Winnipeg's Times Change(d) reopens just days after crash

The blues areback at a Winnipeg musical institution.

Only three days after a car slammed into the front door of the Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club, owner John Scoles said they will reopen for business Thursday night.

• SUV crashes into doors of Winnipeg nightclub Times Change(d)

"Well, it looked pretty bad when I walked up there, the whole front corner was all smashed in. The stuff that had been on the stage from the previous night was all punched back and strewn across the stage, Scoles said.

"Our front vestibule was smashed down.The fire department wouldn't let me in at first. So, that's pretty major concern."

The business, Winnipeg Building, worked for three days in the cold to repair the damage.

"Everything is good, they put in a door and wall and framed around and got it sealed in and it's good to go for now," Scoles said.

Tonight The Minglers and Jess Dollimont and the Ospreys are scheduled to hit the stage. Romi Mayes and the Slow Leaves will play Friday. The Windups play Saturday.Scolessaid Big Dave McLean will perform Sunday.

"Somebody suggested maybe we have a few doorcrasherspecials, but I guess we'll see about that," Scolessaid. "I mean it's a Main Street miracle for this weekend for sure and I'm as amazed as everybody else that we're able to do it, but we definitely can."

Engineers told Scoles the 140-year-old building at Main Street and St.Mary Avenue is solid, and, despite the crash, structurally sound.

"Well, that building is designed with a major cast iron frame around the front of it," Scoles said. "There's two serious pillars, this is what I heard from the engineer, and then they they hold up a cast iron joist that would support that whole corner and the car didn't make it far enough to hit either of those so we're basically just talking about frontage."

Scoles saidthere is more work to be done to the front wall and corner of the building over the next few weeks. He said he wants to do more major work when the club has fewer bookings.

It's not the first timethe club has been threatened. Two years ago the owners of the block accepted an offer on the building.

• Winnipeg's iconic Times Change(d) music club threatened with closure

He expects this latest incident will just add to the iconic club's character.

"There's nothing we do that doesn't add to the character. It's kind of basically, it's our job to constantly add to the character of that place," Scoles said.

Scoles said he's incredibly grateful for the support from Winnipeggers and the city's music community.