This park in Winnipeg was officially opened by Mayor Susan Ann Thompson and Councillor Allan Golden on 22 October 1995 and commemorated with a plaque. The property, owned by the Morantz family since around 1980, was sold to the City of Winnipeg by their multi-generational business, Globe General Agencies (GGA). The site, previously a surface parking lot for an adjacent apartment block, was named for the family by Councillor Golden.
Morris Bernard Morantz (c1900-1960) immigrated from Russia to Winnipeg around 1912, entering the insurance and real estate business. He was a member of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, Industrial Development Bank, Winnipeg Real Estate Board, and President of GGA, the latter founded in 1927. He and his wife, Rose (c1900-1983), had three children: Shirley Morantz (c1924-1987, wife of Samuel “Sam” Diamond), Saul Joseph Morantz (1927-2014), and Toby Morantz (1934-2012, wife of Gordon Pollock). Morris died at the St. Boniface Hospital on 5 March 1960, and Rose at Tuxedo Villa on 6 October 1983, with both interred at Shaarey Zedek Cemetery. Their son, Saul, was born in Winnipeg, attending St. John’s High School prior to purchasing the family business and becoming President. He refocused the insurance, accounting, and financial services business towards real estate and commercial property management during his 30-plus year leadership. He and his first wife, Pearl Litman, had four children: Richard David Morantz (GGA President, 1991-present), Marty Morantz (Winnipeg City Councillor, elected in 2014), Steven Morantz, and Susan Morantz. Following the couple’s 1995 divorce, he married his second wife, Ann. Saul died on 1 November 2014 and was buried in Mount Sinai Memorial Park at Los Angeles, California.
Morantz Park (April 2015)
Source: Nathan KramerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.84956, W97.09659
denoted by symbol on the map above
“M. B. Morantz, city realtor, dies age 60,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 March 1960, page 16.
“Realtor leaves $255,000,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 November 1960, page 46.
“Attention: Apartment building owners!” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 April 1972, page 27.
Obituary [Rose Morantz], Winnipeg Free Press, 8 October 1983, page 72.
Obituary [Shirley Diamond], Winnipeg Free Press, 24 December 1987, page 70.
Obituary [Samuel Diamond], Winnipeg Free Press, 21 August 1999, page C7.
Obituary [Toby Pollock], Winnipeg Free Press, 6 September 2012, page C10.
Obituary [Saul Morantz], Winnipeg Free Press, 3 November 2014, page 37.
Winnipeg Court of Queen’s Bench Family Division, FD95-01-44001, Manitoba Court Registry System.
We thank Richard Morantz for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 30 April 2021
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