Winnipeg Free Press

Downtown Winnipeg 1970s

The first time politicians sat down and decided something must be done about Winnipeg's downtown, The Beatles were on the radio, Vietnam was just a brushfire and a "personal" computer occupied the space of two refrigerators and a washer/dryer set. It was the early 1960s when Winnipeg mayor Stephen Juba and Manitoba premier Duff Roblin approved a plan to knock down two blocks of Main Street and build the Manitoba Centennial Centre, a cultural megaproject aimed at adding a little life into a decaying slice of the inner city. Viewed in isolation, the enormous undertaking was a success, as Winnipeggers continue to enjoy the Centennial Concert Hall and Manitoba Museum. But the concrete-encrusted complex failed to spark a downtown renaissance east of Main Street and completely revitalize downtown. In retrospect, that task was impossible.