News briefs

U of M student identified as struck highway worker

A highway worker killed while working on construction outside the city has been identified as 21-year-old Brittany Murray.

Murray was working at a site on Provincial Road 207, between the Trans-Canada and Highway 15, holding up a sign to direct traffic when she was struck Monday afternoon by a northbound car. She was rushed to hospital in serious condition but later died from her injuries.

She had been attending classes to become an architect at the University of Manitoba, while working as a flag person to support her studies. Her loss was felt greatly by friends and family.

The driver of the car, a 67-year-old male, has not yet been publicly identified. The RCMP could not say whether or not charges are being considered against the driver, reported the CBC.

An investigation is pending, and thus far alcohol has been ruled out as a factor.

New Exchange District parkade restores old building

A new parkade opened in the city’s Exchange District, in an historic multi-story commercial building, as part of a recent project, according to the Winnipeg Sun.

The Bedford Parkade, launched Friday, is located at King Street and Bannatyne Avenue, and has finally been completed after a years worth of construction and renovation.

The building, constructed in the late 1800s, had long been under the threat of collapse and depreciation. The project, to restore and reuse the building, saw $1.5 million in funding from the city and a further $500,000 from CentreVenture Development Corp., in addition to more than $8 million spent by Bedford Investments.

This facility contains five levels above ground and another heated-floor underground, and maintains at least part of the old building’s outer façade.

Mayor Sam Katz was quoted in the Sun, saying that it shows “what government, working with the private sector, can accomplish [ . . . ] to maintain the historical significance of the Exchange District.”

Campus walkway named to recognize Norries

In an act recognizing the Norrie family’s contribution to the University of Manitoba, a walkway was named in their honour last Friday.

A ceremony led by U of M president David Barnard saw the unveiling of a tall plaque recognizing William and Helen Norrie. Their support to the institution stretches back several decades.

Bill Norrie is best known as former mayor of Winnipeg and as previous chancellor of the U of M from 2001 to 2009. Helen Norrie once served as president of the U of M Women’s
Association and sat on the board of governors in the late 1970s. Both her and her husband served on UMSU while they attended the university as students.

The walkway, which will be known as the William and Helen Norrie Walkway, is a tree-lined, patio-stoned path between the Engineering and Information Technology Complex and University Centre.

Its location was chosen due to its axis running parallel to University Centre, which is now the home of UMSU. It also lies in a position aimed towards the Administration Building, where the both of the Norries served.