Queen Elizabeth Planetarium

Last updated
Queen Elizabeth Planetarium
Planetarium
Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium, Edmonton (24191035414).jpg
The planetarium in 1961
DesignWalter Tefler and R. F. Duke
Opening date22 September 1960 (closed 1983)
28 September 2023
Dedicated to Elizabeth II
OwnerCity of Edmonton
LocationCoronation Park
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Edmonton agglomeration-blank.svg
Red pog.svg
Queen Elizabeth Planetarium
Location in Edmonton
Coordinates: 53°33′44″N113°33′38″W / 53.56215°N 113.56055°W / 53.56215; -113.56055

The Queen Elizabeth Planetarium or Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium is a planetarium located within Coronation Park, in Edmonton, Alberta. It was the first public planetarium in Canada, operating between 1960 and 1983 and again from 2023 onward. Designed by Walter Tefler and R.F. Duke, it was named to commemorate the visit of Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, in 1959. The Planetarium is now operated by the Edmonton Space Sciences Foundation. [1]

Contents

History

Planning

Edmonton City Council was, in 1958, presented with a proposal to build a permanent civic memorial to mark the visit of Canada's then-monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, and her husband, Prince Philip, in July of the following year. Originally, it was thought to symbolize the three areas of government by placing three projects or, more likely, a three-sided obelisk, on a 30.8 metre (94 foot) trilon. Another suggestion was a fountain, and the park itself. However, after Alderman Frederick John Mitchell proposed that an observatory be built, S. Frank Page, the Assistant Secretary and Editor of Stardust, the newsletter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Edmonton Centre, suggested in November 1958 that a planetarium would be more useful, as he anticipated that city lights would interfere with an observatory. [2]

On 21 December 1958, H.J. McKim Ross, of the Montgomery Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, made to City Council a motion supporting the project in principle. This was passed unanimously. A committee was then formed—consisting of Professor E.S. Keeping, Professor Gads, Franklin Loehde, F. Jersen, D. Rosenfield, and Earl Milton—to put together a submission to Council. This was approved by the Finance Committee in March, with an estimated cost of $110,000, and, on 9 March, the proposal to construct a planetarium in Coronation Park was confirmed by City Council by a margin of seven to four. [2]

The Queen visited the site during her cross-Canada tour in July of that year. [2] William Hawrelak, Mayor of Edmonton, said to her at the event,

you have now set foot on an area of Canadian soil that was named in honour of your coronation [...] In commemoration of this royal visit [...] it is the wish of your loyal and devoted people to erect a building of masonry, brick, and stone at this location; a structure that will serve during the years ahead as a practical and pleasurable monument to perpetuate the memory of this great occasion. The aesthetic value of this planetarium will soon give the development of the Canadian parkland, an additional beauty dedicated to the welfare and convenience of our citizens. May it always be in keeping with the spirit in which you come to us: friendly, warm hearted, and sincere.


We respectfully request your Majesty’s permission to name this building The Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium. In your presence today, we humbly demonstrate our allegiance, our gratitude, and our affection. [2]

Opening

A fragment of the Bruderheim Meteorite Bruderheim meteorite small.jpg
A fragment of the Bruderheim Meteorite

The official opening ceremonies were held on 22 September 1960. The Mayor, by then Elmer Ernest Roper, dedicated the building and a message of congratulations from the Queen's Secretary was read by C.J. Forward, Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta. Professor E.S. Keeping represented the University of Alberta and presented to the Planetarium a 68 pound fragment of the Bruderheim Meteorite, which was made the centrepiece of the building's astronomical display. Also present was the then-President of the Edmonton Centre branch of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, James Harrington. [2]

The Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium was designed to be the main focal point of Coronation Park. At the time of its construction, and for a few years afterward, the Planetarium was the only structure in Coronation Park. [1] It was also the first such public facility in Canada. The second would not open until 1966, in Montreal. During the first five years of the Planetarium's operation, much of the work was done by volunteers from the Royal Astronomical Society. Eventually, a full-time lecturer and receptionist had to be hired. [2] [3] The Planetarium was, however, hampered by a seating capacity of only 65. [1]

Closure and restoration

The Queen Elizabeth Planetarium in October 2016. The building is surrounded by a wire fence due to its dilapidation. Queen Elizabeth Planetarium Edmonton 2016.jpg
The Queen Elizabeth Planetarium in October 2016. The building is surrounded by a wire fence due to its dilapidation.

The facility closed at the end of 1983, superseded by the adjacent Edmonton Space Sciences Centre (now the Telus World of Science), which opened earlier that year. [4] [2] [1] The Planetarium thereafter remained vacant, falling into a poor state of repair. [1]

Two separate applications were submitted to the Historical Resources Development Board by Dale Nosko and Howard Gibbins in late 2004. With the assistance of Robert Geldart, these were passed by the Historical Resources Review Panel 31 on May 2005 and the Edmonton Historical Board in late June, both bodies agreeing that the building should be added to the A List of Municipal Historic Resources within Edmonton, which was done by the General Manager of the Planning and Development Department. The city announced In November 2016 plans to restore the Planetarium and grant it full heritage status, [5] doing so in March 2017. [5] [6]

With a budget of seven million dollars, [7] the Planetarium was originally scheduled to be restored and open by the end of 2019, in time for the 2020 International Planetarium Society Conference to be held in Edmonton. [1] The reopening was later pushed back to the spring of 2020 [8] and again, because of delays due to restrictions in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, [7] to the autumn of 2021. [9] The Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium reopened to the public on 28 September 2023, with its first director, Ian McLennan, as the first person to enter. As it is a relatively small planetarium, the intended audience is young students; though, the facility can also be rented for private events. [7]

The rehabilitation was intended to honour the heritage, historical, and architectural importance of the original exterior, while increasing the interior's functionality. [10] Accessibility and sustainability were integrated into the redesign along with the use of period-accurate materials and aesthetics. [7] In 2021, the Queen Elizabeth Planetarium restoration received one of eight national awards from the National Trust. [10]

Directors

The first director of the Planetarium was Ian McLennan, a member of the Edmonton Centre branch of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, serving from 22 August 1960 to 31 October 1965, when he moved on to become the Director of the Strasenburgh Planetarium in Rochester, New York. [2]

McLennan was succeeded by David Rodger on 1 November 1965, but, departed on 31 July 1967, when he was appointed Director of the H.R. MacMillan Planetarium in Vancouver, British Columbia. During Rodgers’ directorship, the Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium produced its most successful shows and saw the 25,000th attendee on 4 July 1966. In 1967, an attendance record of 33,500 was reached. Shortly thereafter, the staff position of technician was added, William Cable being the first. [2]

Cable was made the next director, taking over on 2 August 1967. Cable reduced the involvement of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and attendance dropped during his tenure, from the 33,000 in 1967 to 12,500 in 1972, when Cable left the Planetarium. [2]

Garry T. Stasiuk was hired November 15, 1969 as Education Director. Garry came to the QEP II Planetarium from the University of Manitoba Planetarium where he was the Supervisor of the University Planetarium under the Direction of Professor Robert J. Lockhart. Garry’s Credentials include a Master Degree level Certification in Planetarium Management and Planetarium Astronomy from the State University of New York at Oswego. Garry Produced 4 school programs: A Story based presentation for Pre-school Children, Introduction to the Planetarium for Kindergarten to Grade 3. Planets, Comets and the Night Sky for grades 4 to 6 and Life in the Universe for grades 7 to 12 and up. At the request of the classroom teacher, presentations were adjusted to fit specific topics that the students were studying.. The school shows set record attendances for the Planetarium… every preschool child in the Edmonton area attended the planetarium show in February and March with as many as 6 shows a day! Attendance for the elementary level and High shows dramatically increased…

In 1971 Garry, because of his interest in how the students were reacting to the school presentations studied Psychology at the University of Alberta.

Garry’s Psychology University Class project was a paper about “Learning Behavior in the Planetarium.” For many planetaria around the world “Learning Behavior in the Planetarium” became a white paper standard guide on how to produce and present planetarium shows for the specific age level of the students attending the planetaria. Duties also include presenting shows to the public when necessary, In December of 1972 Garry left the Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium to Direct the H. C. Kendall Planetarium at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon.

On 5 January 1973,John Hault was installed as director, remaining in the position until the Planetarium closed on 31 December 1983. He subsequently become the Director of the Edmonton Space Sciences Centre. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotel Macdonald</span> Building in Alberta, Canada

The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, formerly and commonly known as the Hotel Macdonald, is a large historic luxury hotel in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Located along 100 Street NW, south of Jasper Avenue, the hotel is situated in the eastern end of downtown Edmonton, and overlooks the North Saskatchewan River. The 47.7-metre-high (156 ft) hotel building was designed by Ross and MacFarlene and contains eleven floors. The hotel is named for the first prime minister of Canada, Sir John A. Macdonald.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Hawrelak</span> Canadian politician

William Hawrelak was a politician in Alberta, Canada, the longest-serving mayor in Edmonton's history, and a candidate for election to the House of Commons of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telus World of Science Edmonton</span> Science centre in Alberta, Canada

Telus World of Science Edmonton (TWOSE) is a broad-based science centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, operated by the (non-profit) Edmonton Space & Science Foundation. The centre is located on the southwest corner of Coronation Park in the neighborhood of Woodcroft. The science centre houses 144,430 sq. ft. of public space and is the largest science centre in Western Canada. It is currently a member of both the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) and the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLaughlin Planetarium</span> Planetarium museum in Ontario, Canada.

The McLaughlin Planetarium is a former working planetarium whose building occupies a space immediately to the south of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, at 100 Queen's Park. Founded by a grant from philanthropist Colonel R. Samuel McLaughlin, the facility was opened to the public on October 26, 1968. It had, for its time, a state-of-the-art electro-mechanical Zeiss planetarium projector that was used to project regular themed shows about the stars, planets, and cosmology for visitors. By the 1980s the planetarium's sound-system and domed ceiling were used to display dazzling music-themed laser-light shows. The lower levels of the planetarium contained a gallery called the "Astrocentre" that featured space-related exhibits, related artifacts on the history of astronomy and was also home of the world's first commercial Stellarium

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alberta Legislature Building</span> Building in Alberta, Canada

The Alberta Legislature Building is located in Edmonton and is the meeting place of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and the Executive Council of Alberta. It is often shortened to "the Ledge".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government House (Alberta)</span> House / Conference Centre in Alberta, Canada

Government House is the former official residence of the lieutenant governors of Alberta. Located in Edmonton's Glenora neighbourhood, since 1964 the restored and repurposed building has been used by the Alberta provincial government for ceremonial events, conferences, and some official meetings of the caucus.

Nisku is a hamlet and an industrial/business park in Alberta, Canada, within Leduc County. It has an elevation of 705 metres (2,313 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rochester Museum and Science Center</span>

The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) is a museum in Rochester, New York, dedicated to community education in science, technology and local history. The museum also operates the Strasenburgh Planetarium, located next to the museum, and the Cumming Nature Center, a 900-acre (3.6 km2) nature preserve near Naples, New York. The museum resides at 657 East Ave. and has a collection of 1.2 million artifacts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monarchy in Alberta</span> Function of the Canadian monarchy in Alberta

By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, Canada's monarchy operates in Alberta as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. As such, the Crown within Alberta's jurisdiction is referred to as the Crown in Right of Alberta, His Majesty in Right of Alberta, or The King in Right of Alberta. The Constitution Act, 1867, however, leaves many royal duties in Alberta specifically assigned to the sovereign's viceroy, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, whose direct participation in governance is limited by the conventional stipulations of constitutional monarchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodcroft, Edmonton</span> Neighbourhood in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Woodcroft is a neighbourhood located in northwest Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Surrounded by a mixture of residential neighbourhoods and light industrial subdivisions, it is bounded by 118 Avenue to the north, Groat Road to the east, 111 Avenue to the south, and 142 Street to the west. The neighbourhoods is home to Coronation Park and the Telus World of Science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Elizabeth Pool</span>

The original Queen Elizabeth Pool, located on the south side of the North Saskatchewan River valley in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, was the oldest municipal pool in Western Canada. The Edmonton Bulletin described the pool as “delightfully situated in what is generally recognized as the city’s most beautiful park."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McQueen, Edmonton</span> Neighbourhood in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

McQueen is a residential neighbourhood located in west Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is named for the Rev. David George McQueen, who served 43 years as minister at Edmonton's First Presbyterian Church from 1887 to 1930.

North Glenora is a residential neighbourhood in west Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The neighbourhood is bounded on the north by 111 Avenue, on the south by 107 Avenue, on the east by Groat Road, and on the west by 142 Street. Groat Road provides access to locations on the south side, including the University of Alberta and Whyte Avenue.

In Canada, a number of sites and structures are named for royal individuals, whether a member of the past French royal family, British royal family, or present Canadian royal family thus reflecting the country's status as a constitutional monarchy under the Canadian Crown. Those who married into the royal family are indicated by an asterisk (*). Charles Edward Stuart was a pretender to the British throne.

Danek Mozdzenski is a Canadian sculptor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1939 royal tour of Canada</span>

The 1939 royal tour of Canada by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth was undertaken in the build-up of world political tensions to the imminent Second World War (1939-1945), as a way to shore up sympathy for the United Kingdom among her dominions and allies, should war break out in Europe. The tour lasted a month, from 17 May to 15 June, covering every province in Canada, along with the then separate Dominion of Newfoundland, and a few days south in the adjacent United States. It demonstrated and cemented Canada's allegiance to the Crown and its status as the senior Dominion of the then British Empire. There had been previous royal family tours in Canada, but, the 1939 tour was unprecedented, both due to the fact that it was the first visit to North America by the reigning monarch, as well as in its wide scope and public / media attention. The tour was an enormous event of the time, attracting huge crowds at each new city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sapphire Jubilee of Elizabeth II</span> 65th anniversary of the monarchs accession

The Sapphire Jubilee of Elizabeth II on 6 February 2017, marked 65 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. The longest-reigning monarch in British history, Elizabeth II was the first British monarch to have a sapphire jubilee.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hildebrand, Joslyn (September 2019). "The Restoration of the Queen Elizabeth Planetarium". Avenue Edmonton. Avenue Magazine. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Gibbins, Howard. "History". Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium. Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  3. ↑ Gibbins, Howard (2004), Application to Amend The Register of Historic Resources in Edmonton
  4. ↑ Simons, Paula (11 March 2015), "Landmark planetarium needs new mission to live long and prosper", Edmonton Journal , retrieved 17 January 2017
  5. 1 2 Simons, Paula (27 October 2016), "Restoring the Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium, the jewel in the crown of Coronation Park", Edmonton Journal , retrieved 17 January 2017
  6. ↑ Bartko, Karen (22 March 2017), Queen Elizabeth ll Planetarium designated Edmonton historic resource, Global News, retrieved 19 February 2020
  7. 1 2 3 4 Mulcahy, Karyn (29 September 2023), After 40 years, Edmonton's Queen Elizabeth Planetarium reopens, CTV News, retrieved 1 October 2023
  8. ↑ Reopening of Edmonton planetarium pushed back to spring, CTV News, 2 January 2020, retrieved 19 February 2020
  9. ↑ Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium: The Crown Jewel in Coronation Park
  10. 1 2 Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium Restoration, City of Edmonton, retrieved 1 October 2023
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.