Western Canada Aviation Museum earns royal designation

Scott Billeck By: Scott Billeck Posted: Last Modified: | Updates

Advertisement

Advertise with us

The Western Canada Aviation Museum is getting the royal treatment.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/12/2014 (4302 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Western Canada Aviation Museum is getting the royal treatment.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has given the go-ahead to use the “Royal” designation. The museum, which opened in 1974, will be re-named The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada.

The Queen officially opened the museum back in October 1984.

wayne glowacki / winnipeg free press Executive Director Shirley Render announces the Western Canadian Aviation Museum will be re-named to The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada after Queen Elizabeth II approved the “Royal” designation.
wayne glowacki / winnipeg free press Executive Director Shirley Render announces the Western Canadian Aviation Museum will be re-named to The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada after Queen Elizabeth II approved the “Royal” designation.

“Canada’s aviation history and heritage are rooted in Winnipeg – from the early bush flying pioneers to the birth of Canada’s national airlines,” said Shirley Render, executive director of the museum.

There are four other royal designations in the province: Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon and the Royal Manitoba Yacht Club.

The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada will be the sixth museum in Canada with the designation.

Scott Billeck

Scott Billeck
Reporter

Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade’s worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024.  Read more about Scott.

Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.

 

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Scott Billeck

Scott Billeck
Reporter

Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade’s worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024.  Read more about Scott.

Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.

 

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

History

Updated on Friday, December 19, 2014 11:40 AM CST: Clarifies three royal designations in the province.

Updated on Friday, December 19, 2014 11:56 AM CST: Corrects name of fair.

Updated on Friday, December 19, 2014 1:41 PM CST: Alters reference to RMTC.

Updated on Friday, December 19, 2014 3:55 PM CST: Adds Royal Manitoba Yacht Club.

Report Error Submit a Tip

Advertisement

Learn more about Winnipeg Free Press Advertising solutions

More Stories

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Obby Khan, leader of the Manitoba PC opposition party, announces his resignation as leader and member of the PC party in his legislature office Winnipeg, Monday, September 28, 2026. reporter: carol

Khan quits as Tory leader, leaves caucus to sit as independent

Carol Sanders 7 minute read Preview

Khan quits as Tory leader, leaves caucus to sit as independent

Carol Sanders 7 minute read Updated: 8:22 PM CDT

Manitoba’s Leader of the Opposition is stepping down.

Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan announced late Monday afternoon he is quitting caucus and will sit in the legislature as an independent MLA, effective Tuesday.

He cited internal party fighting for his decision.

The former Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman survived a caucus confidence vote Friday. He said there were 13 votes for him to remain and six against, with one person absent.

Read
Updated: 8:22 PM CDT
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Micheal O’Malley, founder of La Parfumerie, has been ordered by the city of Winnipeg to close his retail store in Wolseley.

Perfumer battling city hall to keep his shop open

Gabrielle Piché 5 minute read Preview

Perfumer battling city hall to keep his shop open

Gabrielle Piché 5 minute read 5:45 PM CDT

Michael O’Malley has been here before — fighting the City of Winnipeg to keep his business open.

He usually spends his days concocting scents. He’s owned La Parfumerie, a Wolseley shop, since 1993.

Twenty-seven natural perfumes line shelves on 145 Evanson St.’s bottom floor. O’Malley lives above the space.

Now, he’s required to change the home’s zoning or shut out walk-in customers. Either would kill the company, O’Malley said.

Read
5:45 PM CDT
John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets defenceman Tyrel Bauer has proven his stickhandling ability is just as useful than being the tough guy on the ice.

Jets defenceman spent whole summer working on getting to the next level

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Preview

Jets defenceman spent whole summer working on getting to the next level

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Updated: 1:57 PM CDT

Tyrel Bauer makes no apologies for the pugilistic piece of his path.

The Winnipeg Jets defenceman is ready to drop the gloves and throw down when the situation calls for it and he takes great pride in protecting his teammates.

It’s a big part of the reason Bauer will be among the 23 players submitted by the Jets on the opening-day roster on Monday.

“I’ve fought and clawed, both metaphorically and literally and now I just want to show that I can play as well,” Bauer said during a chat with the Free Press during training camp. “(Toughness) is always something that I have, it’s always something in my back pocket and something that I take a lot of pride in doing, for my teammates, for the city and the people who invest in this hockey club. That will never change.

Read
Updated: 1:57 PM CDT
NICK WASS / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Former Washington Capitals goalie Clay Stevenson is joining the Jets and will immediately step into the role as backup goalie.

Jets pick up netminder as relatively new 23-man roster announced

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Preview

Jets pick up netminder as relatively new 23-man roster announced

Mike McIntyre 7 minute read Updated: 9:25 PM CDT

Let’s get the caveats out of the way: Nothing is set in stone, nor written in permanent ink, and what you see right now could change in the blink of an eye.

With that being said, allow us to introduce you to the 2026-27 Winnipeg Jets — where change is very much in the air.

The 23-man roster submitted to the NHL offices by Monday’s 4 p.m. deadline includes seven players who were not on the team at this time last year. In fact, there could be as many as 10 new faces in the opening-night lineup on Friday against Boston when you factor in three regulars didn’t start the 2025-26 campaign due to injury.

That’s a lot of turnover, which isn’t surprising for a team that finished 26th overall in the standings and was — to most fans and pundits — too old and too slow.

Read
Updated: 9:25 PM CDT

Puzzles Palace

1 minute read Monday, Jul. 27, 2026

To solve our puzzles, please subscribe with this special offer: |

DARREN CALABRESE / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES ‘We warn the government against abusing its majority status and dishonouring the Crown through procedural tools, time allocation or closure to frustrate Parliament’s ability to hear from rights holders and consider amendments,’ National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says.

Canada resorting to its tried and true playbook

Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Preview

Canada resorting to its tried and true playbook

Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read 6:00 AM CDT

In 1846, Britain faced an emergency influenced by the Irish famine, so leaders repealed the country’s “Corn Laws” and restrictions on imported food and grain, transitioning to a system of free trade.

This created a crisis in the then Province of Canada, which had relied on British “preferential” status to prop up its agricultural and resource industries.

As a result, Canada looked south for new markets and eventually negotiated a free trade agreement with the United States.

This required land to be acquired and converted for industrial use quickly, so Canada quickly dispatched Commissioner William Robinson to negotiate with Indigenous communities along Lake Huron and Lake Superior for land.

Read
6:00 AM CDT