Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 17, 2012, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE 10 OPINION A10 SUNDAY, JUNE 17, 2012 POLL Do you think the gap between rich and poor is getting better or worse in Winnipeg? Better 12% Worse 88% Previous Polls: Do you agree the Montreal high school teacher should be fired for showing the infamous body- parts killing video? Yes 65% No 35% The Bombers reversed their decision and will allow cowbells at home games. What's your reaction? More cowbell 61% Kill the cowbell 39% Which riverfront location would be the best for a statue of paddler Don Starkell? The Forks 32% Alexander Docks 15% E. K. senior citizens park 14% Don't need more statues 39% Do you think the new recycling carts being introduced will encourage Winnipeggers to recycle more? Yes 47% No 53% Should Dean Del Mastro step down for allegedly breaching the spending limit for his 2008 election campaign? Yes 60% No 24% Too early to say 16% BLOG OF THE WEEK: WEST- END DUMPLINGS I ' M often asked what I think are Winnipeg's most endangered buildings. Here's my top five list. Fortune Block 232 Main St. ( Built 1882- 83, Willmot and Stewart) BUILT by Mark Fortune but sold to Alex McDonald when it opened ( it was McDonald who added the twin building to the south). This was home to the West's first school for the deaf and Winnipeg's ( and likely Western Canada's) first female medical doctors in 1883. With its decorative brickwork and prominent corner, it's a building that stands out, even in its rather sorry state. It has been sad to watch it decline over the decades. The upper stories were apparently vacated in the 1970s so it's been a long, slow neglect. It has been the subject of recent demolition speculation. Bathgate Block 242 Princess St. ( Built 1882- 83, Barber and Barber) THE unfortunate paint job and many unsympathetic renovations mask many of this building's handsome features; they can be better observed from the unpainted side elevation. It has sat empty since 2001. Around 2007, a plan to subdivide it into three buildings and convert them into condos did not materialize. It was cited last year by the city for foundation issues and loose brickwork on the facade. Sunset Manufacturing Building 655 Logan Ave. ( Built 1914, J. H. G. Russell) THE hum of sewing machines is likely embedded in the walls of this building. Built for a barrel- and- bag manufacturer, it has been the home to numerous bag and clothing manufacturers over the century. Last year, the Ontario Wind Turbine building a couple of blocks east on Logan was torn down without anyone noticing or the city or heritage groups even knowing when the building was constructed. This building will likely meet the same fate. It is currently for sale or lease but has been empty or barely used for most of the past decade. Vaughan Street Jail 444 York Ave. ( Built 1881, Charles O. Wickenden / Walter Chesterton) THANKS to Doors Open and Friends of the Vaughan Street Jail, this building has won a place in the hearts of even many heritageadverse Winnipeggers. That hasn't done anything to reverse its likely fate, though. Unprotected by any heritage listing, the building is crumbling to the point Doors Open tours are no longer held due to concerns over safety. A bare minimum of repairs, such as recovering the roof, have been done to keep it from complete failure, ( the province does, after all, have offices on part of the main floor), but nothing toward repairing or restoring the ongoing damage. Monte Cassino Court 637 Portage Ave. ( 1910) THOUGH it is in a stretch of Portage that has transformed itself in the past couple of years with McFeetors Hall, Richardson Science Centre, Harvey's and Pop Soda's all filling in empty space, the Monte Cassino has stood defiantly vacant. Last year, there was a request for a demolition permit in order to wedge a nine- storey building onto the site but the developer withdrew his offer to purchase before the application was finalized. On watch: I wouldn't call it in danger of demolition yet, but I have to say I would not be surprised to wake up one morning and find the St. Charles Hotel is no longer. By Christian Cassidy Buildings that may soon go BOOM I hope I am wrong, but the future does not look rosy for these properties W HEN actor Rob Lowe, in Winnipeg to film a movie, sent out a tweet with the hashtag TrappedInAHellHole, Winnipeg defenders rallied to the call, but there were also a surprising number of citizens who welcomed him to the club. If he meant Winnipeg is a hellhole, he's right! I say that every day, but you gotta live somewhere, hellhole or not! - mikey1 Everyone is entitled to their opinion in 140 characters or less. Way to show some class, over- sensitive Peggers. - SPBartlette He's kind of right, if he is talking about Winnipeg, the weather has been lousy, which is taxing even the locals, and take a good look around at this city we call home, really look at it from a visitors perspective, cosmetically it is horrible and dumpy and dirty and crumbling. - An avid reader I'm from a town in Southern California near Santa Barbara. I'm from the land of eternal spring. I came and lived in Winnipeg for 3- 4 years, went to school at the U of M, dealt with the winters, had people at the liquor store give me weird looks when they saw my California driver's licence. Have people ask me " what the hell are you thinking coming here?" I tell you this, those were the best years of my life and Winnipeg is by far the best city I have ever been to and lived in. It is not even CLOSE to being a hellhole. You may assume I have not been to many places, but I have. You may say I have not lived here long enough, but I believe I have. After experiencing this wonderful place from graduating from the U of M, watching the Jets return right after i graduated, taking road trips to Lac du Bonnet and Grand Beach, experiencing Tim Horton's Coffee, going up to Skinners to have a hot dog and seeing my first Bombers game. I wouldn't trade this wonderful place for anything else. I Love Winnipeg and I'm proud of it. - Lonnie Green Resided in Phoenix, Az., for five years. When people realized I was from Canada they asked, " Why are you here when you could be there?" When I returned to Canada and people knew I had lived in Arizona, they asked, " Why did you come back when you could be there?" Should be happy wherever you reside unless in the midst of a war. No matter where you are, you are still you. Things are always better on the " other side of the hill" Phoenix or Winnipeg - people are people and life is life. - Kenneth Could it be true? When I worked in the hotel industry Larry Linville from MASH told me to go " f" myself and said he couldn't wait to get out of this hellhole; all this because I asked him how he was doing! - Al16 If he had just called Winnipeg a " world- class" hellhole then there'd be no problem. Winnipeggers really love the term " world- class." Seriously though, I've never seen so many insecure people in my life. Winnipeg needs to get over the idea that it is " the Chicago of the north." It is not. It isn't even the Omaha of the north. - likethepear I think someone better show up at a Bomber's game wearing a Goldeyes jersey, drinking a Slurpee, ringing a cowbell, hugging Dancing Gabe, eating some perogies and Jeannie's cake, singing some Guess Who's songs - if his PR person knows what's good for him. - scootergirl Hellhole? Maybe, to an a- hole! - Cutie83 A Lowe blow - or just the truth? A_ 10_ Jun- 17- 12_ FP_ 01. indd A10 6/ 16/ 12 6: 55: 03 PM ;