b'HERITAGE PRESERVATIONPhoto courtesy of St. Boniface Museum.PRESERVING THE PASTA landmark restorationis giving WinnipegsSt. Boniface Museum new life while safeguarding its history for the next 175 yearsBy James Peters Photo by Dan Harper, courtesy of St. Boniface Museum.Few North American institutions canthe undertaking. To clear the way forCindy Desrochers, the museums boast of anniversaries longer thanconstruction and protect its artifacts,executive director, describes the the age of their own countries, butseveral hundred individual pieces background of the recent upgrades: Winnipegs St. Boniface Museum is onehave been relocated to the old Like many renovation projects, this of them. The museum will celebrate itsSt. Boniface City Hall building at one started out in a less ambitious way 175th birthday next year in 2026, while219 Provencher Boulevard. with some leaky roof repairs in 2023 Canada will mark its 159th on July 1 ofand the expectation of repairing the the same year.The museums original structure waswindows and applying a much-needed The venerable museum on Tachecompleted in 1851, almost two decadescoat of paint. But things went sideways Avenue, across from the historic junctionbefore Manitoba became a province. Inwhen reports from the engineers of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, hasaddition to being a nunnery, the buildingindicated a much more important stood the test of timeeven thoughhas also served as an orphanage, aissue: the 1990s installation of the Mother Nature has taken its toll. Creakyschool, a seniors home and the firstmechanical system on the mezzanine floors and staircases and an aginglocation of the St. Boniface Hospital. Assuspended from the roof structure was exoskeleton are just a few of the reasonsa museum, its home to 30,000 artifacts,negatively impacting the roof structure.the time was right for a major renovationmany connected to Mtis leader LouisThat led to having a major on the heritage structure. The museum,Riel, including strands of rope said toassessment performed, which resulted which has operated in the former Greyhave been used in his 1885 hanging andin the decision to strengthen the roof Nuns Convent and mission house sincethe coffin that carried Riel from Regina tostructure, upgrade energy systems 1967, closed its doors in June 2024 forSt. Boniface. with new HVAC, restore some of 44 BUILD MANITOBAwinnipegconstruction.ca'