This site, formerly in the Rural Municipality of Kildonan, was occupied by a wood frame schoolhouse built in 1906 by the East Kildonan School District, designed by Winnipeg architect V. W. Horwood. Two years later, a new brick and stone school replaced the earlier structure. Also based on Horwood’s design, this two-storey building was set on a sturdy foundation and designed with expansion in mind. Paid for by municipal taxation, in contrast with earlier structures funded by voluntary subscription, the school had two classrooms with room for a total of 120 students. Completed at a cost of around $10,000, it was opened on 16 November 1908 by Alexander Matheson, the then-oldest ex-teacher in the Kildonans. Also present were East Kildonan School Board Chairman Alfred Jackson, Secretary-Treasurer G. F. Munroe, School Inspector E. E. Best, A. N. MacLeod, and Reverend Hugh Hamilton.
Around March 1914, the structure drew the attention of the Municipal Council for the new Rural Municipality of East Kildonan who sought to acquire it for use as a municipal hall. At the end of the 1915 school year, the building and its property were sold to the municipality for around $15,000 and the building was renovated. It re-opened in September 1915 as its former students began attending Polson School or other schools in the area: Salisbury School, Lord Wolseley School, Lord Kitchener School, Rosewell School, or North Transcona School.
The building was later replaced by the East Kildonan Municipal Office. After the municipal split that formed East Kildonan and North Kildonan, the building, now located in North Kildonan, was rented out and also saw service as storage and commercial space, including as the Plaza Inn (1927-1931) and Coconut Grove (mid 1930s-1937). The surrounding former school grounds were sold in 1931. The 24,000-square-foot structure was demolished around 1970. The site is presently occupied by a parking lot and a professional/commercial building.
The former East Kildonan School building (1960s)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, Architectural Survey - Winnipeg, Henderson Highway, No. 21/70.Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.93799, W97.09316
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: East Kildonan Municipal Office (414 Winterton Avenue, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: East Kildonan Municipal Building / East Kildonan City Hall / East Kildonan - Transcona Community Office (755 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg)
“Local news paragraphs [New School],” Winnipeg Tribune, 21 November 1905, page 12.
“New school for Kildonan,” Winnipeg Tribune, 18 October 1907, page 7.
“Booming Kildonan fair,” Manitoba Free Press, 14 January 1908, page 11.
“City and general,” Manitoba Free Press, 8 May 1908, page 18.
“Kildonan school,” Manitoba Free Press, 23 May 1908, page 6.
“Hamilton School, East Kildonan,” Manitoba Free Press, 1 July 1908, page 14.
“Interesting gathering arranged for opening of Kildonan School,” Manitoba Free Press, 30 October 1908, page 10.
“City and general,” Manitoba Free Press, 16 November 1908, page 16.
“New school at Old Kildonan,” Manitoba Free Press, 17 November 1908, page 5.
“East Kildonan boasts of fine schools,” Winnipeg Tribune, 23 September 1922, page 19.
East Kildonan Council History 1914-1919 by Jim Smith North Kildonan Council History 1925-1939 by Jim Smith.
“24,000 sq. ft 1110 Henderson Hwy.,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 February 1967, page 40.
“The Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg [By-law No. 1474],” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 May 1969, page 26.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 30 April 2021
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