The purpose of the building may have changed over the years, but the appreciation for the man who designed it has never gone away.
Mayor Nolan Crouse joined friends, family and colleagues of architect Peter Hemingway at the old RCMP building on Sir Winston Churchill Avenue on Friday morning to officially rename it the Hemingway Centre in honour of its designer.
“In North America, it’s extremely rare to find a building named after the actual architect … there is no better place for a Hemingway dedication than St. Albert,” Peter’s son Curtis said, noting that his father now has two buildings named in his honour. The other is the Peter Hemingway Fitness and Leisure Centre at 111 Avenue and 135 Street in Edmonton.
Family members attending the dedication travelled to St. Albert from as far away as Vancouver, Winnipeg and Montreal.
Hemingway’s second wife, Maureen Hemingway Schloss, admitted to goose bumps as Crouse and former city councillor Carol Watamaniuk — who asked council back in December, 2009 to rename the building — handed the family framed certificates commemorating the dedication.
Crouse said that it was important to recognize the contributions of architects like Hemingway.
“It’s important that we reflect on the significance of architecture and the significance of older buildings. This one, by some measures, is still pretty modern, but by some measures, it’s pretty old,” the mayor said.
Friend, colleague and St. Albert resident Gerry Tersmette said Hemingway, who passed away in 1995, was a respected yet demanding architect.
“Nobody would get away with anything under Peter’s guidance. It had to be perfect. He was a man of poetry, and of course he was a great guy. I really liked the man; he taught me many things,” he said.
While they held overzealous partiers in years gone by, the jail cells in the building now store firefighting equipment collected by Canadian Aid for Fire Services Abroad to send to developing countries. The offices that used to house police officers now house community groups, like the 2012 Special Olympics National Winter Games organizing committee.
Seeing what the building is used for today would have brought a smile to Peter’s face, Curtis said.
“The artists’ residence in this building would please Peter to no end, although having the drunk tank probably did it as well,” he said to a round of laughter from attendees.
Mistaya and Curtis also expressed relief that the old RCMP building remained standing and useful, given that they have seen several pieces of their father’s work demolished over the years, most notably the Central Pentecostal Tabernacle just north of downtown Edmonton in 2006.
“I’m just so thrilled to know there are like-minded people in our midst who recognize the importance of all different forms of architecture,” Mistaya said. “This building may need a little bit of love, but it’s in very good hands.”
Other buildings Hemingway designed in the Edmonton area include the Coronation Pool, the Stanley Engineering Building and the Muttart Conservatory.
