The Arts & Heritage Foundation (AHF) and the City of St. Albert are excited to announce the grand reopening of the Art Gallery of St. Albert.

Following its recent renovation and temporary closure, the transformed Gallery will re-open with an enhanced and barrier-free space. In the Fall of 2018, City Council granted funding to improve the facility.

The Arts and Heritage Foundation was able to secure additional funding from the Government of Canada through two separate funding pools: the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund and the Enabling Accessibility Fund; and from the Province of Alberta, through the Community Facility Enhancement Program.

The improvements involved modifications to bring the building up to code and ensure it would be accessible to all. The result is a creative investment into an important heritage building in our city, resulting in a barrier-free facility that is accessible to our entire community.

The primary purpose of the project was to offer residents and visitors barrier-free access, which reflects the commitment to provide an inclusive environment in City facilities.

The Gallery also features a new community space to showcase exhibits, while preserving the character-defining elements of the heritage building. The project included roof repairs, enhanced insulation and a new HVAC system to improve the energy efficiency, reflecting the City’s commitment to sustainability.

This project took a creative approach in the design and construction, and included an artist on the project team. Dylan Toymaker is a light design and installation artist, and a former St. Albert resident who grew up in our city. Mr. Toymaker, together with the design team, designed a ramp that incorporates a stunning public art piece called Bird has the Ways.