Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 20, 1997, Winnipeg, Manitoba i sunday free press Winnipeg july 20, 1997 a5 View from roof of the Bay shows skywalk emanating from Portage place at the Corner of Vaughan Street at left and Portage Avenue. The skywalk system circles 25 blocks in the downtown area offering unique on up to the skywalk its a whole new View of City s architecture by Gail Perry for the free press Luke is not the Only Skywalker. Only the most famous. If he warped through space and time to Winnipeg he would meet the rest of us a sky walkers All travellers of the continuous one and a half Kilometre Aerial route that orbits downtown a second storeys like the rings of Saturn. The skywalk system consists of Bridges and Public rights of Way linking dozens of buildings. Circling 25 blocks of Portage Avenue Hargrave and Vaughan streets the system is virtually Complete marred Only by three Black holes on St. Mary Avenue. It continues five blocks up to Graham Avenue and across to the Triec building. There the people of the sky mutate into the people of the Earth. They Tunnel below ground past Portage and main the Centre of our Galaxy. Great vistas the skywalk system affords unique sometimes unsurpassed vistas of our great Metropolis and even beams us up to strange microcosms. For those who have not yet joined the space race and for you Luke Skywalker Here Are some Galaxy highlights a Bay Parade 444 St. Mary Bridge a note the continuous skywalk system is wheelchair accessible except for entry to the Bay from the Parade this Bridge can be entered from the Parka de a third level. Immediately to the right is an Alcove for viewing one of Winnipeg a few depression Era buildings. In a state of the Art rehabilitation the civic auditorium was transformed into the Manitoba archives building. It houses among our treasures the Hudson a Bay co. Archives. Continue on the Bridge and Stop Midway on the portion that crosses St. Mary Avenue. Facing Northeast Crane your neck for a Complete examination of the Winnipeg clinic. Its not your contortions or the traffic vibrations that will throw you off balance. Its the buildings flying cantilevers skewed angles Eye popping textures diverse colours. This 1940s High Rise proves that modern does no to have to be Plain or boxy. Spin to the opposite Side of the Bridge. From this Angle View the topless figures that Dot the Manitoba archives the Bay Portage place Bridge a pass through the Bay a second floor. As you enter the Portage place Bridge look left and Ponder the first Date etched on the Bay. 1670. This is one of the oldest companies in the world and one chiefly responsible for exploring the new world the one we Call Home. Heading North you can to help but notice the investors group building. With its pediment triangular roof its an example of Post modern architecture where architects of the �?T70s and �?T80s sought to crack the cube and design More fanciful the investors group building Portage place Bridge a upon entering Portage place turn left and enter the Bridge to the investors group building. It offers an unobstructed northerly View on Vaughan Street of the my Owca. This red Brick Structure is a textbook of architectural detail. Note the Library skywalk shows holy Trinity Lef City a skyscrapers. Ken Gigliotti Winnipeg free press Winnipeg clinics cantilever design seen from St. Mary skywalk. Ken Gigliotti Winnipeg free press investors group building from the Bay Portage place skywalk. Ken Gigliotti Winnipeg free press White ornamentation crafted in Terra Cotta a fire baked Clay. There is the fancy Cornice at the top. Squint and just below it you la see egg and Dart moulding appropriately named. Even the angles of the Corners Are dressed with blocks called Portage place Cinema area a return to Portage place and continue East to the Edmonton court area where four storeys of windows Beckon. Follow the Light to the third floor. South near the Cinema Entrance behold two facades of the Boyd building a classic Chicago style skyscraper. Design and coloured Terra Cotta emphasize the vertical thrust of this proud and soaring Structure. Visit the free press gallery and read the news of june 8,1954. A fire and Gale loss runs into millions $3-million Blaze rips 5 buildings in heart of this is Homework for the time building fire Newport Centre Eaton a Bridge a return to the second floor and continue East on the skywalk system. As you enter the Bridge linking with Eaton a pause to look North. Remember that old free press photo reminiscent of a War zone this is the fire site today. The Blaze began in the time building where the Cibic now stands. It jumped Hargrave to the site of the present Dayton building where two buildings were destroyed. The Affleck Block next door and the Norlyn building behind on Hargrave were severely damaged. The intense heat shattered South Portage windows around where you Are standing. Federal building at East end of Graham is in Art Deco style. A Eaton place Bridge a pass through Eaton a second floor into Eaton place and Stop on the boutique bisected Bridge that spans Graham Avenue. Once aboard you see what the Bridge obscures from ground level. Graham is a ceremonial mall having a monumental terminus on either end. The Bay to the West the Federal building to the East. The East windows of the Bridge also provide your first glimpse of the 1884 holy Trinity anglican Church which can be seen from three sides on the skywalk system. A food court at Eaton place a trek to the farthest reaches of Eaton place to the Back window of the food court. In what is truly a vision the window frames St. Mary a Cathedral. If weather permits step onto the outdoor eating area for a closer look. St. Mary a is Winnipeg a oldest Catholic Church built in 1880, with later additions. Notice the Subtle detailing of the brickwork. A Library skywalk Centennial Library a leave Eaton place by the Library skywalk. The Library windows present a stunning View of holy Trinity Church. Past the Library elevators keep your Eye on the Church spire. Quickly spilling into View will be the dome of the old Bank of Nova Scotia flanked by the electric railway Chambers building to the right and the Paris building to the left. These were once the towers of Winnipeg. Compare them to the monoliths at Portage and main. Continue through the Post office and Cargill buildings to 200 Graham. A 200 Graham Winnipeg Square Bridge a once in 200 Graham turn left to enter the Bridge Over Graham. Directly East is the Federal building a depression Era Structure and rare Winnipeg example of Art Deco architecture. The embellishments on this building Are unique. Take for example the Grain sprouting above the top windows. A Winnipeg Square a you have now crossed Graham into Winnipeg Square. Done to descend yet. You la miss the picture window at the head of the escalator. Its a snapshot of Power. The major Banks. The largest Law firms. The commodity Exchange. All in a glance. If not the heart of the Galaxy this is the engine. Terra Firma anyone ;