See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This artificially created sub-series MPE B.9 consists of memos, letters to secretaries of locals, questionnaires, general correspondence, and responses. See Box level entries for B.9 for detailed contents of records.
This box contains correspondence to the secretaries of locals, memorandums, resolutions, questionnaires and general corresponce. The records include the following:
1. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals June 30 1924 – July 16 1929
2. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals July 19 1929 – Sept 28 1931
3a. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals Oct 16 1931 – Jan 26 1940
3b. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals Jan 29 1940 – Nov 26 1942
4. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals Jan 7 1943 – Nov 3 1948
5. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals Dec 1948 – August 4 1953
6. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals Sept 21 1953 – Oct 21 1959
7a. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals Jan 6 1960 – March 2 1964
7b. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals March 11 1964 – Nov 12 1968
8a. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals Sept 23 1968 – Dec 3 1970
9a. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals June 22 1973 – July 11 1975
9b. Correspondence to Secretaries of Locals July 25 1975 – Dec 1979
10. Memorandums 1926 – 1974
11. Resolutions 1927 – 1956
12. Resolutions 1957 – 1974
13. Questionnaires 1941; 1949; 1954; 1963; 1967
14a. General Correspondence Feb 14 1925 – May 7 1931
14b. General Correspondence July 3 1931 – Dec 1954
The idea of the Keystone Centre was first mentioned in 1958, at a meeting of the board of directors of the Manitoba Winter Fair. The Manitoba Winter Fair wanted a new facility because the old Wheat City Arena had a leaking roof and a deteriorating west wall. The old facility also had limited space and the Winter Fair felt it needed more space for expansion. The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba also had problems with their facilities, such as old barns and poor display areas. The idea of the Keystone Centre was put on hold until 1969, when the boards of the Provincial Exhibition and the Manitoba Winter Fair joined together as the Provincial Exhibition Association of Manitoba and the Wheat City Arena was sold and demolished. The original estimate for the cost of the Keystone Centre facilities was $4.5 million and funding would be proportioned so that the federal and provincial governments would each put in one-third of the money, with the rest coming from local donations. The financial campaign for the Keystone Centre began in 1970, and construction began in November 1970. The grand opening of the Centre was in March 1973, and coincided with the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair of that year.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains many folders full of correspondence, financial statements, meeting minutes and other documents relating to the development and construction of the Keystone Centre from 1970-1974, including those from the Keystone Executive Committee, as well as the Building Committee. Fonds also contains one folder that pertains to the Brandon Area Agricultural Development Survey from 1959. This folder contains the names and locations of all farmers in the Brandon area in 1959. The Brandon Area Agricultural Development Survey was created in 1959, in order to make farming in the Brandon area more profitable. The survey was aided by Doane Agricultural Service from St. Louis, Missouri, who had success creating agricultural development programs in the United States. Fonds also contains folders from the Provincial Exhibition with correspondence, pamphlets, estimates, and studies from the 1960's. There is also one folder belonging to the Manitoba Winter Fair, which contains correspondence and financial statements relating to the Wheat City Arena. Fonds also contains information pertaining to the proposals made in the 1960's, for the building of the Keystone Centre, as well as one folder about the Keystone campaign from 1970-73. There is also one folder about the opening of the Keystone Centre, which contains newspaper clippings and guest lists. Finally, the fonds contains information about a court case involving Albert Bobyk and Robert Stewart. Stewart was the project manager for the Building Committee and Bobyk worked on the Keystone Center. The fonds includes a report about the trial of the two men who were charged with fraud involving their work on the Keystone Centre.