From about 1900 until after the Second World War, dance halls were popular venues for young and old, wondrous places of sights and sounds. These kinds of buildings usually featured utilitarian interiors, conducive to the movement of large groups of people. The exteriors might be more decorative, but just as often were not.
The Gimli Dance Pavilion, built in 1911, is a modest example. The glory of the building is within, where a dramatic wooden truss system creates unobstructed floor space and where the expanse of polished wood on the dance floor still beckons dancers. Designated a municipal heritage site in 1997, the building was part of the Manitoba Prairie Icons Program in the 2000s.
Gimli Dance Pavilion (September 2010)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Coordinates (lat/long): N50.63886, W96.99054
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historical Tours in Manitoba: Historical Walking Tour of Gimli
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Prairie Churches Project / Manitoba Prairie Icons Project
Gimli Dance Pavilion, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch
This page was prepared by Tim Worth and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 24 January 2022
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