From the desk of a gadfly
To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of St. James (starting just west of St. James Street to Sturgeon Road) breaking away from Assiniboia to form their own municipality, I am doing street profiles. This column features the Golden Gate neighbourhood.
Magnus Pearson, a tailor was a long-time resident of 350 Avard Street in the Golden Gate neighbourhood. On December 18, 1953, Mr. Pearson is quoted in a Winnipeg Free Press story in celebration of his 94th birthday as saying, “Think straight, deal straight, and talk straight!”
Many people who lived part of their lives in the Golden Gate neighbourhood had notable accomplishments. Let us take a peek into some of the history of the Golden Gate neighbourhood.
The early days
In 1911, the Winnipeg Free Press and the Winnipeg Tribune ran advertisements for the Golden Gate Park neighbourhood. The streets from east to west were Avard, Ragnar, and Ainslie Street. Avard and Ragnar no longer exist. Ainslie Street residents, J. Hacker, John Fisher, and Sidney John Peerless, are the first Ainslie Street residents listed in the 1911 Henderson Directory.
William Dure operated stores in both Hallock and Williams, Minnesota. In 1903, Mr. Dure established the post office in Williams. Between 1912 and 1917, Mr Dure operated the Golden Gate Grocery Store and Post Office at 2523 Portage Avenue. During the middle 1920s, William Hughes and the William Rowan Sturgeon Creek United Church pastors lived in the church's Ainslie Street manse. Between 1930 and 1959, Alex LeDuke operated a restaurant, night club and dance floor at 2523 Portage. A building at Aldine and Portage is named after Mr. Leduke. John Mayor was the proprietor of a Langside Street auto repair shop.
After returning from World War 1, Percy Rumer, despite war related health issues, became the president of the Great War Veterans Association which became the Winnipeg Legion. Percy became an advocate for the issues of veterans. His wife Carrie Rumer served as the president of the Ladies Auxiliary of the GWVA.
In 1935, Don Birch of Ragnar Street scored 97.3 per cent when he obtained his Master of Laws Degree from the Chicago Law School. In 1941, Catharine Rourke's poem, The Stars, was featured on the Winnipeg Free Press Young Authors Page.
In 1932, The Sturgeon Creek Community Club was founded. Between 1939 and 1957, the Henderson Directory listed 212 Ragnar Street as the Club's address. The address has previously been listed as the home of Alix McPherson. The club hosted ice carnivals, horticultural fairs, New Year’s Eve dances, and carpet bowling. During this era, Edward Knudson of Harcourt Street, and Reverend Tom Marshall of St. Andrews Anglican were a couple of the Club presidents. On April 3, 193, a fund-raising concert was held for the family of Charles and Lillian Parkes. The Parkes had lost their home and store at 2583 Portage due to a fire. The club is now located on Rita Street.
More recent times post World War 2
Esther Ward was an organist for the Sturgeon Creek United Church. Ainslie Street residents Daniel Casavant and Gary Madder joined Dana Honey and Bryan Dolet to form a Winnipeg band called the Collectors.
In 1963, Shelley Anderson won a prize for her tap dancing on the CBWT Junior High Lite Show. Another CBC show, Reach for the Top, was a quiz show for high school students. Lincolin Lautermilch, a teacher, coached the St. James Collegiate team. In 1966, Tracy Dawn Essery, the daughter of Robert Jr. and Alice Essery, won the Baby Contest at the Red River Exhibition.
Gordon Gleghorn had a long career in Radiology, including a stint as the Head of Radiology at the Misericordia Hospital. Raymond Chan was the executive chef at the Viscount for over two decades. Stephen Jarvis worked over 31 years as a St. James Assiniboia School custodian.
Around 1970, the Lady Ainslie Apartments at 479 Ainslie was constructed. This apartment block became home to two well known St. James hockey goaltenders, Ray Fogg was both a hockey and lacrosse goaltender. In 1945, Ray backstopped Assiniboine School to the Junior High School Hockey title. In 1968, Ken Kirton led the St. James Canadians to upset victories in three straight playoff series and the MJHL Turnbull Cup. The Canadians eventually lost to the Westfort Canadians.
In 2004, Bina and Gordon Gleghorn celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
On Saturday September 23, 2023, I will be hosting a St. James Trivia Night at the St. James Civic Centre. The 2-hour evening begins at 7:30 (doors open at 7 PM). I will ask 50 trivia questions and there will 50 door prizes. All questions and prizes will have a St. James connection.
Fred Morris is a Grandfather, Sports Fan and Political Activist.
