Instead of showing off a neighbourhoor, I thought it would be cool instead to focus on one building. I got the chance to have access to the Millenium Centre in downtown Winnipeg. So here's what I got from inside an early 20th century banking temple.
Here's the main banking hall
This is the Tapestry Room, which is just off the main banking area
Stairs up to the first floor...it was pretty much pitch black up stairs, and the limited amounts of lights that I found barely helped. It also got extremely hot and sweaty.
There are a couple of these doors on each floor
In the corner of this room was a hidden door that I missed the first time I passed through. The door leads to a bathroom stall....serious...
On the fourth floor, here's the dome above the main banking floor
Random toilet
J & J Taylor Toronto, above a safe door
The Richardson building
On the sixth floor, the door to the roof...
...is locked
After coming all the way back down to the main floor, I tried to gain access to the basement
I got access by another way though. Not much to be found, a lot of junk obviously, but I did find volume 2 of the "History of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce" 1922 edition.
Another safe door
Before leaving I had to get the actual vault as well
why is that bank known as the millenium centre? i really hope something promising is in the works for it. beautiful.
incidentally, i noticed the bank of hamilton building in the first photo. i've always found it interesting that your bank of hamilton is nicer than the one we used to have. kind of ironic.
Yes at one time Winnipeg was THE banking centre of western Canada ... at a time when Winnipeg was commonly refered to as Chicago of the north. The city was one of the rising centres of economic power. Infact in the early decades the 20th century some were expecting Winnipeg to possibly surpass Chicago in population. It was the third largest city in Canada and was the fastest growing major city in the nation and among the very top in all of North America.
There was massive appeal to construct large and impressive banks which marked the city as a major financial centre.
Today all that is left are these titans of finance and commerce which marked the one time importance of the city of Winnipeg.
maybe you could dedicate a new museum to a vague, guilty premise and get a buck or two from the government.
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Montreal undoubtely would shrink in horror from the thought of a crass attempt to parlay a bit of questionable history into masses of government grants. I would point out that the CMHR, however ill-conceived, has raised a lot of private money -- I'm wondering how recent Montreal projects compare to it in terms of total funds raised from local private individuals and businesses. Perhaps you will have solid research on this point.
I am not sure why they had to rename the Bank of Commerce the Millennium Centre (ugh!) and remove the name of the bank as well as the massive bronze doors at the main entrance. In exchange for this the Millennium people don't appear to have accomplished much on the inside. Looks virtually the same as when I was last in there (maybe 1990 or so). It's truly a magnificent building if anyone could think of a use for it. Great photos, too.
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That must have been a very impressive building in it's day. It's still quite impressive today.
Any chance of a series on the Bank of Monteal Building at Protage and Main (although I kind of think they wouldn't let you take photos in a building that is still in use).
great photos I am sure gonna take a tour hosted by the Historical society this year.
right now it gets rented out as banquet hall and they are still waiting for it to be sold for other uses. So would it be entirely impossible to build up to make for hotel tower. I know some buildings weren't built on a strong enough foundation to support more height like at the bay building. Does anyone know?
^ I know that a few of those substaintial older buildings in and around the exchange were designed to be expanded vertically as required. I wouldn't be surprised if this building was originially designed to go up to 10 floors or so.
However that large domed hall in the centre would pose some issues...
why is that bank known as the millenium centre? i really hope something promising is in the works for it. beautiful.
incidentally, i noticed the bank of hamilton building in the first photo. i've always found it interesting that your bank of hamilton is nicer than the one we used to have. kind of ironic.
Ummm....but something promising WAS done to it.... The CIBC building sat idle since 1969 when they moved to the Richardson Building...
The Loewen family put $$ into it and rechristened it the Millennium Centre.
^ I know that a few of those substaintial older buildings in and around the exchange were designed to be expanded vertically as required. I wouldn't be surprised if this building was originially designed to go up to 10 floors or so.
However that large domed hall in the centre would pose some issues...
Please make the Curry Building taller... Please, please, please.
Needs a little brushing.
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