The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and its History

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The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and Its History
In 1960, the Board of Trade, by this time called The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, moved to 177 Lombard Ave., located in the heart of Western Canada’s financial and grain marketing district.
Built in 1911 on land purchased two years earlier by the Great-West Life Assurance Company for its new head office, the building was built at a cost of $400,000. Local architect John D. Atchison designed it in the Beaux-Arts style of classicism. Initially it was only four storeys, but another four floors were added in 1922. The Chamber occupied the seventh and eighth floors.
A fire in The Chamber Club in 1980 forced the clubrooms to temporarily relocate to what is today The Fairmont Winnipeg. By night, Chimes Restaurant was open for public dining, but at noon, it operated as The Chamber Club — Mayor Bill Nonie officially designating it as such.
The fire, which also caused smoke and water damage to the offices, forced The Chamber to once again look for new premises. In 1981, it moved across Rorie Street to 167 Lombard Ave., The Grain Exchange Building.
Built in 1906 to accommodate an expanding number of traders, The Exchange was a seven-storey building, in keeping with the Chicago School of Architecture’s designs for tall, steel- framed commercial buildings. Three major additions (in 1913, 1916 and 1922) extended the building to the north to McDermot Avenue and upward to 10 storeys. The Chamber occupied the fifth and sixth floors, with its offices on the fifth floor and the clubroom on the sixth.
Believing that downtown revitalization was a strategic priority The Chamber decided to show its commitment to “the heart of the business community” and in 2003, announced the creation of a new International Business Centre in which The Chamber, Manitoba Trade and Destination Winnipeg would co-locate in the Paris Building, 259 Portage Ave.
“The IBC will house the office of each organization, creating a central point of contact to engage local, national and international business in discussions on trade, investment and strategic alliances. Anticipated benefits of the IBC include increased public visibility and greater collaboration and co-ordination of strategic economic development and trade activities,” said a news release dated Feb. 26, 2003.
Totalling 43,729 square feet, the International Business Centre represented one of the largest office redevelopments and leases in modern downtown history. Roughly $4 million was invested in the character building, which for years had largely sat vacant.
Built in two stages (the first five storeys in 1915 and the upper six in 1917), the Paris Building was once described as Winnipeg’s “most elegantly clothed steel-frame skyscraper.”
The building, which initially cost $330 featured magnificent terra cotta ornamentation and striking architectural detail. The rental office and retail space was graced with grey marble wainscoting and stairs, elegant woodwork and glass partitions between airy, well-lit rooms.
Dingwall’s Jewellers and Shea’s Custom Tailors originally occupied the first two floors with the upper storeys devoted to a number of insurance companies and manufacturers’ agents. Today, Chamber offices occupy the ground floor, while on second floor The Chamber has its Conference Centre boardrooms, ‘business lounge and Xerox Business Solutions Centre, which provides computers and other office equipment for use by members on-the-go.
The Chamber is proud that it’s been able, in part, to ensure that Winnipeg’s most unique blend of the past and future is more than 90 per cent leased.

In 1960, the Board of Trade, by this time called The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, moved to 177 Lombard Ave., located in the heart of Western Canada’s financial and grain marketing district.

Built in 1911 on land purchased two years earlier by the Great-West Life Assurance Company for its new head office, the building was built at a cost of $400,000. Local architect John D. Atchison designed it in the Beaux-Arts style of classicism. Initially it was only four storeys, but another four floors were added in 1922. The Chamber occupied the seventh and eighth floors.

A fire in The Chamber Club in 1980 forced the clubrooms to temporarily relocate to what is today The Fairmont Winnipeg. By night, Chimes Restaurant was open for public dining, but at noon, it operated as The Chamber Club — Mayor Bill Nonie officially designating it as such.

The fire, which also caused smoke and water damage to the offices, forced The Chamber to once again look for new premises. In 1981, it moved across Rorie Street to 167 Lombard Ave., The Grain Exchange Building.

Built in 1906 to accommodate an expanding number of traders, The Exchange was a seven-storey building, in keeping with the Chicago School of Architecture’s designs for tall, steel- framed commercial buildings. Three major additions (in 1913, 1916 and 1922) extended the building to the north to McDermot Avenue and upward to 10 storeys. The Chamber occupied the fifth and sixth floors, with its offices on the fifth floor and the clubroom on the sixth.

Believing that downtown revitalization was a strategic priority The Chamber decided to show its commitment to “the heart of the business community” and in 2003, announced the creation of a new International Business Centre in which The Chamber, Manitoba Trade and Destination Winnipeg would co-locate in the Paris Building, 259 Portage Ave.

“The IBC will house the office of each organization, creating a central point of contact to engage local, national and international business in discussions on trade, investment and strategic alliances. Anticipated benefits of the IBC include increased public visibility and greater collaboration and co-ordination of strategic economic development and trade activities,” said a news release dated Feb. 26, 2003.

Totalling 43,729 square feet, the International Business Centre represented one of the largest office redevelopments and leases in modern downtown history. Roughly $4 million was invested in the character building, which for years had largely sat vacant.

Built in two stages (the first five storeys in 1915 and the upper six in 1917), the Paris Building was once described as Winnipeg’s “most elegantly clothed steel-frame skyscraper.”

The building, which initially cost $330 featured magnificent terra cotta ornamentation and striking architectural detail. The rental office and retail space was graced with grey marble wainscoting and stairs, elegant woodwork and glass partitions between airy, well-lit rooms.

Dingwall’s Jewellers and Shea’s Custom Tailors originally occupied the first two floors with the upper storeys devoted to a number of insurance companies and manufacturers’ agents. Today, Chamber offices occupy the ground floor, while on second floor The Chamber has its Conference Centre boardrooms, ‘business lounge and Xerox Business Solutions Centre, which provides computers and other office equipment for use by members on-the-go.

The Chamber is proud that it’s been able, in part, to ensure that Winnipeg’s most unique blend of the past and future is more than 90 per cent leased.

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categoriaUncategorized commentoNo Comments dataNovember 19th, 2009
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Looking back at the Winnipeg Board of Trade

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In the late 19th century, the Winnipeg Board Trade was a power to be reckoned with. Many of the leading citizens of the day were listed among its member and made their influence felt.
They quite literally found themselves at the “seat of power.”
They’d gather every afternoon in the cellar of A.G.B. (Andrew Graham Ballenden) Bannatyne, whose home near the corner of what’s now Main Street and Bannatyne Avenue served as the meeting place for the Legislature.
In 1886, with the official opening of a new City Hall, which some referred to as Victorian “fantasy” because of its “gingerbread” style, the Board of Trade had its first permanent home.
On Novemeber 24, 1887, 11 leading grain merchants met in the office of the Board of Trade at City Hall to form the Winnipeg Grain and Produce Exchange. This set in motion a chain of events that would result in the construction of the first Grain Exchange Building at 164 Princess St., intended also to house the Board of Trade.
The Board of Trade and Exchange rooms were on the third floor, along with private offices for several prominent “grain men.” The interior finishing was elegant and much admired. Offices on the upper floors opened into a center light-well covered with a skylight so that each office had natural light.
The rapid growth of the grain trade soon necessitated the construction of a second Grain Exchange at 160 Princess St.
The new building, constructed at a cost of $35,000, featured four storeys of red brick, with a lower facing of stone and terra cotta moldings. The interior was finished in oak and marble and featured a pressed metal ceiling and stained glass windows. Corridors connected it to the old Exchange Building to the north. The Exchange and Board of Trade expanded into both buildings.
In 1908, the Board of Trade took over the Princess Street address after the Grain Exchange moved to new quarters on Lombard. Today, only the building’s façade remains. In 2002, the building was gutted and the façade became part of Red River College’s downtown campus.
In 1932, the Board of Trade sought a new home, moving into the Old National Building at 325 Main St., where it occupied the first floor. Today, the corner of Pioneer and Main bears no resemblance to its past — gone is the low-lying,• dark-brick building, replaced by a 13-storey office tower, home to MTS Allstream.
Some 15 years after the Board of Trade relocated onto Main Street, it made another move — just down the street to 346 Main St.

In the late 19th century, the Winnipeg Board Trade was a power to be reckoned with. Many of the leading citizens of the day were listed among its member and made their influence felt.

They quite literally found themselves at the “seat of power.”

They’d gather every afternoon in the cellar of A.G.B. (Andrew Graham Ballenden) Bannatyne, whose home near the corner of what’s now Main Street and Bannatyne Avenue served as the meeting place for the Legislature.

In 1886, with the official opening of a new City Hall, which some referred to as Victorian “fantasy” because of its “gingerbread” style, the Board of Trade had its first permanent home.

On Novemeber 24, 1887, 11 leading grain merchants met in the office of the Board of Trade at City Hall to form the Winnipeg Grain and Produce Exchange. This set in motion a chain of events that would result in the construction of the first Grain Exchange Building at 164 Princess St., intended also to house the Board of Trade.

The Board of Trade and Exchange rooms were on the third floor, along with private offices for several prominent “grain men.” The interior finishing was elegant and much admired. Offices on the upper floors opened into a center light-well covered with a skylight so that each office had natural light.

The rapid growth of the grain trade soon necessitated the construction of a second Grain Exchange at 160 Princess St.

The new building, constructed at a cost of $35,000, featured four storeys of red brick, with a lower facing of stone and terra cotta moldings. The interior was finished in oak and marble and featured a pressed metal ceiling and stained glass windows. Corridors connected it to the old Exchange Building to the north. The Exchange and Board of Trade expanded into both buildings.

In 1908, the Board of Trade took over the Princess Street address after the Grain Exchange moved to new quarters on Lombard. Today, only the building’s façade remains. In 2002, the building was gutted and the façade became part of Red River College’s downtown campus.

In 1932, the Board of Trade sought a new home, moving into the Old National Building at 325 Main St., where it occupied the first floor. Today, the corner of Pioneer and Main bears no resemblance to its past — gone is the low-lying,• dark-brick building, replaced by a 13-storey office tower, home to MTS Allstream.

Some 15 years after the Board of Trade relocated onto Main Street, it made another move — just down the street to 346 Main St.

A brief item in The Winnipeg Board of Trade News Bulletin, stated:

“Effective Tuesday, June 24, 1947, the Winnipeg Board of Trade and Young Men’s Section took over the ground floor offices, formerly occupied by the London and Western Trust Company, 346 Main St.

The new premises have a commodious Board Room, and other improved facilities for meetings of membership, permitting of better service to the public, and altogether are more in keeping with the Board’s requirements.

Their telephone number remains the same —92 111.

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categoriaUncategorized commentoNo Comments dataNovember 16th, 2009
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