We have only been here for one month, but I already feel compelled to write a review based on our initial experience.  Beautiful facility, fantastic staff, affordable and a tremendous community around us.  We are beyond delighted to be here!

Teresa & Brian have been 7 years living at Fred Douglas Place 55 Plus (The Place With a Heart). Right from day 1 we were greeted by friendly, helpful, & considerate people. There are so many opportunities to be involved with the various socializing events. The 2nd floor is the Activities floor with a library well stocked with a large variety of books well organized and up to date. The craft area is supported by many Residents who gather to contribute. The lounge area is frequented for just visiting and monthly wine & cheese gatherings, card games, movie night, and bowling. A pool table and shuffleboard are utilized by organized usage. There is an office that has a computer for Residents use with the ability to print. There is a room with tools for Residents use when needed.  We have an area where notices can be posted for all to read. Having a well-organized Residents Council with monthly meetings to update the various Committees is part of the key to our success. We have a gym that is the envy of any Life Lease in Manitoba, it has an active Gym Fans group who help to maintain equipment and show others the best way to utilize our variety of equipment. We are blessed with a Restaurant Style Kitchen that offers supper meals 3 days a week. We have a large dinning area that can accommodate our parties of up to 150 people, that area can also be booked for a personal party. In the mornings we have a coffee club where people can gather and exchange stories. We have a large patio that has seating and large and smaller planters for flowers or a smaller garden. We have barbecues for Residents use, We have exercise groups, chair exercise, tai chi, standup exercise, and line dancing. We have speakers come in regularly on a variety of subjects. The main entrance is furnished eloquently with seating area while waiting for visitors or deliveries We have been well managed with an active well informed internal management staff that keeps us running smoothly and up to date on all the updates and maintenance requirements.

Fred Douglas Place is first of all a diverse, vibrant, caring community. One floor of the building is dedicated exclusively for amenities such as a library, gym, dining area, greenhouse, pool table, shuffleboard, etc. Numerous resident organized activities take place on this floor. An additional feature which I really appreciate is that we are connected to the downtown Skywalk system which is a blessing, especially during our long cold winters.

There is a definite sense of community here, which is enriched by diversity. The management is fully competent, the maintenance is helpful and friendly and, when Portage Place is open, any important service can be accessed by skywalk. We feel safe and welcome in our downtown setting. We have had six happy years here.

Fred Douglas Place’s downtown location is great for anyone who wants to be within walking distance of live theatres, The Forks, the downtown Y, the Millennium Library, the Centennial Concert Hall, the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Quamajuq, the University of Winnipeg, Canada Life Centre, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, financial institutions, and professional offices.  The skywalk is an easy and comfortable way to access much of it all year-round.
The building’s design is both attractive and functional. A special feature is the Amenities floor with a library, workshop, TV lounge, pool and shuffleboard tables, kitchen, dining room, gym, plant solarium, and areas for group exercise and other activities. What happens on this floor accounts to a large extent for the neighbourliness and friendship that mark the communal life here.
Thumbs up too to the management team! They are exceptional in the way they proactively address maintenance, décor, and safety issues. They work closely with the residents and Residents’ Association to make this a fine place to live. We love living here!

5-stars

About four years ago my husband and I were about to make the big move from the picturesque Pembina Valley to the big city. I had heard about Fred Douglas Place from a life-long friend and decided to check it out.
Our reasons for considering downtown Winnipeg were multifold. At Fred Douglas Place we enjoy proximity to bus routes, shopping, and the YMCA,  Cultural venues are easily accessed by car, bus, or walking - Wpg Art Gallery, the new Inuit Center, Burton Cummings Theater, The Planetarium, Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature, The Concert Hall,.. Events at the Manitoba Legislature, The Fringe Festival and The Forks all offer activities to be enjoyed alone or with children or grandchildren.
Fred Douglas is not just a building with different sized suites. Management and Maintenance staff are supportive and quick to respond to needs. An active Resident Council has many committees that offer options for both the mental and physical health of tenants.. Our Amenities floor boasts a library, gym, solarium, dining area. and even a dance floor.. What I love is that you can be as private or as sociable as you like..
As I look out my sunroom window toward the east along Ellice Avenue,  I am  convinced we found the best place in Winnipeg to retire.  Fred Douglas- A Place with Heart.

I have been associated with Fred Douglas Place since 2009 when I joined the Board of Directors so I know it from the inside out.   It is well managed both from a maintenance and a financial perspective using a proactive rather than a reactive management model.  I moved in 3 years ago and couldn't be happier.  I am part of a caring community living in a beautiful suite in downtown Winnipeg where I have access to many of the wonderful things it has to offer.  I can access live theatre, Jets and Moose games, the public library, and other sites all year round through the walkway system.  And the WAG is a short walk away.  I am able to continue gardening outside on our amenities floor balconies, use our well stocked library (which was a blessing during COVID when the public libraries were closed), make use of our amazing gym and participate in the variety of activities available.  Plus I have access to indoor heated parking.  My family doesn't worry about me living downtown as they know I am part of that caring community and that there is onsite management during the week and professional security onsite at other times.  I feel blessed to be able to live at "The Place with Heart".
 

My mother moved into Fred Douglas Place about ten years ago. She lives in a lovely suite with a bright southeast facing sunroom. She really enjoys the easy access to downtown cultural opportunities within walking distance (the Millennium Library, Winnipeg Art Gallery, University of Winnipeg). The FDP building is well maintained and well run, with great staff and resident collaboration. Numerous activities are offered, which helps to enrich residents' experiences. But the *best* thing about FDP is the people who live there. They are really great at supporting and looking out for one another. Thanks FDP!
 

Moving to Fred Douglas Place 10 years ago was one of the best decisions of my life.   I have loved living here! Despite perceptions of downtown living being "not safe" I have always felt comfortable and have enjoyed walking to many venues: entertainment, museums, The University of Winnipeg, restaurants, theatres, etc. Also, the Skywalk affords me access to medical offices, professional offices, retail, food courts--- all indoors --- so pleasant to walk to on a cold winter day.  My home is a beautiful one bedroom suite on one of the the upper floors  of our building with a semi-circular  sunroom  overlooking the northwest  area. Especially at night I find the lights of the city amazing, and I am able to watch planes landing and taking off from the airport! The residents of Fred Douglas Place are "one little village", very supportive and caring and I am so grateful for the many friendships that I have formed over the years.  Our management and maintenance team is superior, I believe, to most other apartment/condo/life lease buildings.  I am able to partake in a variety of activities on our "Amenities Floor" and am grateful for our library, parties ( pre-covid) , movies to name a few.  Our gym is a very special one and I am fortunate to be able to “work out"  7 days a week ---- not likely available  at many other residences. My friends and family join me in concluding that I could not have chosen a better place to live at than Fred Douglas Place.
 

When we were researching Life Leases about 9 years ago, we found that Fred Douglas Place was the most community orientated of the ones that we visited.  Luckily we managed to get in fairly quickly and all these years later, have found it to be better than originally thought. It has a great sense of community, lots of activities, a well kept building and good management.
A bonus is that it is centrally located in downtown Winnipeg close to the theatres, sporting events and lots of good eating establishments.
 

Living at Fred Douglas Place gives me easy access to Millennium Library, various University of Winnipeg resources, the Downtown Y, and bus routes. Since moving in over four years ago, I've enjoyed helping with outreach activities such as a little free library, a community garden box, and neighbourhood clean-ups. Underground parking and being connected to the Skywalk system are marvelous.
 

We have lived here about a year.  What impressed us most is the sense of community.  You really do know your neighbours.  There is no reason to be alone unless you want to.  You can get to know your neighbours at the morning coffee club or at one of the organized or spontaneous activities that happen here.  What we enjoy most is sitting in the solarium and being able to walk through the walkway system to most downtown destinations.
 

This place met all our needs and then some. Everything from the well designed layout, big windows, enclosed balcony/sunroom with an unobstructed view and the most amazing sunsets (and rain storm views), in suite washer/dryer, the ability to renovate if we wish, on floor garbage/recycling, underground parking etc etc.
And then there were the things I didn't expect but very much appreciate... an AMAZING community gym with brand new Hoist multi-stations, free weights up to 50lbs dumbbells, and various cardio machines, a wrap around communal balcony and Amenities floor, all the social activities and sense of community - not to mention being connected to the downtown walkway system.
The place is very well kept and maintained. Having both owned a house and rented apartments over the years, I can honestly say the Life Lease model is the best of both worlds financially as well as in terms of living quality.
 

The people/community make this a special place to live in. The building itself with all its amenities produce an incredible value. Heated underground parking, incredible views from apartments, excellent gym, line dancing classes, Tai Chi, meal services, art group, and so much more. I strongly recommend.