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Located on the northwest corner of McPhillips Street and Hillock Avenue in Winnipeg, this sub-station was commissioned by the City's Power Department part of the Winnipeg Hydro-Electric System (later Winnipeg Hydro, now Manitoba Hydro) infrastructure for the Pointe du Bois Generating Station. It was based on internal drawings and built by contractors Smith Kerry & Chace. The single-storey brick building measured 33.5 feet by 58.5 feet. Foundation work was well underway by July 1910 and the substation was completed at a cost of $11,400. Power from Pointe du Bois was bought into Winnipeg and stepped-down at the Rover Avenue Electric Terminal before being distributed to local substations such as this one.
The building was expanded on several occasions, including in 1913, 1919 ($5,500), and 1922 ($20,000). In 1927, the structure was enlarged on designs of Pratt and Ross and built by the Canadian Engineering and Construction Company at a cost of $13,000. Its size was increased to two storeys and measured 45 feet frontage along McPhillips up to a depth of 28 feet. A further expansion was made in 1939.
In 1964, the Winnipeg Hydro Logan Substation No. 23 was built nearby at 1149 Logan Avenue, replacing this site.
Foundation work on the Winnipeg Hydro Substation No. 2 (July 1910)
Source: Manitoba Hydro
Winnipeg Hydro Substation No. 2 (no date)
Source: Manitoba HydroSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.91483, W97.17074
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Manitoba Business: Smith Kerry & Chace
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Pointe du Bois Generating Station (Pointe du Bois, Whiteshell Provincial Park)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Pointe du Bois Staff House (Pointe du Bois, Whiteshell Provincial Park)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Pointe du Bois Stone House (Pointe du Bois, Whiteshell Provincial Park)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Slave Falls Generating Station (Winnipeg River, Whiteshell Provincial Park)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Rover Avenue Electric Terminal (199 Annabella Street, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Hydro Showroom (55 Princess Street, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Hydro Substation No. 1 (54 King Street, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Hydro Substation No. 2 (300 McPhillips Street, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: May Street Substation / Winnipeg Hydro Substation No. 3 (541 Waterfront Drive, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Hydro Substation No. 4 (811 St. Matthews Avenue, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Hydro Substation No. 5 (Scotland Avenue, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Hydro War Memorial (Winnipeg)
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 1841/1910, City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 294/1913, City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 328/1919, City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 901/1922, City of Winnipeg Archives.
City of Winnipeg Building Permit 2395/1927, City of Winnipeg Archives.
“Tenders called on conduit system,” Winnipeg Tribune, 22 March 1910, page 10.
“Controller Cockburn speaks on the power situation,” Winnipeg Tribune, 30 April 1910, page 3.
“Power contracts let for power distribution,” Winnipeg Tribune, 23 May 1910, page 1.
“$20,000 work is authorized,” Winnipeg Tribune, 3 April 1922, page 6.
“Manitoba has huge reserves of hydro-electric power,” Winnipeg Tribune Tribune, 29 December 1939, page 23.
“More links in Winnipeg's power chain,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 April 1964, page 40.
“One of the best years for City Hydro,” Winnipeg Tribune, 16 April 1964, page 33.
Western Canada Fire Underwriters Association, H7 614.41 edc Series 2 Volume 7 - Winnipeg, Sheet #705, Archives of Manitoba.
Western Canada Fire Underwriters Association, H7 614.41 edc Series 3 Volume 7 - Winnipeg, Sheet #705, Archives of Manitoba.
We thank Bruce Owen (Manitoba Hydro) and Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 29 May 2022
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