|
Some Questions & Answers about the new Provincial Archives
Why does the Provincial Archives need new accommodations?
The Provincial Archives is currently housed in two separate locations.
- The main operation of the Provincial Archives shares space (2,390 m2 or 26,000 ft2) with the Provincial Museum, on 102 Avenue in Edmonton. This space is inadequate; it restricts the ability of the public, volunteers and staff to access, process and preserve the province's growing archival records.
- The warehousing operation of the Provincial Archives, located at the Coronation Centre Warehouse, 11628 - 142 Street in Edmonton, shares space in the warehouse with Alberta Corporate Service Center's records center operation. The area (1,570 m2 or 17,000 ft2.) for the Archives is primarily high ceiling storage with very limited special environmental (i.e. climate and humidity) controls for the vast majority of our important archival collections. Environmental controls are a necessary function of any archival storage.
Where are the Provincial Archives moving?
Both the main operation and the warehousing operation of the Provincial Archives are moving to the former Capital Health Authority's Patient Services Centre building, located at the south-east corner of Roper Road (51st Avenue) and 86 Street in Edmonton, on 17 acres of land. This will make the Provincial Archives one of the few archives in Canada that houses its public reading room and all of its holdings in a single location.
Is this a new building?
No. The building was constructed in 1981.
What has been done to the building?
The building was gutted, the specialized food production equipment removed, and re-built inside to meet the needs of the Archives. The only additional construction in the building is the shipping and receiving addition (since this function has to be done inside in an Archives) and the signature architectural feature (the archives arch) just in front of the main doors.
What are the benefits of moving to this building?
- The Patient Services Centre building is spacious, sturdy, with a compact layout, located on a major thoroughfare (51st Avenue), with sufficient land around it for expansion.
- The building has high ceilings that will accommodate two floors of shelving and wide-open spaces that have been divided into specialized storage vaults and will have proper environmental controls in place.
- The floors are strong enough to handle the floor loading demands of thousands of boxes of archival records.
- There are sufficient loading bays that meet the archives' needs.
- Space is available to build a large conservation lab for preserving and restoring documents.
- There is free parking for Archives' patrons.
- City bus service is excellent, with two bus stops and the Millgate bus terminal nearby.
- In addition other archives are close by: the Federal Records Centre on 51st Avenue and the University of Alberta Book and Record Depository on 50th Street.
Who was in the building?
At one time the building housed both the laundry facility and the production kitchen for the Capital Health Authority Patient Service Center. The laundry function was privatized some time ago and all that remained was the production kitchen. It prepares all the food for consumption in the hospitals in the Capital Health Authority. The Archives' move to the new building has been preceded by the opening of a new $4.5 million facility for Capital Health Authority funded by Alberta Infrastructure. A new purpose designed food services building was built in the northeast corner of the lot and opened in June 2001.
How big is the building?
The footprint of building is 7,600 m2, or approximately 80,000 ft2. The east and south sides of the building have high ceiling spaces in what will become the archival storage area that allow for a second floor of storage vaults to be developed. The same high ceiling space will allow a second floor to be developed for the conservation/preservation labs. The total space that will be developed for the Archives is 11,600 m2 or approximately 118,000 ft2
What will be inside?
The new accommodations will include a reference and reading room, exhibit area, a library, a small conference center, conservation laboratory, processing areas, staff offices, and two floors of storage vaults. The storage area will be able to accommodate the records from both the Coronation Centre Warehouse and Archives' main building on 102 Avenue, as well as twenty-five years of growth in record holdings to the year 2038.
When will the staff move into the building?
During early April 2003.
When will the archival holdings be moved?
From May to September 2003.
Who else will be in the building?
There will be space for Provincial Archives' volunteers. The Provincial Archives will also offer office space to the Documentary Heritage Society (i.e. the Friends of the Archives), the Archives Society of Alberta, the archivist for the Alberta and Northwest Conference of the United Church of Canada, the archivist for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, volunteer archivists for the Anglican Church, among others.
What are the capital costs?
The building cost approximately $21 million. Funding was provided through the Alberta 2005 Centennial Legacies Program (Alberta Community Development) and through Alberta Infrastructure's capital budget. These costs include planning and development, construction, landscaping/parking, and furniture and equipment.
Who is the architect?
The architect of record is Brinsmead Ziola Associates, specifically Fraser Brinsmead, FRAIC, who is known to the heritage community as the architect responsible for the award-winning renovation of the Prince of Wales Armoury in Edmonton that houses the City of Edmonton Archives.
What will happen to the current facilities on 102 Avenue and on 142 Street?
- The Provincial Museum of Alberta will re-use the space created by the departure of the Archives main operation located on 102 Avenue.
- The Alberta Corporate Services Center is expected to move its record center operation into the portion of the Coronation Centre Warehouse on 142 Street that is to be vacated by the Provincial Archives warehouse operation.
When will the Archives close and when will the new building open?
Public service will close at 4:30 pm on Saturday, April 5, and will reopen at 9:00 am on Tuesday,
May 6. Completion of the final transfer of archival documents is expected to take until September 2003 followed by an official opening planned for October 5, 2003.
Who do I contact if I have more questions?
Dr. Sandra Thomson
Director and Provincial Archivist
Provincial Archives of Alberta
12845 - 102 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5N 0M6
Tel: 780 / 427-1750
Fax: 780 / 427-4646
E-mail: Sandra.Thomson@gov.ab.ca
| 
