In 1979, the Italian Women’s Association of Winnipeg was established to build a Seniors Residence which would fulfill a community need. Six years later, because many individuals were willing to give of themselves to help others, this vision became a reality in the form of the “Villa Cabrini”.

Villa Cabrini officially opened on March 31, 1985.

The mission of Villa Cabrini is to provide optimal high quality-of-life experiences for its residents in a safe and secure, culturally supportive and affordable housing milieu for Italian Canadian seniors as well as all seniors from the community. Read more about Mother Cabrini.

Villa Cabrini Inc, the sponsor of the residence, is a non-profit organization with a Board comprised of volunteer community members. The board’s function is to operate the Villa as a community service in perpetuity. The directors of the board serve without remuneration.

The Villa Cabrini offers a unique mix of residential non-profit rental apartments for seniors, along with an active social and recreational programme. The project is located adjacent to the heart of Osborne Village in Winnipeg. As well as offering “55-plus” not-for-profit rental apartments, the project houses a small number commercial rental units on the main floor (e.g. restaurant, retailers, etc.), along with a fully serviced underground parkade.

Built at an estimated cost of seven million dollars, Villa Cabrini was designed to house an eighty-car parkade, twelve thousand square feet of commercial space and a public plaza. The interior contains such amenities as a lounge, library, exterior second story terrace and 123 one-bedroom suites. The building’s construction is comprised of concrete block bearing walls with pre-cast hollow core slabs framed by exterior walls clad in brick. Its architecture represents a post-modernist approach.

Architects: LM Architectural Group
Contractors: Concord Properties
Developer: Montex Development Inc
Materials: brick, concrete
Style: Postmodern
Property Manager: Murdoch Management