Though not yet legally incorporated as a city, by 1900 St. Boniface boasted the largest Francophone population outside of Quebec. Many in the community were excited at the prospect of a proper civic structure in town, though the enthusiasm dimmed when council selected an outsider’s design for construction in 1905.

Local architects, Senecal and Smith and Gilbert and Company, had vied for the contract – but Winnipeg architect Victor Horwood was selected. It was a dreamy watercolour sketch that likely won Horwood the contract, though this picture did not exactly match up with reality. Local papers complained the building was ugly, strayed from the original design, and singled out the beehive-like tower of the structure. Compounding the issue, the project was over budget – costs went from $40,000 to $60,000.

Public backlash led to a complete redesign just two years later, with the clock tower that still stands today. As St. Boniface grew, more and more services moved into City Hall. By the 1960s, the construction of new police headquarters and city health department lessened the crowded nature of the building – but in 1972, when St. Boniface merged with the City of Winnipeg, the former city hall became rental office and gallery space.