Old Royal Alberta Museum

[kcantor]

Apologies if there is already a thread somewhere but I have looked and can’t find one…

I originally posted this to the Historic Edmonton and Northern Alberta's Facebook private group page and was asked to make it public so I'm reposting it here:

Tommy Banks and I once "blue skied" backfilling the old Royal Alberta Museum with a retirement/seniors facility for artists and musicians who can no longer practice their craft and who have no savings or pensions… I think there’s still an endowment with the Edmonton Community Foundation although I don’t know how large it is.

The thought was for residences on the main floor where natural light could be introduced and studio/rehearsal spaces that don’t need/want natural light could be located in the lower levels. The residents could stay active teaching/tutoring those young artists and performers using the studios.

The existing theatre and gift shop and cafe would stay in supportive use, perhaps complimented by an outdoor sculpture gallery.

The project could also likely support a recording studio and possibly even a small sound stage in the lower levels.

I also think there would be an interesting symmetry on the site with Government House if there was a large indigenous component sharing a location large enough to hold pow wows that stretches from the two buildings down the bank to the North Saskatchewan River.

Photo credit to CBC

 

[buildings]

^well, in that photo it looks like a run-of-the-mill high school. https://www.google.com/maps/@53.547...try=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw==

 

[itom987]

The stone cladding on that building is anything but run-of-the-mill.

 

[scyeg]

Apologies if there is already a thread somewhere but I have looked and can’t find one…

I originally posted this to the Historic Edmonton and Northern Alberta's Facebook private group page and was asked to make it public so I'm reposting it here:

Tommy Banks and I once "blue skied" backfilling the old Royal Alberta Museum with a retirement/seniors facility for artists and musicians who can no longer practice their craft and who have no savings or pensions… I think there’s still an endowment with the Edmonton Community Foundation although I don’t know how large it is.

The thought was for residences on the main floor where natural light could be introduced and studio/rehearsal spaces that don’t need/want natural light could be located in the lower levels. The residents could stay active teaching/tutoring those young artists and performers using the studios.

The existing theatre and gift shop and cafe would stay in supportive use, perhaps complimented by an outdoor sculpture gallery.

The project could also likely support a recording studio and possibly even a small sound stage in the lower levels.

I also think there would be an interesting symmetry on the site with Government House if there was a large indigenous component sharing a location large enough to hold pow wows that stretches from the two buildings down the bank to the North Saskatchewan River.

Photo credit to CBC

View attachment 594605

This is a great idea and also the UCP are the last gov’t party that would ever support something like this. They’d raze the entire side of the valley for a lump of coal before ever considering something like this.

 

[strata]

I walked by today and the stone looks is really really rough shape...obviously due to several years of no maintenance and care.

Not a stone expert, but are we certain that everything on the exterior can be fully restored or did the gap in care make it difficult to salvage?

 

[David A]

This is a great idea and also the UCP are the last gov’t party that would ever support something like this. They’d raze the entire side of the valley for a lump of coal before ever considering something like this.

This is an interesting idea, it already has the theatre and display space and there may be Federal or other money available for housing .

The fundamental problem is the UCP does not want to put much or any money into doing anything with this, but if someone had the money and a good idea, they actually might be happy to have them take it off their hands

 

[buildings]

Doesn't the Orange Hub (old MacEwan JP campus), already perform this function. except, of course, housing.

 

[JNO1]

This may be stupid question, but would it be worth taking another run at this or propose some other reimagine type project? Take it high profile now that the proposed demolition is in the news and a bit of a hot topic.

 

[kcantor]

^

The building is most definitely worth it.

For those that have tried in the past however, the answer was always “it hasn’t been declared surplus yet” followed by “we can’t single source the disposition of government assets”.

There was an early RFEOI but it was designed not to facilitate anything but their own plans to do nothing. So things drift along and the asset deteriorates - some might say intentionally - to the point they think demolition is justified “because remediation and abatement would be too costly”.

And here we are…

It would be nice if the current attention does change things.

 

[David A]

^

The building is most definitely worth it.

For those that have tried in the past however, the answer was always “it hasn’t been declared surplus yet” followed by “we can’t single source the disposition of government assets”.

There was an early RFEOI but it was designed not to facilitate anything but their own plans to do nothing. So things drift along and the asset deteriorates - some might say intentionally - to the point they think demolition is justified “because remediation and abatement would be too costly”.

And here we are…

It would be nice if the current attention does change things.

Yes, sometimes I think our real city slogan should be Make something Languish, we have more than one government here that does that. Again the usual, let the assets deteriorate and then tear them down.