A three-storey building at the southwest corner of the intersection of Hargrave Street and Qu'Appelle Avenue in Winnipeg was developed as a community centre for the city’s Jewish community. Designed by the local architectural firm of Green Blankstein Russell and Associates, it was constructed between 1950 and 1952. It was opened officially on 9 November 1952 at a ceremony attended by Lieutenant Governor Roland Fairbairn McWilliams, Premier Douglas Lloyd Campbell, Mayor Garnet Coulter, and Justice Samuel Freedman. Its cornerstone was laid by Rabbi Milton Aron, YMHA President David Slater, B. Rosenblat, A. J. Blond, Mark Harold Danzker, Mrs. S. S. Piekoff, A. Bricker, Mrs. S. Bass, and Maxwell Abraham “Max” Cohen.
The building’s main floor included lounges, a large auditorium with stage and dressing rooms, dining hall and kitchen, double basketball court and gymnasium with seating for several hundred spectators, information desk, and executive offices. The lower level had a large swimming pool, showers, change rooms for men and women, health club, special exercise room, game room, offices for the physical education department, and rooms for arts and crafts, photography, hobby and other special interests. The upper floor had rooms for club and group meetings, library, offices for the program department and for several community institutions. There was also a chapel for daily religious services.
In 1997, the building began to be emptied in favour of a new facility in the former Manitoba Agricultural College on Doncaster Street. It was eventually demolished and the site is presently vacant.
YMHA Community Centre (1952)
Source: Winnipeg Buildings IndexSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89565, W97.14634
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Manitoba Business: Green Blankstein Russell and Associates
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Agricultural College / Manitoba School for the Deaf / Fort Osborne Barracks / Asper Jewish Community Campus (123 Doncaster Street, Winnipeg)
“Y.M.H.A. community centre start planned,” Winnipeg Tribune, 3 March 1950, page 17.
“YMHA plans to start in June on new building,” Winnipeg Tribune, 2 May 1950, page 3.
“City’s YMHA Centre dedicated,” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 November 1952, page 14.
This page was prepared by Glen Toews and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 6 February 2026
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