Decade later, high tea returns

Manitobans will once again be able to enjoy tea and scones while taking in history — the tea room at the Captain Kennedy House has reopened after a 10-year absence.

The Heritage Tea Room is reopening after a $1.4-million restoration of the historic building on the Red River south of Lockport, Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes said Thursday.

Moyes said in a statement the building was restored and revitalized and will now offer visitors and area residents “a unique opportunity to experience the rich history of St. Andrews in a welcoming accessible environment.”

The stone house, a provincial heritage building, was built for Capt. William Kennedy, an Arctic explorer, Métis community leader, and Hudson’s Bay Company employee, in 1866.

It closed because of structural problems in 2015.

The provincial government funded renovations to the main floor in 2022, while upgrades to the building’s kitchen and washrooms, to increase accessibility, were completed last year.

Lois Wales, president of Red River North Tourism, said she was pleased with the result after the years it took to convince two different governments to fund the renovations needed to save the structure.

“I think they did a great job,” Wales said. “We’re very happy.

“The whole purpose was to save the building and that has been done. This was very important to the community.”

Musette Fowke, who leases the building from the province to operate the Heritage Tea Room, said she grew up in that area of the province and was saddened when the building closed.

“The whole purpose was to save the building and that has been done. This was very important to the community.”

“It was so disappointing and I always hoped something would come of it at some point,” Fowke said. “I would say it would be really nice if at some point it wasn’t just sitting there.

“So when the province put the bid out, I jumped at the opportunity. This was a bucket list thing.”

Operating a restaurant is in Fowke’s blood. She’s the third generation of her family to be in the food services industry.

Her grandfather, Dan Ritchie, launched the River Rouge cruise ship, owned Industrial Catering and Continental Catering, and founded the Millionaire Drive Inns. Her father, Grant Ritchie, expanded the company into school and corporate cafeterias.

Fowke said guests will see one new addition as the living room has been converted into a coffee bar where people can get beverages to go, as well as a scone or cinnamon bun. She said there are also plans to offer takeout lunches for people fishing in the area.

“We want to ensure everybody has a really good experience,” she said. “We want to make sure everybody walks away thinking that was lovely and I am going to come back.”

Janice Campbell, who now lives in Ottawa, said she can’t wait to go to the tea room this summer because it will be like a homecoming. Her grandparents owned the house from the 1940s until 1967.

“My grandparents were boating with friends on the river when my grandmother saw the back of the house and said ‘I want that house,’” Campbell said.

“It had been vacant for 20 or 30 years when they bought it. They put in a lot of work there. My mom said she was surprised it hadn’t been torn down because it was vacant so long.”

Campbell, who grew up in Winnipeg, said she went to the house many times.

“I helped my grandmother with the garden there and I can remember my grandfather and father repairing the steps down to the river,” she said.

“And I would play in the attic… I can’t wait to go back and try this new tea room. I wish them great success.”

The tea room, which is already fully booked through to Mother’s Day, will be open Wednesday to Sunday, with breakfast and lunch, as well as brunch on weekends and high tea.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca