Notes On Transcona

Transcona is a suburb of Winnipeg, Manitoba and first became incorporated as a Town in 1912, then later became the City of Transcona in 1961.  Well, the City of Transcona didn’t last long, as it ultimately became a member of the city of Winnipeg 11 years later, in 1972.

The borders that encompass the neighbourhood are: St. Boniface road to the south, Lagimodiere Boulevard to the West, the CPR Keewatin railway tracks to the north and the perimeter Highway to the east. This is a very broad area, and we know it.  There are many subareas within Transcona, some of which include: East and West Transcona, Canterbury Park, Canterbury crossing, Summerlea, Kildonan Meadows, Lakeside Meadows, Mission Gardens, Devonshire Village, Starlite Village, Crocus Meadows, just to name a few.  We will have to break down the smaller areas for you separately. 

Today Transcona is home to over 35,000 residents and is continuing to expand. It is primarily a working-class, residential suburb with some light industry.  The average annual household income within the area is $74,693.  It is a family-oriented community, with approximately 63.4% of households with children at home.  Approximately 88.4% of the homes within the area are owner occupied.  Development in the area began at the turn of the 20^th century, but continues now with new phases still being released in Canterbury Crossing, Summerlea, and Devonshire Village.

The neighbourhood is located about 12 kilometres from the downtown area/Canada Life Centre, 25 Kilometres from the Investors Group Field, and 20 Kilometres from the James Armstrong International Airport. While some of these distances may seem long, Transcona is well known for its proximity to the perimeter highway which allows for quick and easy transportation to many areas both inside and outside the city.

A Little Bit of History

Now you can’t talk about Transcona, without talking about its ties to the rail line (no pun intended).  Transcona was founded in 1909 as the site of the repair shops for the Grand Trunk Pacific and National Transcontinental Railways. The name “Transcona” was chosen to commemorate the railway to which the town owed its existence. It is claimed that the name “Transcona” was chosen from thousands of contest entries and was a combination of “Transcontinental” and “Strathcona”. “Transcontinental” either for the CPR Transcontinental trains that passed through the area or for the National Transcontinental Railway who constructed the shops in cooperation with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. “Strathcona” was for Donald Alexander Smith, also known as Lord Strathcona. He headed one of the groups responsible for constructing the Canadian Pacific Railway. Regardless of how the neighbourhood got its name, the prospect of steady employment brought hundreds of people to the area.

Some fun facts:

• Transcona’s first Mayor was elected in May of 1912, Mr. C.J.E. Maxwell. He was the only candidate running for the position at the time.
• The town experienced severe economic hardship during the 1920s and went bankrupt in 1921. The Mayor and Council were required to resign. The Province administered the Town of Transcona until 1927 when a Town Council was elected.
• During the Depression of the 1930s the community faced chronic unemployment, railways layoffs, and many economic hardships. To provide employment, Regent Avenue was paved as a “relief” project. The new cement highway was paved from Transcona to Winnipeg at a cost of $135,000.

Schools

Transcona is part of the River East Transcona School Division, and is the second largest public school division in the province of Manitoba.

For elementary schools, there are 8 public-school options within the area.  These include 5 english Kindergarten to grade 5 options which include:

-         Joseph Teres School (Kindergarten to grade 5, English)

-         Radisson School (Kindergarten to grade 5, English)

-         Westview School (Kindergarten to grade 5, English)

-         Wayoata Elementary School and (Kindergarten to grade 5, English)

-         Harold Hatcher Elementary (Kindergarten to grade 5, English)

-         Bernie Wolfe (Kindergarten to grade 8, English)

For French programming, there are two options within the area offering curriculum for students from kindergarten to grade 4.

-         Ecole Centrale (Kindergarten to grade 4)

-         Ecole Margaret Underhill (Kindergarten to grade 4)

There are also four middle schools within the area:

-         Bernie Wolfe with programming from kindergarten through to grade 8

-         John W. Gunn Middle School (Grade 6 to 8)

-         Arthur Day Middle School (Grade 6 to 8)

For French programming, there is one middle school:

-         Ecole Regent Park School (Grade four to 8)

For public secondary school, English students will attend either Murdoch Mackay Collegiate or Transcona Collegiate (often called TCI).  French students will attend College Pierre-Elliot Trudeau, which is adjacent to Murdoch Mackay.

The school your child ends up attending, will largely be determined by catchment area.  With many schools at capacity, school of choice is sometimes not an option within the area. 

In addition to the public school system, there are two private school options within the area. One is a catholic school called St. Joseph the Worker that provides education for students from pre kindergarten through to grade 6. 

Immanuel Christian School is an independent Christian school located in Mission Gardens with programming in English from kindergarten to Grade 12.

Calvin Christian Collegiate is an independent Christian High School with programming for students from Grade 7 through to Grade 12.

There are no post secondary options within the area.  Transcona is located approximately 20 Kilometers from the University of Manitoba Fort Garry campus, and 12 kilometers from the University of Winnipeg.

Services

There are no major hospitals in the immediate area. However, the community is less than 10 kilometers from the Concordia Hospital.

There are a couple of walk-in clinics in the area stretching from Lagimodiére Boulevard to the heart of Transcona along Regent Avenue.

The newly constructed Transcona Library is situated at 1 Transcona Boulevard, and serves the area and replaces the former Transcona Library on Victoria Avenue.

Transcona Historical Museum is located at 141 Regent Ave West and is worth a visit. Their Mission is to "Maintain and promote the history, stories and community spirit of Transcona.”

Real Estate Trends

Prices for residential homes range anywhere from around $120,000 for a tear down with value mainly in the lot (and there are a number of infill homes within the area) all the way up to $600,000 for a more substantial, newer construction home often on a large lot or waterfront.

There are a mix of homes built in the area ranging from the early 1900's all the way up to homes still being completed in the area. Some of the newest subdivisions include Summerlea, Canterbury Crossing, and Devonshire Village.  Common floor plans include townhomes, bungalows, bi-levels, cab-overs, and two-storey homes. 

For the lifestyle choice of condominiums, Transcona does offer a plethora of projects to choose from in varying layouts and locations.  Price ranges for condominiums begin around $120,000 - $400,000 mark depending on the size, style, and location of the condominium unit.  

Value for dollar is excellent in this area, which is why many working class families have chosen to call this neighbourhood home.  You will find mostly owner-occupied residences within the area, many of which have children at home.  There are great options for various stages of life whether it be a starter home, the "forever family home", or a downsize option.  

Shopping

Transcona offers great opportunity for shopping within its immediate area.  Whether it be the smaller, more mom-and-pop stores that can be found in “Old Transcona” or Kildonan Place mall that is further west along Regent, there is something for everyone.  Major anchors at the mall include: Shoppers Drug Mart, Dollarama, Home Sense, Winners, Save-On Foods, and more.  There is also a movie theatre located within this mall.  Surrounding the Kildonan Place Mall, there are a number of large retail outlets including; Costco, Canadian Tire, Best Buy, Superstore, Walmart, Home Depot, and more!

Entertainment and Recreation

Transcona also offers a number of playgrounds, parks, splash pads, outdoor rinks, four major community clubs and one indoor arena with three ice surfaces. Park City West, Oxford Heights, Ed Golding Memorial arena, often called the East End Community Club and South Transcona Community Club organize a variety of recreational activities throughout the year.  East End Community Club is the home to the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League team, Transcona Railer Express.

Transcona Golf and Country club is an 18-hole facility located in South Transcona, and offers a wide range of memberships along with very reasonable green fee rates for the public. The Golf Club has earned the reputation of being “Beautiful, Challenging & Affordable”. Golf Central is another golf facility in Transcona at 775 Plessis Road. It has 20 outdoor heated tee boxes as well as 4 virtual golf simulators.

Transcona has the expansive Transcona Trail which is a multi-use asphalt path that is 6.7 kilometers in length and used by walkers, runners and cyclists. It follows a variety of hydro lines along the Manitoba Hydro right of way. It starts at Regent Avenue and runs to the East Perimeter.  It has a variety of points of interest along the path which include Rotary Tall Grass Prairie Nature Park, the Train Park, the Off-leash dog area, The Transcona Trail Park, and the Transcona Community Bio Reserve. 

The South Transcona Community Path provides a fully separated walking and cycling path along Dugald Road. It runs from the intersection of Terracon Place and Dugald Road out to the suburb of South Transcona. The path is 3.5 meters wide asphalt surface and is 4.2 kilometers in length.

The Transcona Kinsmen Centennial Pool was opened in the summer of 2017. It is located at the corner of Kildare Avenue East and Wabasha Street.  It features a large outdoor pool, splash pad, beach entry with spray features, diving boards, four water slides, and ample seating.  Fun tidbit: this new waterpark is now the largest waterpark in all of Winnipeg!  

Another popular attraction within the area is Club Regent Casino. Located at 1425 Regent Avenue West. It is one of two casinos in the city, both are owned and operated by the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation. Connected to the casino is the Canad Inns Club Regent Hotel. The casino contains a McDonald’s restaurant, as well as a concert stage, on which regular comedy, and musical performances are scheduled.  Definitely worth a visit!

Why We Love Transcona?

The amount of green space you will find throughout the community. As the majority of the homes within the area have children at home, the community has placed a heavy focus on initiatives that provide activities that the whole family can enjoy.  This includes many parks, water features, walking trails, and much more.