Take a trip down memory lane

It’s fitting that Jim’s Vintage Garages/Headingley Heritage Centre is situated next to the Trans-Canada Highway, as they share a travel and transportation connection.

The collection of automotive memorabilia at 5353 Portage Ave., originally belonging to local residents Jim and Vivienne Pearn, forms the basis of the museum’s displays. These displays feature authentic items such as enamel signs, gas bowsers (the first type of gas pump), oil and fuel cans, service station uniforms and many other items used at White Rose, Imperial Esso, B/A, Red Indian, North Star and Buffalo service stations.

Museum board president Rob Nowosad said the collection’s antiques date back to the early 1900s.

"Everything was actually used at some point," he said.

Thanks to the Pearns working with the Headingley municipal council, and with the help of government grants and private donations, the museum opened in 2005.

Visitors can learn about the history of each gasoline company by reading detailed display boards and watching videos.

"You can take a self-guided tour," Nowosad said.

Signs are printed in English and French as the museum attracts visitors from Quebec and across Canada.

"You’re stepping back in time," Nowosad said, adding that older visitors say they appreciate seeing items that they remember using.

Younger people can get a view into the heyday of North American car culture and the garages that serviced the automobiles.

A tow truck from Grandview, Man. is parked in the corner of the museum’s lot, with more restored vehicles, including a 1918 bus and motorcycles, inside the building. Nowosad said

Manitoba Classic and Antique Auto Club members hold their regular meetings at the museum and sometimes lend restored cars for display in the museum.

Jim’s Vintage Garages is also a Travel Manitoba location and is open daily until the Labour Day weekend. Nowosad said board members are willing to conduct tours year-round for a reasonable charge, and the museum can be rented for private functions with extra room available in the adjacent Headingley Community Centre.

He said having a purpose-built space for the museum is a huge advantage that allows board members to fundraise. An admission fee of $2 for adults, $1 for students and seniors and $5 for families is charged.

Winnipeg car clubs hold show and shine events in the museum’s parking lot and that helps to get the word out about the collection. Nowosad said the recent Canada Day festivities in Headingley brought new visitors in. The board also maintains a web site at www.jimsvintagegarages.ca and Facebook page.

For more information on Jim’s Vintage Garages, call 204-889-3132.

— Staff