Goodbye for Now: Why Grant’s Old Mill is Closing and How We Can Save It

What Happened to Grant’s Old Mill?

Man, this one really stings.

If you’ve driven down Portage lately and thought the Mill looked a little… tired… well, the news finally dropped over the weekend, and it’s not great. Grant’s Old Mill is officially closed, and honestly, it feels like losing a quirky old neighbor.

I spent some time looking into the actual details because I wanted to know if this was just a “closed for renovations” deal or something worse. Here’s the “too long; didn’t read” version for the neighborhood:

Basically, the building is done. It’s not just a creaky floorboard or some peeling paint; the whole structure has been flagged as unsafe.

The folks who run it (the St. James Assiniboia Pioneer Association—bless ’em for dealing with this) said they don’t have a choice. It’s gotta be fully dismantled.

It’s a bit of a heartbreaker because, yeah, the “real” mill from the 1800s is long gone, and this one was a 1975 Centennial project—but that’s our history, you know?

Most of us grew up with that red roof being the landmark that tells you you’re officially in St. James.

The Cost and What Comes Next

They aren’t throwing in the towel, which is the good part.

But to get a new mill standing, they’re looking at a $600,000 price tag.

In Winnipeg terms? That’s a lot of pierogies and social tickets.

But considering how much that spot means for school trips, the annual Cuthbert Grant Day, and just having a nice place to sit by the creek, it’s a bill worth paying.

There’s even some talk about the city potentially helping out down the road with more funding, but for now, the community has to get the ball rolling.

Why It Matters + What to Know

It’s easy to be cynical and say “it’s just a replica,” but it’s our replica.

It’s where the water wheel actually turns (when the creek isn’t being stubborn), and it’s one of the few places left that doesn’t feel like a big-box store parking lot.

• Don’t go exploring: I know it’s tempting to go take “one last photo” up close, but if they say it’s structurally toast, they mean it. Stay behind the fence.
• The “Second Act”: This might actually be a chance to build something that lasts even longer and maybe handles our wild Manitoba seasons a bit better.
• Cuthbert Grant Day: Keep July 11th on your radar. That’s usually when they do their big celebration, and I’m sure we’ll hear more about the “Save the Mill” plans then.

It’s definitely a bummer to see the gates locked, especially right as we’re finally getting some decent weather.

But hey, if we can survive a Winnipeg winter, we can probably figure out how to rebuild a windmill, right?

Anyone have old photos of the place from back in the day? Post ’em if you got ’em—remind everyone why we should keep this place around!