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The Carnegie Library, located at 380 William Ave., is a fitting home for the collection. Opened in 1905 as Winnipeg\u2019s first purpose-built library, the heritage building housed the city archives from 1977 until 2013, when rain damage forced the collection to relocate to a temporary facility at 50 Myrtle St.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always think of archives not just as preserving the past, but as essential civic infrastructure, and that\u2019s what this building is,\u201d said Konrad Krahn, a city archivist.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt supports democracy and accountability by preserving the records of government actions, it promotes transparency by making records freely available to the public again and it supports collective memory and community building by preserving and sharing our stories.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the Myrtle Street location was intended as a short-term solution, assessing the extent of the rain damage and determining a permanent home for the archives took years of study and public consultation.<\/p>\n
Cindy Tugwell, executive director of Heritage Winnipeg, said the current facility is not well-suited for the archives because it has limited storage space, making it difficult for the collection to grow. The location in the West Alexander area is also not ideal for public access.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \u201cWhen you waited almost 15 years to see the plan finally accepted and the money designated by council, the mayor, it\u2019s been a long journey,\u201d Tugwell said. \u201cAnd we were holding our breath, and constantly pushing for them to make a decision and so now this is the easy part, watching them do all the work that\u2019s needed to spend that money to get it reopened.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2023, city council officially approved the redevelopment of 380 William Ave. as part of the Winnipeg 150 Legacy Project. The construction contract was awarded last July and work started in October. The project is budgeted at more than $22 million.<\/p>\n So far, construction has focused on extensive structural upgrades aimed at \u201cfuture-proofing\u201d the 125-year-old building for long-term archival use. Crews are installing nearly 60,000 kilograms of steel shelving to support the collection, along with new mechanical systems to regulate temperature and humidity, provide fire protection and improve flood resilience.<\/p>\n At the same time, work is being carried out to protect and preserve the building\u2019s heritage features, including original columns, mouldings, windows and the building\u2019s terrazzo stairwell.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time we\u2019ll be able to actually protect our treasured records and we\u2019ll be made able to preserve them for future generations to come,\u201d Krahn said.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t As the project has progressed, crews have also uncovered artifacts hidden within the structure, offering a glimpse into the building\u2019s layered history. Finds include an ether canister used in pre-surgical anesthetic procedures, a 1912 newspaper embedded within a wall, a political campaign poster and electrical equipment believed to date back to Winnipeg\u2019s early streetcar era.<\/p>\n Tugwell said the archives show how Winnipeg was shaped through civic decisions, community advocacy and everyday life. From council minutes to records of parks, infrastructure and public projects, she said the collection helps explain how the city developed and who was involved. She added that it is also a key resource for researchers, newcomers and storytellers trying to understand Winnipeg\u2019s history in context.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \u201cHistory and heritage are pretty important to our city,\u201d she said. \u201cWe should embrace that. Winnipeg has got an amazing history.\u201d<\/p>\n The redeveloped building will include space for public programming and research, along with areas to support reconciliation activities such as smudging, ceremonies and cultural displays.<\/p>\n It\u2019s anticipated construction will wrap up in 2027. Once complete, the careful work of moving the city\u2019s archival collection back into the building will begin.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \u201cThe thing that I\u2019m most excited about is opening our doors that first day, when citizens can come in and see the treasures that are there,\u201d Krahn said.<\/p>\n zoe.pierce@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS Konrad Krahn, city archivist, and Jim Manning, project manager with Bockstael, talk about foundation and structural repairs in the basement as they give a tour and update media on the renovations of the future home of the City of Winnipeg Archives building on William Sunday, June 7, 2026. reporter: ?<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS Jim Manning, project manager with Bockstael, looks at some found items as he and Konrad Krahn, city archivist, give a tour and update media on the renovations of the future home of the City of Winnipeg Archives building on William Sunday, June 7, 2026. reporter: ?<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t JOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS Konrad Krahn, city archivist, right, and Jim Manning, project manager with Bockstael, talk about reclaimed bricks as they give a tour and update media on the renovations of the future home of the City of Winnipeg Archives building on William Sunday, June 7, 2026. reporter: ?<\/p>\n
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