Formally located at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Day Street in the Transcona area of Winnipeg, a one-storey brick building measuring 20 feet by 40 feet was designed by Winnipeg architect Alexander D. Melville. It was built in 1930 by contractor Alfred Henry Bears at a cost of about $6,535, to house local circuitry for Manitoba Government Telephones.
Expansions to the building in 1954, 1959, and 1960 were designed by in-house architect Robert Bryan Ross. Eventually, equipment was moved out of the old building and it was demolished to make way for a replacement building.
Telephone Exchange Building at Transcona (circa 1930)
Source: Transcona MuseumSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89602, W97.00297
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Alexander D. Melville (1873-1949)
Memorable Manitobans: Alfred Henry Bears (1857-1936)
Memorable Manitobans: Robert Bryan Ross (1908-1983)
MHS Centennial Business: Manitoba Government Telephones / Manitoba Telephone System / MTS Allstream / Bell MTS
“Plan big expenditure for phone extensions,” Manitoba Free Press, 22 March 1930, page 11.
“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 July 1930, page 17.
“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 July 1930, page 16.
“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 18 July 1930, page 9.
“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 July 1930, page 24.
“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 21 July 1930, page 7.
“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 23 July 1930, page 15.
“Government lets contract,” Winnipeg Tribune, 2 August 1930, page 3.
“Tenders, Manitoba Telephone System,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 March 1954, page 25.
“Tenders, Manitoba Telephone System,” Winnipeg Free Press, 18 March 1954, page 34.
“Tenders, Manitoba Telephone System,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 April 1959, page 24.
“Tenders, Manitoba Telephone System,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 April 1960, page 31.
A Trip Through Time in Transcona by Terry Patterson, Manitoba History, Number 13, Spring 1987.
Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.
Winnipeg Assessment and Taxation Department.
This page was prepared by Jordan Makichuk.
Page revised: 8 October 2023
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