Thomas Scott Memorial Orange Hall


Thomas Scott Memorial Orange Hall was a building in Winnipeg's Exchange District.
The building was by, and originally featured a full basement, mezzanine, third floor dance hall and lodge meeting rooms on the second floor.
Planning for the construction of the building began in 1871. Built for $21,000 in 1902, it was designed by local architect James McDiarmid for the Orange Order. The Orange Order arrived in Manitoba in 1870 and had expanded such that a large hall was needed. The building was named for Thomas Scott, who was executed by Louis Riel during the Red River Rebellion.
In 1943 a fire destroyed the original interior. Repairs and alterations totalled $19,584.22 and were completed in September 1943. After the fire, the dance hall was relocated to the first floor, while rest and cloakrooms were built in the basement. The third floor saw the addition of a two-room caretaker's suite.
Beginning in the 1980s, the building was also occupied by the Winnipeg Irish Association, and hall was eventually sold in 1994.

Demolition

In January of 2020 the building became unstable due to renovations, and the decision was taken to demolish it. This spurred debate in the city of Winnipeg about the role of the municipal government and developers in preserving built heritage, and, what elements of heritage should be preserved. The building was demolished in February of 2020.