Historic Sites of Manitoba: Arthur Oliver School (647 School Road, Winnipeg)

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

Construction of the school began in 1967 based on designs of the Winnipeg architectural firm Pratt Lindgren Snider Tomcej and Associates and named for school board official Arthur Oliver. The facility was 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 Voyageur and Bedson.) The school featured a gymnasium at the centre, ringed with 15 rooms (classrooms and offices) totaling some 23,211 square feet. The Taubensee Construction Company Limited began work on 30 May 1967 and the school was opened on 29 May 1968, upon which students from Kirkfield Park School transferred over.

By 1988, the school’s enrollment had dwindled to 142 and, in the summer of 1989, the building was put up for lease. A 1992 proposal to convert it into a senior citizens club was rejected so the building was put up for sale in 1993. It was later demolished and the site is presently occupied by a supermarket.

Principals

Period	Principal
1968-1970	Mr. H. Wiebe
1970-1973	Ron Sigurdson
1973-1977	?
1977-1984	Lyall Evert Sims (1930-1996)
1984-1987	Sharon Smith
1987-1989	Dorothy Young

Teachers

No information.

Photos & Coordinates

The former Arthur Oliver School (no date) Source: Dean Mullin Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88161, W97.28884 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Kirkfield Park School / Sturgeon Creek School (615 School Road, Winnipeg)

Memorable Manitobans: Arthur Raymond Oliver (1916-1977)

Sources:

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

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

“School opening,” Winnipeg Free Press, 24 May 1968, page 3.

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

Dept of Mines and Technical Services, Surveys and Mapping Branch, 62H 14f St Charles, 1969.

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

“School battle support claimed,” Winnipeg Free Press, 22 April 1988, page 3.

“The St. James - Assiniboia School Division requests proposals to lease,” Winnipeg Free Press Weekly Western Edition, 18 June 1989, page 5.

“Seniors plan to take over former Arthur Oliver School,” Winnipeg Free Press Weekly West Edition, 3 March 1992, page 6.

“Empty schools go up for sale,” Winnipeg Free Press, 5 May 1993, page B3.

We thank the St. James Assiniboia School Division, Dean Mullin, and Dorothy Young for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 9 April 2020

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