Two projects in Western Canada have earned 2021 Ecclesiastical Insurance Cornerstone Awards. The awards from the National Trust for Canada honour contributions to community, identity, and sense of place.
The Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium restoration project in Edmonton and The Shipyards in North Vancouver won in the transformative project category which recognizes projects that have creatively renewed or transformed historic places or landscapes for new or traditional use.
Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium
Located in Coronation Park, is the first of its kind in Canada and an important historical landmark in Edmonton.
This transformative restoration is a tribute to the city’s commitment to retain and adaptively reuse its historic resources, and an excellent example of strong collaboration with a community partner to ensure a sustainable project.
“We are thrilled to deliver exceptional work for Edmontonians, and to ensure the heritage and history of this facility endures for the next generation,” said Darren Giacobbo, project manager, Facility Infrastructure Delivery. “This planetarium – once a first of its kind in Canada – has a rich legacy of opening up the stars to Edmontonians, and we’re proud that this restored space can continue to serve our communities.”
The restoration project of this 60-year-old building included the restoration and refurbishment of the exterior and interior of a facility that has been out of service for over 30 years. It also featured modern upgrades such as LED lighting and new mechanical equipment to bring it up to code and the City’s sustainability standards. The planetarium opened in summer 2021.
The Shipyards
This redevelopment of a waterfront site retained its industrial character, balanced with the new functions of a much-needed waterfront public amenity.
A reimagined machine shop, known as “Shipyard Commons,” is at the centre of the design, featuring a public skating plaza in the winter and a splash park in the summer. The retractable roof on the west side emulates the character of structures familiar within the vernacular of the Shipyards area. The second structure – housing a boutique hotel and restaurant – adopts a contemporary form and act as a foil to the heritage character of the machine shop.
Since opening in July 2019, it has become a thriving hub of activity, unifying a key part of the city’s once-disjointed waterfront and bringing life to a long-dormant industrial space.
