Louie Plotkin

Biography

Born in St. Boniface January 10, 1924, the son of Ben and Liza Plotkin and brother to Bill (Willie), Louie graduated from Norwood Collegiate as a merit student. During the Second World War, Louie was a navigator with the Royal Canadian Air Force. After his discharge, he attended the University of Manitoba, graduating with a degree in Architecture. Louie was also one of the first two graduates to obtain a Masters degree in Town Planning in Canada. After working for the City of Edmonton as Director of the Edmonton District Planning Commission, Louie moved back to Winnipeg to become Chief Architect for Home Development Ltd. After the sale of Home Development he served in the same capacity for LADCO until starting his own firm, Plotkin and Buchwald Architects and Town Planners with partner Martin Buchwald in the late 60s. With his firm Louie had a diversified practice designing seniors housing and care facilities around the province, a practice that also included malls, apartments, public housing and an Olympic sized swimming pool in Thompson, the community that Louie played a very large part in designing and building.

He was a fierce fighter for the underdog and was particularly feisty in zoning hearings. Respected by his peers, Louie was a past president of the Manitoba Association of Architects, a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and served as president of the Manitoba Housing Association. Louie loved nature being particularly fond of sailing, marathon running, down hill skiing, cross-country skiing, and swimming. Flying was also one of Louies passions. He soloed in gliders and single engine prop planes and was a proud member of the Wartime Pilots and Observers Association.