Let’s save historic Winnipeg

River Heights

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/05/2023 (1026 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There once stood a broad, spacious home with crystal chandeliers, blooming gardens and a staircase straight out of Titanic. A long, mandala-like pathway welcomed your presence, shaded by thick flourishing shrubbery. Built in 1909 and designed by C.C. Chisholm, this staple of Winnipeg, facing Munson Park, was 514 Wellington Cres.

It served many generations, and was going to continue, but in 2016, it was sold to a developer who wished to replace it with condominiums. Winnipeggers pushed back, desperate to save this vital piece of history, but despite their best efforts, there was nothing they could do. Since 2020, there is now a pile of ash and rubble where a great house stood, the ghost of the house and its past fading, slowly being forgotten.

House at 1188 Wellington Cres., 1015 Wellington Cres., and others have also been victims of the bulldozers. One could argue they were old and rotting but, really, these important places of history have been sabotaged by greedy developers looking to earn fast money. “Demolition by neglect” is a phrase on the rise, because, looking into the causes of these teardowns, most of these structures were improperly heated or cooled for long periods of time. When an application to demolish a house for no good reason has been rejected, it is simpler to neglect the property.

It has been estimated that 25 per cent of solid waste in landfills comes from house demolitions. Not only is tearing down our beloved history often an act of sabotage or stripping us of culture, it is not environmentally friendly. Machinery used to demolish a home contributes to global warming and creates excess waste that does not have the opportunity to be recycled. Most demolitions are of single-family homes, and each demolition sends more than 50 tonnes of waste to the landfill. That is 50 tonnes of valuable history that is going down the drain.

Not all houses can be restored. In the case of houses that are falling apart or have structural issues, demolition is recommended. Even when you tear down a house, you can recycle old pieces of your home such as windows and doors, porch posts and stair rails — even brick or stone. Habitat for Humanity takes recycled parts from a home that can still be used, which helps our environment. Many of these recycled materials are full of character and charm. They would make great additions to new homes.

Winnipeg is such a beautiful, cultured city, and we should try to save the parts that make it unique.

Julia Fernie is a Grade 8 student at École River Heights School. She wrote and submitted this essay as part of a class project.