Historic Sites of Manitoba: Canadian Northern Railway Station / Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway Station (236 Aubert Street, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Photos & Coordinates | Sources

In 1901, a railway station at the northwest corner of Langevin Street [then Rue Du College] and Aubert Street in St. Boniface was commissioned by the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR). Designed by railway architect Ralph Benjamin Pratt, it was built by Joseph-Azarie Senecal at a cost of around $5,000. It would complement and later be replaced by the Canadian Northern Railway St. Boniface Station on Des Meurons Street.

In 1917, the building was leased to the Greater Winnipeg Water District (GWWD) in support of freight operations by the Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway for construction of the Shoal Lake Aqueduct, a section of which runs under adjacent Aubert, before routing towards the GWWD site on Tache Avenue, the St. Boniface Surge Tank and Pumping Station. CNoR traffic would then be re-routed towards and over the Canadian National Railway Main Line. The GWWD used the station as its primary facility in St. Boniface until replacing it in 1929 with a new terminal on Plinquet Street.

The former station building was sold and relocated to the intersection’s southwest corner, where it was used as as a four-apartment residence with an address of 753 (and 753½) Langevin. The surrounding rail yard was demolished and is now a residential neighbourhood. The building was demolished around 1962. Though dating to 1898, the present residence at this site (re-numbered as 236 Aubert Street) has no connection to the former railway building, having been relocated here from a nearby street.

Photos & Coordinates

Canadian Northern Railway station in St. Boniface - Published by J. B. LeClerc (c1907) Source: Jeri Danyleyko collection (Canada-Rail.com) The former Canadian Northern Railway station in St. Boniface (1961) Source: Archives of Manitoba St. Boniface Homes - 1 The former Canadian Northern Railway station in St. Boniface (1961) Source: Archives of Manitoba St. Boniface Homes - 2 The former Canadian Northern Railway station in St. Boniface (1961) Source: Archives of Manitoba St. Boniface Homes - 3 Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89611, W97.12145 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Ralph Benjamin Pratt (1872-1950)

Memorable Manitobans: Joseph-Azarie Senecal (1841-1917)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Canadian Northern Railway Station / la Vieille Gare Restaurant (630 Des Meurons Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway Station (598 Plinguet Street, Winnipeg)

Sources:

McPhillips Brothers City Atlas of Winnipeg, H3 614.4 edc Series 3 Edition 1, Sheet [Plan] 8, 1903, Archives of Manitoba.

McPhillips Brothers City Atlas of Winnipeg, H3 614.4 edc Series 3 Edition 2, Sheet [Plan] 8, 1910 Archives of Manitoba.

McPhillips Brothers City Atlas of Winnipeg, H3 614.4 edc Series 3 Edition 3, Sheet [Plan] 8, 1918 Archives of Manitoba.

Western Canada Fire Underwriters Association, H7 614.42 edc Series 2 St. Boniface, Folder 2 - April 1919, Archives of Manitoba.

Western Canada Fire Underwriters Association, H7 614.42 edc Series 3 St. Boniface, Folder 2 - February 1932, Archives of Manitoba.

Western Canada Fire Underwriters Association, H7 614.42 edc Series 4 St. Boniface, Folder 1 - April 1959, Archives of Manitoba.

Property Information, 236 Aubert Street, City of Winnipeg Assessment and Taxation Branch.

“New bridge and station,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 January 1901, page 8.

“On the railway run,” Manitoba Free Press, 1 October 1901, page 9.

“Water Board will consider tenders for material today,” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 April 1917, page 5.

“Kelly Firm’s bonds reduced to $81,343,” Winnipeg Tribune, 28 December 1917, page 3.

“Greater Winnipeg Water District,” Manitoba Free Press, 23 August 1924, page 28.

“May buy station site,” Manitoba Free Press, 19 February 1925, page 4.

“Suggests new station for G.W.W.D. Railway,” Manitoba Free Press, 20 July 1928, page 6.

“Defer construction of new G.W.W.D. Depot,” Manitoba Free Press, 17 August 1928, page 4.

“New railway station for Water District,” Manitoba Free Press, 21 June 1929, page 4.

“Tenders for new station are accepted,” Winnipeg Tribune, 20 September 1929, page 3.

“Official opening of water line Station,” Manitoba Free Press, 21 December 1929, page 42.

We thank Roger Vermet and Leslie Kozma for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 5 September 2021

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