Committee debates civic conservatory’s future
Designs for possible expansion resemble original building, Mendel Art Gallery
Two dramatically different proposals to expand Saskatoon’s civic conservatory reflect the original building and adjacent Mendel Art Gallery, albeit in very different ways, a city committee heard this week.
The first concept, a building east of the conservatory, echoes the gallery’s sawtooth roof and the pyramids adorning it, in what a city planner described as a “good blending ” of the existing structures.
The second, a not-quite-spherical building that would tower over both, would become the new feature building on the riverbank site, Jim Charlebois told the municipal heritage advisory committee (MHAC) on Wednesday.
While committee members generally expressed a preference for the former, James Scott suggested the more radical dome is “more in line with the idea of the Mendel,” which was itself a bold choice when it opened in 1964.
“I think we need to be bold,” said Riversdale Business Improvement District executive director Randy Pshebylo.
City archivist Jeff O’brien said he liked that idea, but noted it’s abstract and likely difficult to sell to the public. Committee member Stevie Horn suggested the second choice might distract from what made the Mendel notable in the first place.
Tourism Saskatoon’s Paula Lichtenwald said the latter option would likely be more contentious with the public.
City council is expected to chart a path forward after completion of a building assessment of the conservatory, which Charlebois said will determine exactly how much work the aging building needs. The exact timeline is not yet clear.
Council is likely to have other options, too, including simply renovating the conservatory or decommissioning it entirely. The committee heard the proposed designs are not set in stone, and could be changed down the line.
The cost of the project is not yet clear. Charlebois said the dome proposal is likely to be more expensive, but the still-unknown cost of renovating the conservatory means clear projections are not yet available.
City administrators said last fall that the total project cost could be as high as $12 million, substantially more than an earlier projection of $3.5 million. The cost of refurbishing the glassed-in building has previously been estimated at $2.3 million.
The conservatory opened its doors the same year as the Mendel, and closed in 2017 — a couple of years after the gallery closed ahead of the transition to the Remai Modern. The Nutrien Wonderhub children’s museum opened in the vacated space last year.
The committee also heard the banana tree in the conservatory is still growing, despite receiving little attention since the building was closed to the public. Charlebois said the tree is important to the public, who no doubt will be relieved to know it appears to be “unkillable.”
MHAC’S mandate is to advise council on buildings of historical significance, such as the Mendel and conservatory. Chair Lenore Swystun said the committee will likely draft a letter to council outlining its thinking at some point in the future.
I think we need to be bold.