Time marches on in Exchange; old-style lighting replaced with economical version

The uniquely styled globe-shaped street lights that have been a hallmark of the Exchange District are fading to black.

The City of Winnipeg is replacing the “Stittsville” lamp lights that have dotted the historic area since the 1970s, with acorn-style lamps, one by one as they near the end of their life cycle, city spokesperson Julie Horbal Dooley confirmed Tuesday.

The old lights are not standard issue and the city has been paying “significant costs” for their repairs and replacement. The city made the decision to replace them six years ago.

Manitoba Hydro maintains most street lights in Manitoba and provides the city with standard lighting units at no cost, but there is a small range of options.

Hydro spokesperson Peter Chura said some parts of the old lights, including the glass globes, are no longer available and the Crown corporation’s responsibility is to keep an inventory of lights for which parts are “readily available, that are energy efficient, and at a cost that respects our customers.”

The new lights alter the look of the old Stittsvilles, but offer newer-style pedestrian lighting that is more reliable and affordable, Horbal Dooley said.

Hydro also maintains its standard lights at no extra cost.

The city could not provide maintenance costs for the globe lighting on Tuesday.

While pleasing to look at, the globe design is not historically accurate. The lights were installed in the late 1970s with support by Heritage Canada and the Old Market Square Association, a group that helped spearhead the conservation and revitalization of the Exchange District.

The globes were among a host of fittings installed as part of the neighbourhood revitalization efforts, said historian Christian Cassidy.

“It was the first step in promoting that part of the city, this kind of long-neglected warehouse district,” Cassidy said.

“This area was looked upon as incredibly unique and a lot of unique, different street furniture was put in there to just give it that feeling that you were walking somewhere that was very different than any other part of the city.”

The old “Stittsville“ lights, which were made in that Ontario city, are only found in Ottawa, in the Byward Market area and along Sussex Drive.

Wooden, gooseneck Hydro poles used to power the lights in the Exchange District, which was formerly known as Market Square and was home to manufacturing and industrialization.

Iron benches and trash cans and a large analog clock were among the other items brought to the area as part of its revitalization at the time of the street light installations.

Those furnishings have disappeared over time in favour of modern and more economical amenities.

“It’s just part of time marching on for street infrastructure,” Cassidy said.

While the old lights may give visitors the feeling they went back in time, they do not define the district, said David Pensato, executive director of the Exchange District BIZ.

Cities evolve and with it comes changes that may take some adjustment, Pensato said.

“Is there a little part of my being young and exploring the Exchange and those lights being part of the memory of it? That I will miss, but is it going to fundamentally change the Exchange District? Absolutely not,” he said.

“It’s our businesses. It’s the people who live and play here and the buildings themselves that make this area what it is.”

Cassidy said while he won’t lose sleep over the lighting overhaul, the city must understand the benefit of creating an ambient environment.

“It’s what draws people to the district and I think there is still an importance to that,” he said.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca