Exchange District

The Exchange District is a National Historic Site in the downtown area of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Just north of Canada's most famous corner, Portage and Main, approximately 20-city blocks made of up nearly 150 building compose Winnipeg’s Exchange District.

History

The Exchange District’s name originates from the Winnipeg Grain Exchange, the former centre of the grain industry in Canada, as well as other commodity exchanges which developed in Winnipeg between 1881-1918, some of which are still active today. (see Winnipeg Commodity Exchange)

Around the turn of the 20th century, Winnipeg was one of the fastest growing cities in North America and became known as the Chicago of the North. Much of Winnipeg’s remaining turn of the century architecture is heavily influenced by the Chicago style.

By 1911, Winnipeg had become the third largest city in Canada with more than two dozen rail lines converging near the city center and with over 200 wholesale businesses. World War I from 1914-1918 as well as the opening of the Panama Canal in 1913 slowed its growth as there was a new route for shipping goods from Eastern Canada and Europe to Western Canada and from East Asia to the larger markets on the Eastern seaboard. After this period much of Winnipeg’s development shifted to Portage Avenue and streets to the south like Broadway and on towards Osborne Village. One advantage to the shift in development in Winnipeg at this time were that few Exchange District buildings were demolished to make way for more contemporary infrastructure and development in the subsequent decades . As a result, Winnipeg has one of the most historically intact turn-of-the-century commercial districts in North America.

Today

The Exchange District today thrives as one of Winnipeg's commercial and cultural centers, as home to an array of specialty retailers, restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries, wholesalers, and condos. Winnipeg's theatre district is also located in the Exchange District, home to the Manitoba Theatre Centre and Centennial Concert Hall which houses the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and the Manitoba Opera. Old Market Square is also in the Exchange which hosts the Jazz Winnipeg Festival and the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival. Its cobblestone streets and friendly pedestrian environment also contribute to The Exchange District's popularity as a period backdrop for the movie industry. Most notably the 2006 film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford starring Brad Pitt.

The Manitoba Museum is also located in the Exchange District.

On September 27, 1997, the Winnipeg Exchange District was declared a National Historic Site by then federal Minister of Canadian Heritage, Sheila Copps.

Demographics

According to the 2001 census only about 350 people report living in the Exchange mostly due to the lack of single-family detached homes, quite a small percentage of the city's total population. In recent years the area has become a more popular place to settle, especially among the single demographic; just over 60 per cent of the population report single status, much more than the rate for the rest of Winnipeg. Twenty-two per cent of residents say they work at home, reflecting many of the self-employed artists and freelance consultants in the community who live and work in their studios or have home offices. Considering the close proximity of the area to downtown, over 30 per cent of the population choose to walk, while only six per cent of the whole of Winnipeg use walking as a regular mode of transport. Area residents also report attaining higher levels of education and earning more money than the population at large. Nearly 40 per cent of the adult population say they have at least one university degree, and more than 20 per cent of households have an income of $100,000 or more.

External links

* [http://www.heritagewinnipeg.com/ Heritage Winnipeg website]
* [http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/features/walkingtours/exchange/ Walking Tours in the Exchange]