The Southern Chiefs’ Organization’s massive redevelopment project underway at the old Bay building in downtown Winnipeg has reached a major milestone—one that weighs more than five tons. Block by block, hoisted by crane, crews have been hollowing out the centre of the iconic Portage Avenue building. It’s all part of SCO’s multimillion-dollar Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn project, transforming the former downtown Hudson’s Bay building into a new cultural, housing and services hub. “After seven months of steady, careful work, the final concrete block has now been removed from what will become the atrium of our building,” the organization said in a social media post. The block was lifted by crane out of the centre of the building. It was the last of 1,335 concrete blocks, weighing a total of 13.5 million pounds, to be removed. Now crews will work to put up scaffolding and begin building a glass ceiling that SCO said will fully enclose the space. “Every step brings us closer to transforming the former Hudson’s Bay Company building into a living expression of reconciliation, pride, and First Nations strength,” the post reads. The project, first announced in April 2022, has a $310 million budget. The plan includes 373 housing units—the majority of which will be affordable units for First Nations tenants—and a daycare, along with office and retail spaces. SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels previously said he hopes the first phase of the project will be open in 2028. -with files from CTV’s Katherine Dow
