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Bank of Toronto

456 Main Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1984/11/13

Primary elevation, from the east, of the Bank of Toronto, Winnipeg, 2006; Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport, 2006
Primary Elevation
Contextual view, from the southeast, of the Bank of Toronto, Winnipeg, 2006; Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport, 2006
Contextual View
Wall detail of the Bank of Toronto, Winnipeg, 2006; Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport, 2006
Detail

Other Name(s)

Bank of Toronto
Credit Foncier
Ukrainian Canadian Congress
Congrès canadien ukrainien
Crédit Foncier

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1905/01/01 to 1906/12/31

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2007/05/07

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The Bank of Toronto is a three-storey steel, concrete and brick structure erected in 1905-06 in Winnipeg's financial district. The City of Winnipeg designation applies to the building on its footprint and the following interior elements: four basement vaults; the main-floor lobby, cage elevator, banking hall and manager's office; central stairway; and marble on first, second and third floors.

Heritage Value

The Bank of Toronto is an arresting Neo-Classical structure with a rare two-part facade of marble and cast iron situated within an outstanding collection of financial institutions on Winnipeg's historic Bankers' Row, an investment hub that was critical to the West's early development. The design of the magnificent quarters by Montreal architect H.C. Stone marries architectural conservatism with lavish appointments, distinguishing the bank from nearby rivals and conveying an image of corporate strength and security, all within narrow Main Street frontage. Typical Neo-Classical styling is made extraordinary by a grand colonnade, entablature and balustrade of solid white Georgian marble ' Winnipeg's first marble bank facade and one of the few in Canada ' behind which lies a richly ornamented wall of cast iron and glass. Occupied by financial interests until the 1960s, then by the Ukrainian Canadian Committee, this structure supports one end of an intact group of designated business buildings on Main Street in what is now the Exchange District, a national historic site of Canada.

Source: City of Winnipeg Council Meeting Minutes, November 13, 1984

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of the Bank of Toronto site include:
- the building almost fully occupying its site at the south end of a contiguous group of designated commercial structures on the west side of Main Street between McDermot and Bannatyne avenues
- the building's physical and visual relationships with other important components of Bankers' Row to the south, east and north, including the adjacent Royal Bank of Canada Building

Key elements that define the exterior heritage character of the Neo-Classical building include:
- the basic rectangular form of steel, concrete and brick construction, three storeys high with a stepped roofline reflecting the presence of a penthouse
- the elegant front (east) colonnade composed of four white marble Corinthian columns, the outer two square and smooth, the inner two round and fluted, all resting on shoulder-high bases and extending to a large decorative entablature with a modillioned cornice and a high segmented balustrade
- the recessed cast-iron facade featuring elaborate main-floor screens encasing the entrance and windows, with the two upper levels separated by ornamental friezes and cornices and holding rectilinear Sullivanesque openings with top and side lights
- the intricate detailing throughout, including cast-iron geometric designs, banding, panels, frets, floral elements, etc. and marble egg-and-dart moulding, beading, etc.

Key elements that define the building's noble interior include:
- the formal rectilinear plan composed of the main-floor banking hall, with the more formal office spaces above
- the main-floor lobby and cage elevator
- the double-height banking hall featuring panelled walls and columns of white Italian marble ascending to a skylight
- the details, including the central stairway with marble treads, basement vaults, marble detailing throughout, oak-panelled upper-storey offices, etc.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Manitoba

Recognition Authority

City of Winnipeg

Recognition Statute

City of Winnipeg Act

Recognition Type

Winnipeg Landmark Heritage Structure

Recognition Date

1984/11/13

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Developing Economies
Trade and Commerce

Function - Category and Type

Current

Commerce / Commercial Services
Office or Office Building

Historic

Commerce / Commercial Services
Bank or Stock Exchange

Architect / Designer

H.C. Stone

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

15-30 Fort Street Winnipeg MB

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

W0066

Status

Published

Related Places

Aerial view

Exchange District National Historic Site of Canada

Exchange District National Historic Site of Canada is located in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. The site consists of a densely built, turn-of -the-century warehousing and business…

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