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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Wheel keeps on turnin'
The Bay's eatery still giving customers what they like
A year after its rumoured demise, the Bay's sixth-floor Paddlewheel restaurant hasn't changed. (MIKE DEAL/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store
After all the outrage over the iconic eatery closing this time last year, the Paddlewheel at the Bay downtown keeps on turnin'. It's never stopped.
"We're glad it's still open," said Roger Tinguely from Gimli, who stopped in for soup Wednesday with his wife, Mabel. "I had heard rumours it was going to close."
Last year, the Bay announced its partnership with Compass Group Canada and Oliver & Bonacini restaurants. In a news release, it said that includes "the conversion and rebranding of the 24 Bay store restaurants all across Canada."
In Winnipeg, that was taken to mean the cafeteria-styled Paddlewheel would be closing.
"People were up in arms," according to a source who could not be identified. Media reports about its imminent demise had crowds flocking to the downtown store's sixth floor.
"It was one of the biggest days ever. People were coming to the Paddlewheel for their last meal."
The news release issued by Bay headquarters in Toronto last year said it had "reached another milestone in its evolution" and was "transforming its restaurants and food service offerings into destinations that will greatly enhance the overall shopping experience for customers." The Bay said it had partnered with food service company Compass and "fine dining" Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants "to manage all restaurants and food services at the Bay."
That didn't sit well with Winnipeggers who wanted the Paddlewheel left the way it was.
The company later said it wouldn't get rid of the Paddlewheel, just spruce it up.
In October, Compass took over food services at the Bay but not much else at the Paddlewheel has changed, say relieved regular customers.
Diners still grab a tray and find their fare.
Desserts are still behind glass and the main courses are offered at steam tables with three soups du jour and roasts and a grill whose cook aims to please with a platter of coleslaw and fries on the side, if you like.
"The food is still good," said Mabel Tinguely, dining next to the eatery's iconic wheel, dutifully turning on a busy Wednesday.
"The paddlewheel is on now," which pleased her husband, Roger. The wheel's turning with the riverbank mural behind it lit up once again. Still, it hasn't been taken out of dry dock. The paddlewheel enclosure used to have water in it, he reminisced.
"You could hear the water. It was very relaxing," said the retired Royal Canadian Air Force officer. He and Mabel brought their three kids to the Paddlewheel for the first time in 1966 when they were transferred from Quebec.
"It's not like it used to be, with the water," he said.
It's still a special place to be, though, she said.
"The people are pleasant and it's so spacious," said Mabel. "You can sit anywhere you want."
The Bay says it has space for events at The Paddlewheel and can seat up to 400 people, and it has no plans to change or close the iconic Winnipeg eatery.
For the record, though, the Paddlewheel has been immortalized in film.
It was the scene of the fictitious homo-erotic Golden Boy beauty pageant in the Guy Maddin documentary-fantasy film My Winnipeg.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 29, 2012 A2
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