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Tuning in to the @HeritageWPG Summit on what to do with the Winnipeg Bay building. /1
Things that are good: All of the building-type presenters are clear that it will *not* cost more to renovate/rehab the building than it would to demolish & build something new of similar size /2
Really interesting examples of how other heritage buildings in North America have been re-purposed & how those projects were financed /3
Things that are not good: zero Indigenous representation on the summit panel. Organizers stated this was due to time constraints putting together the panel /4
Also not good: The total erasure of Indigenous peoples from the presentation on the history of the HBC in Winnipeg & the presentations of all of the speakers except one /5
There is work to be done here to connect this project to more inclusive histories of the HBC & Indigenous peoples in our city. /6
That building was built on the exploitation of Indigenous peoples, both in the historic fur trade and well into the 20th century /7
How can the Bay building be repurposed in ways that centre Reconciliation? /8
Any and all plans for the Bay building must begin with Indigenous consultation as the foundation. /9
For more on 20th century HBC history, see The Other Side of the Ledger: An Indian View of the HBC on @thenfb https://www.nfb.ca/film/other_side_of_the_ledger/
