The 93 year old complex now known as the Asper Jewish Community Campus is best remembered as Fort Osborne Barracks, the former center of Manitoba's military activities for nearly 50 years. The original Fort Osborne Barracks, named after Lieutenant-Colonel William Osborne, Commander of Military District Number 10, had been situated on the eastern part of the Legislative Grounds since 1872. When the new Legislative Building was completed in 1920, the barracks were moved to the Tuxedo location and the hospital was transferred to Deer Lodge.
With construction of the new barracks, now known as Kapyong Barracks, at Kenaston Boulevard and Grant Avenue in 1957, followed by integration of the Armed Forces in the mid-sixties, Fort Osborne Barracks became redundant. The site was turned over to the Province of Manitoba in 1968 and was used as office space by various government departments.
On 5 September 1997, two days before the campus was officially opened, a monument commissioned by the Princes Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Regimental Heritage Committee to perpetuate the Regiment's occupation of Fort Osborne Barracks was erected in front of the old headquarters building by the Winnipeg firm of Eden Memorials Incorporated. The rough-cut granite slab is approximately four feet high, two and one half feet wide, almost two feet thick, and weighs about 3,800 pounds.
On 10 July 1998, the 55th Anniversary of the Landing in Sicily, members and friends of the Regiment returned to the site to witness an impressive ceremony featuring a Hundred Man Guard of Honour, Colours and Drum Line from Second Battalion. Drums were piled and, following a brief introduction by Rod Middleton, Chairman, Chairman of the Regimental Heritage Committee, the Fort Osborne Monument was unveiled by Major-General Bill Hewson (Ret'd), Colonel of the Regiment, and Doug Bedford, National President of the Princes Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Association. A dedication service was conducted by Second Battalion's Chaplain, Lieutenant (Navy) Steve Merriman.
It must not be forgotten that for half a century encompassing two World Wars and the Korean War, it was an important centre of military activity in the Province of Manitoba. Thousands of young men and women enlisted, trained and left here to fight for peace and freedom in foreign lands. Many did not return. This monument will serve as a memorial to them and perpetuate a significant era in the histories of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba.
