Historic Sites of Manitoba: Voyageur School (37 Voyageur Street, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Principals | Vice-Principals | Teachers | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

Built between 1967 and 1968 on designs of the Winnipeg architectural firm Pratt Lindgren Snider Tomcej and Associates, the facility cost around $500,000 as part of a three-school, 82-classroom, $1,415,064 building spree to keep pace with the skyrocketing enrollment demands in the Assiniboine North School Division. (Other schools were Arthur Oliver and Bedson.) It was built by the Taubensee Construction Company and featured a gymnasium at the centre, ringed with classrooms.

The 300 Kindergarten to grade 5 students made the migration from Crestview School to their new building on 9 February 1968, walking the distance in class groups over the span of the school day, all the while escorted by school staff. An official opening ceremony on 29 May 1968 was attended by members of the School Board: Mr. M. J. Parsons (Chair), Mr. E. W. Docking (Vice-Chair), Mr. M. Baryluk, Mr. D. Green, Mr. D. G. Jewison, Marlin Donald “Don” Loadman, Mr. D. Paulson, Mr. C. Starkell, and Mr. M. Tomlinson. Also in attendance were School Inspector Ross Emerson Vasey, Superintendent Harold Albert Mouritsen, and Assistant Superintendent John Sigfus Helgason.

Principals

Period

Principal

1967-1976

Christopher Shaughnessy O’Grady (1939-2017)

1976-1980

Nicholas “Nick” Kohuch (1926-2015)

1980-1992

Abram W. “Abe” Friesen (1936-2020)

1992-1996

?

1996-1998

Judy Clark

1998-2004

?

2004-2006

Jennifer Fraser

Vice-Principals

Period

Vice-Principal

1969-1972

Mr. C. E. Charlesworth

1972-1973

Miss G. Marriott

1973-1976

Glen William Harper

1976-1977

Andrew Otchenash (1927-2007)

1977-1980

Daniel Maharaj

Teachers

School Year

Teachers

1968

Mr. S. Buchalter (grade 5), Miss L. Cameron (grade 5), Miss L. Chesney (Kindergarten), Miss M. Currie (grade 6), Miss P. Dennis (grade 2), Mrs. A. Elias (grade 3), Miss M. Gibson (grade 1), Miss L. Hrysak (grade 3), Miss E. Johnson (grade 4), Miss L. Liggett (grade 4), Mrs. V. McDougall (grade 2), Mrs. E. Peters (grade 1), Miss R. Sigvaldson (grade 1), and Mrs. K. Sutherland (Kindergarten)

1968-1969

Loa Henry Anthony (grade 4), Mrs. L. Brown (grade 5), Mr. S. Buchalter (grade 5), Mrs. S. Bunston (grade 1), Miss M. Currie (grade 6), Miss P. Dennis (grade 2), Mrs. P. Derrett (grade 4), Mrs. A. Elias (grade 3), Mrs. L. Finkbiner (grade 1), Miss M. Gibson (grade 3), Mrs. J. Hillson (grade 2), Miss E. Johnson (grade 4), Mrs. V. Kelbert (grade 1), Mrs. L. Kobel (grade 3), Mrs. E. Makush (Kindergarten), Mrs. V. McDougall (grade 2), Miss B. Pattern (grade 4), Mrs. E. Peters (grade 2), Miss R. Sigvaldson (grade 1), Miss I. Sochasky (grade 3), Mrs. K. Sutherland (Kingergarten), Mrs. P. Tottle (grade 6), Mrs. A. Wiebe (grade 6), and Mrs. D. Zacharias (grade 5)

1969-1970

Loa Henry Anthony (grade 4), Mr. S. Buchalter (grade 5), Mr. R. Caskey (grade 5), Mr. C. Charlesworth (Vice-Principal, grade 6), Miss M. Currie (grade 6), Miss P. Dennis (grade 2), Mrs. P. Derrett (grades 4,5), Miss J. Ewert (grade 1), Mrs. L. Finkbiner (grade 1), Mrs. L. French (Kintergarten), Miss M. Gibson (grade 3), Mrs. R. Henderson (grade 1), Mrs. J. Hillson (grade 2), Miss E. Johnson (grade 4), Mrs. O. Kavanagh (Kindergarten), Mrs. V. Kelbert (grade 1), Mrs. L. Kobel (grade 3), Miss I. LeRoy (grade 3), Mrs. V. McDougall (grade 2), Miss I. Sochasky (grade 3), Mrs. E. Spak (grade 5), Miss D. Stevenson (grade 4), Mrs. K. Sutherland (Kindergarten), Mrs. P. Tottle (grade 6), and Mrs. D. Zacharias (grade 5)

1970-1971

Mrs. C. Adams (Kindergarten), Loa Henry Anthony (grade 4), Mrs. S. Buchalter (grade 6), Mr. R. Caskey (grade 5), Mr. C. Charlesworth (Vice-Principal, grade 6), Miss M. Currie (grade 6), Miss P. Dennis (grade 2), Mrs. P. Derrett (grade 4), Miss J. Ewert (grade 1), Mrs. L. Finkbiner (grades 1,2,3), Mrs. L. French (Kindergarten), Miss M. Gibson (grade 3), Mrs. L. Gill (grade 2), Mrs. J. Hillson (grade 2), Mrs. O. Kavanagh (Kindergarten), Miss E. Johnson (grade 4), Mrs. C. Josephson (grade 3), Mrs. V. Kelvert (grade 1), Mrs. M. Kelbrick (grade 3), Mrs. L. Kobel (grade 3), Mr. A. Krashewski (grade 5), Miss L. Lisik (grade 1), Mrs. V. McDougall (grade 2), Miss I. Sochasky (grade 3), Mrs. E. Spak (grade 5), Miss D. Stevenson (grade 4), and Mrs. P. Tottle (grade 5)

1971-1972

?

1972-1973

?

1973-1974

?

1974-1975

?

1975-1976

?

1976-1977

?

1977-1978

?

1978-1979

?

1979-1980

?

1980-1981

?

1981-1982

?

1982-1983

?

1983-1984

?

1984-1985

?

1985-1986

Mr. O. Gulay (grade 6), ?

1986-1987

Mr. O. Gulay (grade 6), ?

1987-1988

?

1988-1989

?

1989-1990

?

1990-1991

?

1991-1992

?

1992-1993

?

1993-1994

?

1994-1995

?

1995-1996

?

1996-1997

?

1997-1998

?

1998-1999

?

1999-2000

?

2000-2001

?

2001-2002

?

2002-2003

?

2003-2004

?

2004-2005

?

2005-2006

Jacquie Anderson-Johnson, Francesca Gallo, Terri Grant, Kathryn Harochaw, Lynda Johnston, Deborah Lockhart, Anna-Marie Mcaleer, Sunny Myles, Ernest Nuytten, Constance Ranson, Ainsley Richardson, Leigh Smith, Kerry Whitely, Judy Zurawzuk

Photos & Coordinates

Voyageur School

Voyageur School (May 2020)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Voyageur School

Voyageur School (May 2020)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89629, W97.30041
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Business: Pratt Lindgren and Associates / Pratt Lindgren Snider Tomcej and Associates

Manitoba Business: Taubensee Construction Company

Sources:

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 May 1967, page 12.

“Assiniboia school construction starts,” Winnipeg Free Press, 3 June 1967, page 28.

“Only minor mishaps mar Voyageur school’s move,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 February 1968, page 3.

“The City of Winnipeg election Booth Ward,” Winnipeg Free Press, 23 October 1973, page 27.

“Three schools in three days,” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 May 1968, page 3.

School division half-yearly attendance reports (E 0757), Archives of Manitoba.

Voyageur School History, St. James Assiniboia School Division.

We thank Dorothy Young and Victor Krenz for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 12 October 2024

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other

Inclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.

Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.

Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ

Help us keep history alive!