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Photos & Coordinates | Sources
This one-storey building in Winnipeg, on the southwest corner of Eugenie Street and Tache Avenue, was designed by the architectural firm of Zunic and Sobkowich. It was one of three libraries built for the City of St. Boniface in 1961, along with the Provencher Park Branch and Windsor Park Branch, as part of a $200,000 planned expansion of library services. Its location, upon Coronation Park land, was transferred by the St. Boniface Parks Board to the St. Boniface Library Board, and its construction was donated by a local commercial firm. Upon opening, it replaced a former branch in the Norwood Electric Building (Horace Street at Tache Avenue) that opened around 1953. The Norwood (English) Branch of the St. Boniface Public Library was officially opened by Mayor Joseph-Philippe Guay on 26 November 1961, sharing the event date with the Provencher Park (French) Branch. This site was later renamed the Coronation Park Branch and, after the Unicity amalgamation, became part of the Winnipeg Public Library (WPL). In 1987, it was consolidated with the Provencher Park Branch, with both locations being merged into the St. Boniface Library Branch of the WPL at 131 Provencher Boulevard.
By the late 1990s, the City of Winnipeg had leased the building to the Forum Art Institute (Forum Art Centre), founded in 1964 by Steve Repa and Nikola Bjelajac. Prior to moving into this building, they had moved around St. Boniface several times, including lastly on Des Meurons, before opening here on 23 October 1999. Also housed in the building is a resource centre for the Manitoba Branch of the United Empire Loyalists of Canada.
The building was given municipal heritage status in 2024.
The Norwood Branch of the St. Boniface Public Library (1962)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, Government Photographs (CH 0267), GR3552, 62-388.
The Norwood Branch of the St. Boniface Public Library (1962)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, Government Photographs (CH 0267), GR3552, 62-389.
The former Coronation Park Branch of the Winnipeg Public Library (July 2019)
Source: Nathan KramerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87940, W97.12362
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Manitoba Business: Zunic and Sobkowich
“St. Boniface - Norwood Free Library planned,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 November 1950, page 3.
“Books wanted for new Norwood library,” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 March 1953, page 3.
“Membership tea to be Thursday for Norwood - St. Boniface Libraries,” Winnipeg Free Press, 12 May 1953 page 16.
“St. Boniface Library,” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 May 1953, page 40.
“Prefontaine head of library group first executive,” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 February 1954, page 16.
“Library opening,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 October 1955, page 2.
“Manitobans are becoming book conscious,” Winnipeg Free Press, 22 October 1960, page 21.
“Tenders - [St. Boniface Public Library Coronation Park site],” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 January 1961, page 55.
“St. Boniface opens two libraries,” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 November 1961, page 3.
“Libraries get their due - Branches bursting out all over,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 January 1962, page 13.
“City proposes to close five branch libraries,” Winnipeg Free Press, 1 December 1983, page 3.
“City to start negotiations for new French library at historic corner,” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 February 1985, page 5.
“Closing underfunded library branches advocated,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 September 1985, page 1.
“English conspiracy feared in library plan,” Winnipeg Free Press, 12 May 1987, page 5.
“South end library services expanded,” Winnipeg Free Press, 16 August 1987, weekly south edition page 3.
“Two buildings are expected to get reprieve,” Winnipeg Free Press, 24 January 1997, page A9.
“Creating art beneficial to body and soul,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 August 1999, Community Review South page 3.
“Building in a raffle, and they will come to meetings [The Forum Art Institute ...],” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 October 1999, South Community Review page 1.
“[Forum Art Institute ad],” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 October 1999, South Community Review page 4.
About, Forum Art Centre.
United Empire Loyalists of Manitoba.
“Boy With the Boot statue, libraries get heritage status,” Winnipeg Free Press, 5 July 2024.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 6 July 2024
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