Winnipeg, MB - The City of Winnipeg Archives has launched a new web-based application to enhance access to the City’s rich photograph collection called Winnipeg in FOCUS.
141 years ago tomorrow, the Government of Manitoba signed into law An Act to Incorporate the City of Winnipeg. From its first Council year of 1874, our fledgling city faced all manner of challenges and took advantage of many opportunities to grow and develop. Through the years, change has been documented in photographs taken by City employees, and by amateur and professional photographers alike. A wealth of these photographs are held by the City of Winnipeg Archives, and we are pleased to announce the launch of a new web-based application that allows enhanced access to this important collection.
Winnipeg in FOCUS is the product of a partnership between the City of Winnipeg Archives, Red River College, and the City of Winnipeg’s Corporate IT Department. In January 2014, a team of Red River College students (Team Leader Riley Robins, Kodi Gilchrist, Matthew Gereta, Geniva Lacara, Lemuel Volante) in the Business Information Technology Industry Project course began developing an application to improve access to the rich collection of photographs held by the City of Winnipeg Archives. This course is designed to give students practical experience working in a team environment. Students work with local industry or government clients to solve real business problems within definite constraints, timelines and deliverables. Functional requirements and content were provided by the Archives. Technical mentorship, application testing and design of public facing pages for Winnipeg in FOCUS were provided by the Corporate IT Department.
According to the students, Red River College provided an amazing opportunity to design and develop an application for the City of Winnipeg Archives that wouldn't be available anywhere else. It provided valuable experience to start a career, and experience applying information learned at the College.
Winnipeg in FOCUS will be a featured link on the City of Winnipeg Archives’ home page.
The image on the landing page for Winnipeg in FOCUS was taken on September 5, 1900 and shows the present site of Red River College’s Princess Street campus. Campus design included stabilization of five historic building facades along Princess Street: right to left from the corner of Elgin Avenue and Princess Street, the Utility Building (Winnipeg’s first Grain Exchange) at 164 Princess; the Exchange Building II at 160 Princess; the Harris Building (Hochman’s) at 154 Princess; the Bawlf Block at 150 Princess; and the Drake Hotel (Benson Block) at 146 Princess.