Piece of Portage and Main concrete, mystery items sealed in Winnipeg 150 time capsule

A time capsule for Winnipeg 150 celebrations has been sealed until 2074.

A time capsule reflecting life in Winnipeg in 2024 has been sealed, its exact contents to remain a mystery until it is opened again in half a century.

The City of Winnipeg created the time capsule to commemorate the city’s 150th anniversary.

Officials say it’s filled with letters from dignitaries and items documenting Winnipeg 150 activities, plus a piece of concrete from the northeast barricades at Portage and Main that are currently being torn down.

“The piece of concrete to me is meaningful because it represents change and that there’s always change within a city,” Mayor Scott Gillingham told reporters at a news conference Friday.

“A city is a living organism. It’s going to be moving and evolving, and who knows 50 years from now what change that community might be going through, and so hopefully it’s a bit of inspiration.”

Also inside—items that give a glimpse into Winnipeg life at this moment in time.

The exact list of items will be held as a surprise for future Winnipeggers, the city said.

“We know many will be curious about what we put into the time capsule,” city archivist Konrad Krahn said in a news release.

“We don’t want to reveal too much and ruin the surprise for our 200-year celebrations.”

Gillingham said the time capsule is being sent with the hope that future generations will see this as a moment of pride, progress and possibility.

“Our message to the future of Winnipeg is to be resilient, always believe in Winnipeg, always do all you can to continue to make this a great city, a city of hope and possibility for all people,” he said.

Construction on new archives building could begin this year

The closing of the time capsule marks the end of the Winnipeg 150 celebrations.

The capsule will be reopened in 50 years, giving another generation the opportunity to learn about life in the city in 2024.

In the meantime, city archival staff are tasked with keeping the capsule safe, potentially at the newly renovated Carnegie Library.

City council approved $12.69 million in funding in the 2023 and 2024 budgets to begin renovating the space at 380 William Avenue that used to store the city’s archives.

This year’s budget pledged another $6.6 million for the renovation, which is touted as the Winnipeg 150 legacy project.

Construction is expected to take about 12 to 18 months, with work expected to begin this year.

“This really is the heritage piece that we are giving to our future, so it is a significant investment and we recognize that, but it is something that council has been very supportive of and we’re grateful for that,” Krahn said.