with a $7.75-million estimate to complete repairs.

Joy, Squires and Stephen Borys, the president and CEO of Civic Muse Inc., said the next phase will focus on engagement and community consultation for work that needs to be done to preserve the space.

It will also generate ideas for how the building — at the corner of Smith Street and Graham Avenue, near both the Canada Life Centre and Millennium Library — should be adapted and used long term.

That plan is to have consultations done by next spring, as well as some conceptional design scenarios for future use of the space, said Borys.

Only after that will the architectural and developer teams be able to draw up plans, he said.

"I'm not an architect or builder, but I've worked with all of these professions," said Borys, a former longtime CEO and director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery who was brought on as project manager this spring.

"Perhaps the most positive thing about … [the report is] it gives us really clear information, guidelines and a path forward."

$7M in structural upgrades

CentreVenture signed an agreement in April 2025 to study the possible restoration of the church, which is a national historic site and a protected historical building in the city.

Other signatories included the Parish of Holy Trinity, the Diocese of Rupert's Land of the Anglican Church of Canada and Monteyne Architecture.

CentreVenture committed half the funding for Phase 1 — $107,000 — and is doing so again with Phase 2, putting up $40,000 of $80,000 earmarked for consultation and redesign concepts, said Squires.

It's within CentreVenture's mandate to identify projects of a historical nature in downtown and help preserve them.

A 2024 report estimated the church needed $7 million in structural upgrades alone, without which it was at risk of demolition.

The building also has water damage and cracks throughout. The 2024 report by the diocese said major foundation repairs have been required for over three decades.

During Wednesday's announcement at Holy Trinity, Borys said the updated $7.75-million estimate announced reflects "robust" contingency planning to account for unanticipated costs. Most of it — $4.5 million — is expected to go specifically toward the "cornerstone" foundation stabilization repairs.

'An important future'

Beyond funding early stages of the project through CentreVenture, Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said it's too soon to say whether the city will help finance the foundation and construction costs.

"We need to know what the congregation hears from the community," said Gillingham.

"Not only does this church have an important, historic past, I believe this building has an important future."

The church, built in 1884, was built even before the Manitoba Legislature, said Squires, a former Tory MLA.

Administrative offices and surface parking lots that are also part of the church property aren't "fully utilized" presently, she said, and will be part of the consultations.

"This is a fairly large footprint in the core of downtown … that could potentially provide so much more, whether it be an event space, whether it be a community hall, whether it be a parcel for housing," she said.

Neither Squires nor Borys committed to any of those possibilities, though Borys acknowledged churches across Canada face pressures forcing them to expand the uses of their property.

He pointed to All Saints Church in West Broadway, which developed housing on its property in recent years, as one local example of how places of worship are responding.

Borys said part of the engagement process will include identifying partners across sectors that might want to invest both in the upgrades to the church itself and the future use of the property that surrounds it.

Borys said after the public engagement, design and funding phases are complete, it's possible "some crucial foundation work" could be underway by 2029.

"We're going to be praying this project moves forward," he said with a laugh.




Stephen Borys, president and CEO of Civic Muse Inc., says the Holy Trinity working group will engage in consultations with 50 groups over the next several months about restoration possibilities. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)


Rochelle Squires, president and CEO of CentreVenture, an arm's-length development agency of the City of Winnipeg, announces consultation and restoration plans for Holy Trinity Anglican Church on Wednesday. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)


Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham, a former Pentecostal pastor, speaks to parishioners at Holy Trinity Anglican Church on Wednesday. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)

CBC Manitoba

[Wpg_Guy]

• Video Link

[FactaNV]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Today is the last day of operations for The Keg Steakhouse + Bar’s downtown Garry Street location, which is permanently closing. The new restaurant at 185 Donald Street is expected to open later this year.

Too bad its going from a beautiful heritage building across from a beautiful hotel to a bland, drab building across from...a parking lot?

[jim_bred]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Today is the last day of operations for The Keg Steakhouse + Bar’s downtown Garry Street location, which is permanently closing. The new restaurant at 185 Donald Street is expected to open later this year.

I liked that location, I hope it doesn't sit empty for years now.

[Wpg_Guy]

No laughing matter
Downtown Winnipeg comedy club Yuk Yuk’s closes
Gabrielle Piché
Wednesday, Jul. 29, 2026


MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES
The Fort Garry Hotel announced in 2022 its opening of a Yuk Yuk’s in a room previously used for nightclubs.

A downtown Winnipeg comedy club, Yuk Yuk’s, closed after being one of the company’s worst performing locations across Canada.

“We’ve opened many clubs,” said Mark Breslin, Yuk Yuk’s founder. “They’re like oil wells — some of them gush, some of them trickle and some of them are just dry.

“You never absolutely know which is going to be which.”

The franchise counts at least 10 locations nationally.

In 2022, the Fort Garry Hotel announced it’d open a Yuk Yuk’s in a room that’s previously housed nightclubs.

Comedy acts have since frequented the stage Friday and Saturday nights.

But the Winnipeg shows quietly stopped this year. The last events posted online were in May.

Franchisee Ida Albo, who owns the Fort Garry Hotel, said she chose not to renew a lease with Yuk Yuk’s in March. The initial lease was three years.

“We had a better use for the space,” Albo said, adding the comedy set-up “went well.”

The Fort Garry Hotel is pivoting to something new; Albo declined to provide details.

She called the relationship with Yuk Yuk’s “great.”

Breslin underscored he didn’t know the official reason for the Winnipeg closure, but it was among the locations with the lowest attendance rates.

“There’s a certain point when it’s just not worth doing anymore,” he said. “Maybe downtown Winnipeg hasn’t bounced back quite enough for people to feel comfortable going out there, and they want to go to the suburbs… I’m not sure.

“We certainly brought in the best Canadian talent imaginable.”

Downtown foot traffic was relatively stable in the first months of 2026, though overall visits dropped six per cent year-over-year, a recent Downtown Winnipeg BIZ report states.

Visitation in 2025 was roughly 10 per cent lower than the year prior.

The Fort Garry Hotel room is “gorgeous” and its ownership likable, Breslin said. He’s looking for a new Winnipeg franchisee to launch Yuk Yuk’s in the city.

The company had an Osborne Village franchise in the 1980s and ’90s.

Comedy venues such as Rumor’s and The Basement continue to operate in Winnipeg.

Rumor’s will apply unused Yuk Yuk’s gift cards to its regular price show tickets, said club partner Drew Mindell. He encouraged gift card holders to contact Rumor’s.

“I always want to see businesses thriving, no matter what industry,” Mindell said. “I’m sorry to hear that (Yuk Yuk’s has) decided to shut down.”

Despite the closure, Mindell considers Winnipeg’s comedy scene a “hot one.” Rumor’s is finishing its best July in its four-decade history, Mindell said.

“Especially in the age of AI, where people see videos online and they’re not sure if what they’re seeing is real — they know, they come to a comedy club, what they are seeing is absolutely 100 per cent authentic,” he said.

Customers seem to crave authenticity, he added.

The Fort Garry Hotel, meantime, is in transition. Ownership is looking to sell; the Manitoba Métis Federation has expressed interest.

MMF President David Chartrand said earlier this month the federation would acquire the historic hotel “if the price is right and the partnership is positive.” The 113-year-old hotel was listed without a price.

It underwent a major renovation to its restaurant and bar in 2021.

Winnipeg Free Press

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by jim_bred

I liked that location, I hope it doesn't sit empty for years now.

I hope there’s a new plan for the building, and ideally a new restaurant opens in the space soon.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by pspeid

People here have been complaining about Leo Ledohowski's "cheapness" and "lack of taste" for years. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Will the buildings be sold off one by one? Will the result be better or worse that what has been done?

My fear is that the family will sell to anyone with a bit of cash, and some or all of these properties will fell into neglect from another, possibly out-of-town purchaser, who will strip away any quick profits that they can get and leave an even bigger hole in the city.

Then again, there may be a person or group who has some local skin in the game. MMF has been mentioned as a possible purchaser of the Fort Garry. Maybe they will be interested in these properties instead?

Neither of these are relatively inexpensive assets. The Somerset Building and the Met sit right in the heart of the SHED. I hope whoever acquires them treats the purchase as far more than a real-estate transaction but rather as a genuine investment in the long-term future, growth, and revitalization of downtown. A buyer with local roots and a real stake in the city’s success would be ideal. These properties have the potential to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing efforts already reshaping the area (Portage Place redevelopment, The Bay, etc.).

We’ve already seen some encouraging signs from newer out-of-town investors. Montreal-based Leyad, for example, has been actively building a significant Winnipeg portfolio — including the acquisition of St. Vital Centre, Johnston Terminal at The Forks, CDI College on Main St, and several other retail and industrial properties. Their leadership has been publicly bullish on the city and has framed these purchases as long-term stewardship rather than short-term flips. That kind of approach gives me hope that the right purchaser could emerge for the Somerset and Met as well.

[Wpg_Guy]

In this podcast, Nolan Ploegman. President & CEO of Concord Projects talks about moving the company to the Exchange District and why the investment in downtown is critical for the future of Winnipeg.

Building Manitoba Podcast
Better Over Bigger: Inside Concord Projects with Nolan Ploegman

Everyone thought I was crazy. Like, you're moving your whole staff to downtown. Like, do you know what's downtown? Everyone's leaving downtown. I would find it's the opposite. I see a lot of hope and potential. Are we gonna sit here and wait for someone from Vancouver or Toronto to develop downtown Winnipeg? It is gonna be Winnipegers that grow our city. It's gonna be Winnipegers that save the downtown or build the downtown. Like if we want to protect our city and grow our city, I would I would like to challenge everybody to make it happen.

for Winnipeg and Concord, I'm truly passionate about building the downtown. So I have joined the Winnipeg Exchange District Biz Board, and that's really got me energized. I would love to see Winnipeg's downtown thriving. There's so many good things happening. And I'd love to reverse a lot of perception. You make that little comment about Winnipeg's downtown, and now I take those personally, and I'm like, no way. Like our downtown is something to protect, to build. I want to see it thrive. So that's a huge passion of mine for the next decade. And in the position where maybe I can do something about it myself.

Yeah, I'm bullish. And again, people might think I'm nuts, but I am surely bullish. Just Concord alone, I would say over ten construction projects either currently or pending for the downtown, four new buildings at the forks, three or four buildings in the exchange district, one in Chinatown right now, the market lands in front of Red River College. And we have a few development partners with some big, big plans for the exchange district. So I'll drop that as a teaser for today's conversation. But there's some big announcements coming from our office, I'd say in the next year or so to come. And yeah, I truly see a lot of people investing in the downtown. The city of Winnipeg is really supporting additional housing and getting more residential downtown. I'd really like to see more commercial and office downtown. There's a lot of heritage buildings that have empty floors above the street level and some turnover on the commercial spaces along the sidewalk. But I think that's where there needs to be an effort to really attract more. We need more offices downtown. Residential is great, but how can we get more people working back downtown again like it used to be and more?

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by TimeFadesAway

I call it the Son of the Owner Syndrome.

Expect it's his daughter, Lea Ledohowski who is the President of Canad Inns haha.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by FactaNV

Too bad its going from a beautiful heritage building across from a beautiful hotel to a bland, drab building across from...a parking lot?

Hopefully sooner than later the area surrounding Donald/St. Mary will be developed. That crown owned lot is a priority for Centre Venture.

[trueviking]

I didn’t even know there was a Yuk Yuk’s in Winnipeg.

I’m not sure I’d blame downtown foot traffic. Do people really just wander by and decide to go to a comedy club?