Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Vital Municipal Hall / Fernwood School (St. Mary’s Road, Winnipeg)

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

Located at the southeast corner of St. Mary’s Road and Lennox Avenue in Winnipeg, this was the site of a municipal hall commissioned by the Rural Municipality of St. Vital around August 1911. The two-storey structure was based on the architectural designs of Samuel Hooper and John Simpson Hooper and constructed by contractors Boyle and Higgins at a cost between $10,000 to $15,000 between late 1911 and early 1912. It was built of brick and masonry, measured 39 feet square, and featured steam heating located within its basement.

Beginning in 1927, and initially for what was intended to be a temporary measure, the premises was taken over by the Glenlawn School District No. 1499 and, following architectural alterations, was utilized as classroom space. Known as Fernwood School, the district leased the building from the municipality until the opening of St. George School in 1955.

The building was thereafter demolished and the site is now occupied by a church.

Principals

Period	Principal
1927-1954	?
1954	John Dean Finlay (1906-2001)
1954-1955	?

Teachers

Among the teachers of Fernwood School was Miss Mascal (1950).

Photos & Coordinates

The former St. Vital Municipal Hall / Fernwood School (no date) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Archives of Manitoba photo collection, Winnipeg - Streets - St. Mary’s Road - #3 (N32747) Students on the front steps of Fernwood School (1950) Source: Howard Mathieson The former Fernwood School building undergoing demolition (circa 1955) Source: St. Vital Museum Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.84827, W97.11200 denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

“Want English used,” Manitoba Free Press, 27 October 1910, page 14.

“St. Vital town hall,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 August 1911, page 5.

“New municipal hall for St. Vital,” Manitoba Free Press, 9 September 1911, page 18.

“Southgate Park,” Manitoba Free Press, 30 March 1912, page 10.

“St. Vital Council meeting,” Manitoba Free Press, 5 July 1912, page 28.

“South Fernwood Park,” Manitoba Free Press, 18 November 1912, page 3.

“South Fernwood Park,” Manitoba Free Press, 19 April 1913, page 16.

“Woodlawn School District No. 1499, St. Vital,” Winnipeg Tribune, 8 July 1927, page 2.

“St. Vital plans to increase school space,” Winnipeg Free Press, 29 January 1954, page 3.

“New school plans before utility board,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 March 1954, page 3.

“Glenlawn District with new school, closes Fernwood,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 July 1955, page 17.

School division and school district formation files (E 0027), Glenlawn District No. 1499, GR1688, Archives of Manitoba.

One Hundred Years in the History of the Rural Schools of Manitoba: Their Formation, Reorganization and Dissolution (1871-1971) by Mary B. Perfect, MEd thesis, University of Manitoba, April 1978.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

We thank Howard Mathieson for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 27 December 2021

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