Scrap the old terminal?

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This article was published 02/05/2009 (6248 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A HERITAGE assessment planned for Richardson International Airport’s passenger terminal has been cancelled, paving the way for the demolition of the architecturally sig­nificant structure when the airport’s new terminal opens in 2010.

In April, the Winnipeg Airports Au­thority planned to assess the historic and artistic value of its 45-year-old glass-and-steel terminal, which aca­demics consider a rare and robust ex­ample of mid-century modern design.

But the formal review was cancelled when the private corporation learned it was not subject to rules that require federally owned buildings to undergo heritage assessments, WAA spokes­woman Christine Alongi said.

The authority now plans to tear down the existing terminal and find a new home for the two massive artworks at either end of the structure: Eli Born­stein’s Structuralist Relief in Fifteen Parts and John Graham’s Northern

Lights.

"We withdrew from the process, be­cause we were advised it was not under Treasury Board policy," said Alongi, explaining that the WAA — not Trans­port Canada — effectively owns the ter­minal through a long-term lease.

Since no private-sector proposal to re-use the terminal has come forward, demolition will likely proceed in 2010 or 2011.

"Our business plan was always to utilize that private space," Alongi said. "If there was a business that wanted to utilize that space and put in the capital funding, that would interest us."

Right now, the only proposal for the space is a Western Canada Aviation Museum plan to build a new museum on the terminal site, which the air­ports authority won’t need following the completion of its new, $672-million expansion. The expansion includes a new terminal designed by Cesar Pelli, whose credits also include the Petronas Towers in Malaysia.

The Ottawa-based Canadian Herit­age Foundation is now vowing to fight herit- the demolition, at least to the point of demanding the WAA conduct a herit­age assessment.

"Even though they’re not obligated to do this, they are leasing one of the most significant modern buildings in Canada," said foundation spokeswoman Carolyn Quinn.

"In order to make the best and most informed decision about the future of the airport, having that assessment in front of them would make the most sense."

In 2008, the Canadian Heritage Foun­dation placed the Richardson terminal on its "Top 10 most endangered places" list. Along with airports in Toronto, Ed­monton and Gander, N.L., the terminal "was built as part of a nationwide pro­gram to show Canadians and the world — through the creation of striking architecture — that Canada was a for­ward- thinking, cosmopolitan nation," the foundation maintains.

University of Winnipeg art history professor Serena Keshavjee, an expert in modern architecture, said every as­pect of the terminal building, from the massive artworks down to the furni­ture design, was intended to push art­istic boundaries.

"That building was extremely high­quality, by international standards. It was cutting-edge at the time," she said, adding a respectful renovation during the 1980s maintained the build­ing’s character. "It’s hard for people to realize these modern buildings are heritage buildings. It’s hard to realize buildings built within our lifetime are important."

The fate of the Bornstein and Gra­ham artworks also concern Keshavjee, as few Winnipeg buildings are large enough to store the sprawling murals.

Like the Canadian Heritage Founda­tion, she’s urging a stay of execution for the terminal. Its sister building in Toronto has been demolished and the Edmonton terminal has been renovated beyond recognition.

"If we tear it down, we’ll be sorry in a couple of years," she said.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca