Winnipeg Beach staple Playland back in action By: Aaron Epp Posted: 5:47 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 7, 2026

WINNIPEG BEACH — Tyler Bennie and Melanie McFarlane needed a change of pace, so they bought an arcade.

After spending more than a year renovating Playland, the couple reopened the staple of Interlake beach town Winnipeg Beach’s Main Street strip on Canada Day.

The business currently features more than 10 vintage arcade games, four pinball machines, foosball, air hockey and a coin-operated mechanical horse ride from the 1950s. Snacks, collectibles and Playland merchandise are also available for sale.

“We’ve felt really warmly received by the community,” Bennie said. “A lot of people have made comments that they’re excited that Playland’s open again.”

Before moving to Winnipeg Beach, Bennie, 47, and McFarlane, 50, lived in Winnipeg, where they work as a bartender and an optometric assistant, respectively. They discovered Winnipeg Beach a few years ago, and soon were riding their motorcycle to the town on the shores of Lake Winnipeg a few times each summer for a swim and a bite to eat.

“We slowly started falling in love with this town,” Bennie said.

A few years ago, during a camping trip through Canada and the U.S., he and McFarlane discussed making a change in their lives. The next time they were in Winnipeg Beach, they saw Playland was up for sale.

They called the realtor, figuring it couldn’t hurt to inquire. Eventually, they made an offer.

According to Heritage Manitoba, the two-storey building was built in 1939 as a business, providing fast food and entertainment to visitors and cottagers. It’s undergone a few ownership changes in the decades since.

Located across the street from the Winnipeg Beach Bandstand, the property is just over 5,000 square feet and includes retail space and a residential suite. It was listed for sale at the beginning of 2024 with a $375,000 asking price.

Bennie declined to disclose how much he and McFarlane paid, and he did not specify the cost of renovations, other than to say they spent “pretty much everything” on revamping the space.

The couple sold their house in Winnipeg’s St. James neighbourhood to make their dream a reality. They took possession of Playland in June 2025 and moved into the suite above the arcade. They winterized the suite just in time for winter, then got to work gutting and renovating the arcade on evenings and weekends.

“Seven years ago, I could barely change a light bulb,” Bennie said. “But we’ve always said when we take on a project like this that you’ve got to start by starting.”

The couple hired family, friends and community members to help. Bennie parted ways with his motorcycle in the process, giving it to his nephew in exchange for his construction expertise.

The newly reopened Playland takes up about one-quarter of the building right now. Bennie and McFarlane plan to renovate the rest and add new games in the coming years.

It’s a labour of love for the couple, who are keeping their day jobs.

“We’re not taking any profit from Playland,” Bennie said. “Everything’s being reinvested into rehabbing the building or getting new games.”

The entrepreneur adds he’s been touched by both the community’s response to Playland, as well as the warm welcome he and McFarlane received when they moved to town. People are quick to lend a hand and offer their expertise, he said.

“It’s the small town community I didn’t know I was missing until I found it,” Bennie said.

 

Meanwhile, a few other businesses have popped up in Winnipeg Beach in the last year or so. They include Breakwater Coffee & Ice Cream and its sister store, Breakwater Beach Shop, as well as a used record store called Beachside Vinyl.

A few other businesses have undergone rebrands, including Treble’s Bar and Grill. It closed at 14 Main St. and reopened last summer at 46 Main St. under the name Midnight Annie’s. The restaurant is open year-round and features live music on weekends.

It “feels amazing” to see new businesses opening in Winnipeg Beach, said Maru Ferguson, general manager at Midnight Annie’s.

“There is no competition,” she said. “In my personal opinion, everyone is trying to do their best for the community (and) trying to work together.”

Main Street also got its first new building in 60 years when Rosé Beach House recently completed the second phase of its development. Last fall, the five-year-old “retro chic” motel started construction on a 3,500 sq. ft. building that houses six suites. It opened in June.

The motel invested close to $800,000 in the new building, said Liz Crawford, co-owner, adding Rosé will offer live music and other events this summer “to give back to the community.”

“It’s just a really cool, unique place to have a business,” Crawford said of Winnipeg Beach. “It’s quite a gem.”

Founded in 1900 and developed by the Canadian Pacific Railway, Winnipeg Beach has around 1,400 permanent residents. The population rises when seasonal residents arrive in the summer.

A directory on the town’s website lists more than 115 businesses.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca