In 1948, the board of the Winnipeg General Hospital approved the construction of a stand-alone Women’s Pavilion to replace its chronically overcrowded 60-bed maternity ward. Plans for the new facility were drawn up by architects Northwood and Chivers with Moody Moore and Partners. Bird Construction was awarded the tender for its construction in March 1948.
The five storey, $1.5 million facility opened on 26 April 1950. It housed 132 patient beds, 162 bassinets, ten labour rooms, and eight delivery rooms. There were also several labs and clinics as well as a basement kitchen and cafeteria. Patient rooms featured modern conveniences not found on the old maternity ward such as a washroom in each patient room and air conditioning.
The first director of the Women’s Pavilion, renamed Women’s Hospital in 1979, was Grace Edna Johnson who had been head of the old maternity ward at the General Hospital.
On 1 December 2019, the hospital was closed after being replaced by the new Women’s Hospital at 665 William Avenue.
Postcard view of Women’s Hospital (no date)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2020-0077
Women’s Hospital (circa 2008)
Source: Christian Cassidy
The former Women’s Hospital under renovation (March 2022)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
The former Women’s Hospital under renovation (March 2022)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.90237, W97.16097
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg General Hospital / Health Sciences Centre (Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg)
Manitoba Business: Northwood and Chivers / Northwood Chivers and Casey
Manitoba Business: Bird Woodall and Simpson Construction / Bird Construction Company
Manitoba Business: Moody and Moore / MMP Architects
Memorable Manitobans: Grace Edna Johnson (c1910-1997)
Women's Hospital by Christian Cassidy, Winnipeg Downtown Places.
This page was prepared by Christian Cassidy.
Page revised: 31 July 2023
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