History of Taché Hall
In 2011, the Taché Hall residence building turned 100 years old! As explained on pages 1 and 3 of a past edition of the Bulletin, Taché Hall's  function is being changed from a dormitory to a music and art teaching facility. To commemorate the centenary of Taché Hall, a few U of M alumni are developing this website describing the history of the building and its occupants.

In early May 2011, once the students had moved out, one last event was held in the Auditorium—the Taché Hall Farewell Open House.

TH 1911

• History of Taché Hall Book - The initial History of Taché Hall document was produced in the spring of 2009 for a City of Winnipeg event called, "Doors Open Winnipeg." As part of this tour, the general public was invited to visit one of the oldest buildings on the Fort Garry Campus, the original residence, now called Taché Hall. The document, which already contains a goodly amount of material, comprises a decade-by-decade descriptive chronology, combined with anecdotes and scanned photographs submitted by former residents, both men and women. If you were a resident of the all-women Mary Speechly Hall and you have some lingering recollections about the dreamboats (or shipwrecks) you knew in the men’s dorm (Taché Hall), or incidents involving them, we want to hear from you, too!

View a DRAFT (May 2011) of the History of Taché Hall book—there is much more information about the history of Taché Hall and residence life, as well as the memories from former residents contributed so far. Once we have culled through all the boxes of information retrieved from the storerooms of Taché Hall, a final copy of the book will be published. At this time, we haven't decided if it will be a web edition or if print copies will be available. The deadline for additional personal story submissions is May 31, 2012.

• Farewell Open House Video - At the Farewell Open House held in May 2011, several former residents were interviewed to share their memories of living in Taché Hall over the decades. Please enjoy the video that includes many, many photos of residence life in Taché Hall.

 ► What's happening to Taché Hall now?

This building, now 100 years old, is being renovated as part of Project Domino and will become home to teaching, studio, and office spaces for Music and Art.

What does Taché Hall look like now? The hoarding fence is up around the building and most of the windows have been removed and covered with OSB panelling. The new Pembina Hall Residence rises from behind with a magnificent view of the city to the north and the river to the south.

Tache Hall under construction

 

Here is a draft of changes that are being planned for the future of Taché Hall. Notice that the two gyms will be torn down, but little else will be demolished.

 

TH future plan

 

 ► Did you ever live in Taché Hall?

This ever-expanding website is augmented and updated by ongoing archival research and submission of “I-was-there” stories by Taché Hall alumni.

Although staff may be mentioned by name, we have chosen not to publish students’ full names in the text or in photo captions, for privacy reasons. Pseudonyms are acceptable if deemed necessary or appropriate by the contributor, but our main interest is to publish story lines and period images of activities, people, and environments as they existed in years gone by. We would also like to have the stories dated to at least the decade, if not the year and even the month.

If you’d like to contribute pictures and/or recollections of your res years and would like to see examples of how to go about it, check out the stories on the right sidebar and see what’s been posted thus far. We guarantee that, at the very least, you’ll be highly amused with what’s already there. We hope you’ll join the fun! And make sure you tell other former resbians you know, so that they can contribute, if they so wish.

The deadline for additional personal story submissions is May 31, 2012.

Please send your stories and photos (scanned to 300 dpi) to um_housing@umanitoba.ca or call for more information to 204-474-6404. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

 ► Keepsakes from the Taché Hall Farewell Open House - May 2011

For those who would like to send us a memory or two about your stay in Taché Hall, we will gladly mail to you a small keepsake—an Open House invitation, a bookmark, a name tag, and a memory card (as supplies last). To read the many memories already shared, please review the draft of the History of Taché Hall, as well as the individual stories, decade by decade above.

TH Keepsakes

 ► Other items of interest:

• U of M collecting memories of life in Taché Hall - Article from The Manitoban (online) November 1, 2011.

• New development on campus with President Barnard in 2011. The information about Taché Hall is about 3 minutes into the video.

• Memories of Taché Hall - ILS Luncheon

• A century of memories and one last goodbye - OnManitoba, April 2011

• Partying with KISS - U of M News Blog - April 11, 2011

• From the Archives #2 - Article in The Bulletin March 10, 2011

• From the Archives #1 - Article in The Bulletin January 24, 2011

• In 2009, the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections played host to “A College Christmas.” The Archives wanted to replicate a few of the winter recreational activities experienced by a University of Manitoba student in residence during the first half of the twentieth century. The AMA received permission to play a game of floor hockey in the historic East Gymnasium of Taché Hall.
Video: Clash of the Titans: The AMA Holiday Hockey Challenge

• Empty buildings and fat wallets: Neglected historic venues in Winnipeg
  Article in the The Manitoban about Taché Hall Auditiorium - September 29, 2004

• Taché Hall to be renovated: Construction of a new lab expected for next year
  Article in The Manitoban about the Taché Hall Oak Room - September 29, 2004

• Article in the OnManitoba about Marshall Gysi's book U of M Prairie Chicken - December 2004. Dr. Gysi has given us permission to add parts of his book to our History of Taché Hall. Please see his stories in the Memories of the 1950s section above.

• Taché Hall - Archives & Special Collections Building Histories

• Marta Hidy Trio makes impact at Tache Hall - Article from the Winnipeg Free Press, 1967

• Dietitians - When Taché Hall residence opened to students in 1912, it accommodated two-hundred women and three-hundred men. The university dietitian was responsible for the nutrition of the residents and was generally aided in this task by an assistant dietitian.

 ► Go Down Memory Lane

Please send your stories and photos (scanned to 300 dpi) to um_housing@umanitoba.ca or call for more information to 204-474-6404. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

 ► Need help getting a story started?

 Well, why don't you fill in the questionnaire below to help kick-start a memory or two...

 Note: Please save the questionnaire onto your desktop first, before you begin filling it out. Save as TH_Questionnaire_yourname.pdf and email it to um_housing@umanitoba.ca. Thanks.

 ► Featured Photo

Please send your photos (scanned to 300 dpi) to um_housing@umanitoba.ca or call for more information to 204-474-6404.

 ► Check out your old room

Below are current floor plans, although the room numbers may not match from the early years.

 ► Join the Taché Hall Facebook Group

facebook logo

Please join in the fun and become a friend on Facebook. Share your own TH photos and memories and answer some of the mystery questions we have.

http://www.facebook.com/tachehall