Historic status being considered for Freight House building, downtown fountain

The fountain at Broadway and Donald Street in Winnipeg on April 10, 2025. (Scott Andersson/CTV News Winnipeg)

A fountain in downtown Winnipeg, along with a building in the Centennial neighbourhood linked to the railroad, could become the city’s newest historic properties.

The Property and Development Committee will listen to reports on designating the Centennial Fountain on Broadway and the Midland Railway Building on Isabel Street as historic resources, which would protect them from demolition.

The fountain, located on Donald Street, was opened in 1970 to mark both the 100th anniversary of Manitoba’s founding and the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Shoal Lake Aqueduct.

“The fountain is a Modernist structure in the International Style, with elements such as plain surfaces, hard, angular edges, square and rectangular modules, and an emphasis on material rather than applied ornamentation,” said a report from the City of Winnipeg.

The report added that the fountain is in “good structural condition” and hasn’t suffered any structural alterations.

The Midland Railway Building was built in 1913 and highlights the city’s history as a railway hub in the early 20th century.

“Its continued use, expansion, and upgrades during the mid-century is also an indication of the importance of railroads in Winnipeg’s economy and its dependence on U.S. markets and facilities,” the report reads.

According to the report, many of the building’s exterior elements remain intact. The railway company abandoned the building in 1970, and the City of Winnipeg has owned it since then, converting it into the Freight House Recreation Centre.

The motion for both buildings will be discussed when the committee meets on April 16.