Manitoba Historical Society
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Historic Sites of Manitoba: Polo Park Racetrack / Polo Park Shopping Centre (Portage Avenue, Winnipeg)

This six-furlong horse racing track in Winnipeg was established in 1925. Replaced by Assiniboia Downs, in the late 1950s the site was developed into a shopping mall by the architectural firm of Green Blankstein Russell. An arena and stadium adjacent to the mall were developed in the early 1950s. On 6 May 1959, Simpson-Sears (later known only as Sears) opened as the anchor store in the mall. Sears closed in 2017.

Aerial view of Polo Park Shopping Centre

Aerial view of Polo Park Shopping Centre (early 1960s)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2019-0050

Aerial view of Polo Park Shopping Centre

Aerial view of Polo Park Shopping Centre (early 1960s)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2022-0084

Entrance to Sears in the Polo Park Shopping Centre

Entrance to Sears in the Polo Park Shopping Centre (October 2017)
Source: George Penner

The former Sears store in the Polo Park Shopping Centre

The former Sears store in the Polo Park Shopping Centre (January 2020)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88247, W97.19900
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Horse Racing at River Park by Harry Rudd, edited by A. S. Lussier
Manitoba Pageant, Volume 24, Number 2, Winter 1979

Manitoba Business: Winnipeg Enterprises Corporation

Sources:

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and George Penner.

Page revised: 12 January 2023

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

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