Former premier Pallister sells Wellington Crescent mansion

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This article was published 28/10/2021 (1191 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former premier Brian Pallister’s Wellington Crescent mansion has been sold to a young tech entrepreneur.

The stately riverfront residence was purchased by Musi Inc. co-founder Aaron Wojnowski of Winnipeg.

“It’s a premier property,” Peter Squire, vice-president of the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board, quipped. “It’s one of those exceptional houses on an exceptional street.”

Wojnowski confirmed Thursday he had purchased the home.

He and Musi co-founder Christian Lunny developed an application in 2012 that allows users to stream and organize their own online library of music from YouTube. They were featured in a 2016 episode of CBC’s Dragons’ Den, and Musi Inc. has had global success.

In an email to the Free Press, Wojnowski expressed appreciation for letting people know the former Tory premier is no longer at the Wellington Crescent address that had been a target for demonstrations and vandalism, but declined to comment further. Wojnowski asked his privacy be respected.

The tony home the former premier and his wife, Esther, who was listed as owner, shared on Wellington Crescent was assessed by the City of Winnipeg at $2,445,000. When the PC government announced a 25 per cent education property tax rebate in this year’s budget, the Free Press reported the Pallisters would be receiving a $4,011 rebate based on $16,044 paid in property taxes.

The home didn’t sell on the multiple listing service, suggesting it was either a private or exclusive sale, Squire said.

Sources told the Free Press the Pallisters are downsizing to a condo in Winnipeg. The empty-nesters don’t need a mansion for entertaining, as they did when it was the residence of a premier. They reportedly still own a home near Portage la Prairie and a vacation property in Costa Rica.

In 2012, when Pallister was the Opposition leader, the couple’s purchase of a $2-million, 9,000-square-foot riverfront property on Wellington Crescent made headlines.

Pallister called a news conference at the time to explain he wasn’t born into wealth and worked to be able to afford the residence with a backyard basketball court and seven-car heated garage with a loft.

The home was built in 1935 on 1.7 acres, and once owned by Graeme Sifton, great-grandson of Clifford Sifton, one of the original owners of the Free Press. It was once listed in 2007 for $3.3 million.

The most expensive Winnipeg home sold thus far in 2021 on the multiple listing service is a $2.75-million property built in 2017 on Victoria Crescent, Squire said. So far this year, there have been 75 homes that sold for more than $1 million in Winnipeg.

The most expensive city home sold on the multiple listing service went for $3.75 million in Tuxedo in 2020, Squire said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca