Attachment 2 CR_158

City of Edmonton Community Services Department Edmonton Historical Board

BRIEFING NOTE
ALTERNATIVES TO THE ADAPTIVE RE-USE OF THE ROSSDALE GENERATING STATION: A STUDY OF INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE PARKS
Prepared by the Edmonton Historical Board for the Executive Committee of City Council ISSUE On March 20, 2013, at the Edmonton Historical Boards annual lunch with City Council, a number of Councillors inquired whether the Board had suggestions for alternative future uses of the Rossdale Generating Station, and in particular, alternatives to a large scale adaptive re-use. The Board undertook to provide a briefing about approaches other communities have used to preserve, modify or interpret heritage industrial sites and abandoned buildings. The Board understands that its briefing will be consolidated as an Appendix to Sustainable Developments report to Executive Committee for its July 8, 2013 meeting. We welcome the opportunity to be included in that process. As directed by Executive Committee on February 11, 2013, we understand that Administrations July report will include An update on the work with EPCOR and the Province to revisit the historical designation of the site; and whether there is any potential interest on repurposing the buildings in their current historical state, or other options for developing the site, including divesting some or all of the site, such report to include any options that would support existing plans for a development node in the river valley. This briefing was also developed with regard to the Boards duty under Bylaw 13601 to advise Council on matters relating to City of Edmonton historical issues and civic heritage policies, and encourage, promote and advocate for the preservation and safeguarding of historical properties, resources, communities and documentary heritage. With respect to the Rossdale-specific content, the Board based its briefing on publicly-available information. The Boards sources for this report are summarized in the References section. CONCEPTS The potential futures for the Rossdale Generating Station (RGS) can be described as points on a continuum (see Figure 1 on the next page), with the bookend scenarios defined as Demolition and Adaptive Re-Use. Demolition: The consequences of demolition are clear: the citizens of Edmonton and Alberta would lose a unique and irreplaceable heritage resource. The RGS is a registered Provincial Historic Resource 1, a designation which recognizes its "outstanding provincial significance. The citation notes, among other attributes, that it is the only power plant from this period of this scale remaining in Alberta (emphasis added) and that electricity has been generated continuously on the site since 1902. Adaptive Re-Use: The Board is aware of at least three efforts to define and cost an adaptive re-use for the RGS. Like most adaptation of large-scale industrial buildings, the required investment is considerable2,3 and is challenged to compete for capital when compared to returns from alternative real estate options (for private sector developers) or alternative public goods (for public sector investors). Even where capital is available, adaptive re-use is sensitive from a heritage perspective, as it is often difficult to retain character defining elements4 of a structure while converting it to a use for which is was not originally designed.

Designation 2102 encompasses the Low Pressure Plant including the Turbine House and Boiler House, Pumphouse No. 1, and the Administration Building together with the land (Alberta Register of Historic Places). 2 An estimated $63.3 million to upgrade the RGS building to a commercial standard, allow tenant improvements and subsequent occupancy permits according to Administrations February 11, 2013 report. (City of Edmonton Sustainable Development 2013) 3 In early 2008, EPCOR reported on its market assessment, business planning and architecture and engineering estimates for a proposed water centre, which concluded that privately funded development was not viable primarily due to the size of the markets, its strategic position relative to other water centres of excellence and competing service providers, and the engineering and cost estimates for an adaptive re-use. The project had studied an adaptive re-use that would deliver 100,000 square feet of mixed office and lab space, 109,000 square feet of common area, and 300 350 parking spaces; indicative bids for construction costs in 2007 were $158 232 million (EPCOR). 4 The provincial Statement of Significance lists eleven character defining elements for the Low Pressure Plant (Alberta Register of Historic Places). EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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Between these two book-end scenarios lay a number of other possibilities in which industrial buildings are wholly or partly retained but not fully adapted for another use, and incorporated into a park environment (Industrial Heritage Parks). As Hugh Hardy writes in The Romance of Abandonment: Industrial Parks, the exact approach selected depends on the site conditions and the community: 5
Municipalities are reclaiming these leftover spaces as parks all over the world, motivated sometimes by fascination with the aesthetic juxtaposition of nature and built artifacts, other times by concern about the environmentEach site must also be considered on its own merits. Since no two communities view conversion the same way, no two projects can achieve the same result. And because of their variety, there is no uniform method for reconstruction. (p.32)

This briefing provides examples of how other communities have handled the challenge of decommissioned industrial sites and structures, discusses the implications of each approach, and surveys emerging and competing schools of thought in the heritage and landscape architecture communities. Conceptually, we have grouped these possible futures under several headings, and ordered them on a continuum from least to most interventionist, as shown in the figure below. 6
Figure 1: Range of potential futures for industrial heritage structures

LESSONS FROM THE CASE STUDIES: INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE PARKS The principal content in this briefing is the presentation of five case studies which show how heritage industrial structures can be preserved and interpreted in a park setting. These Industrial Heritage Parks are diverse in many ways: by location (Seattle, Duisburg, Minneapolis, Birmingham, Bethlehem), by scale (from 19 to nearly 600 acres), by prior industrial use (iron works, gasification, grain processing, mixed industry and power production), and by the degree of preservation or intervention in the present site (from minimal intervention to extensive re-working of the site and structures). Yet despite their differences, there are commonalities across the projects which may be helpful to consider when evaluating possible futures for Rossdale. These lessons include: 1. Begin with a long term plan and site design. All of the parks studied were developed over many years, and began with a comprehensive site plan. On complex and large sites, implementation has stretched over decades; the fastest implementation took five years from site plan initiation to park opening. Phase the implementation and funding. Consistent with the longer time horizon, the park conversions were funded over many years as resources became available. Some of the parks discussed in the case studies continue to evolve today. For example, while the first elements of Landschaftspark opened in 1994, the power plant on its site was not converted for re-use until 1997 and there was no visitor centre until 2001. The phased extension of the park continues today.

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Langhorst (2004) similarly concludes that designs need to be site- and context-specific: divergent attitudes to and interests in post-industrial sites, as well as the complexity and contestation of the sites, necessitate design solutions that take into account their history, both in its physical remnants as well as in its socio-cultural and economic contexts. 6 Adaptive re-uses which remove everything except the basic building structure have come under criticism for being tantamount to demolition. Hardy writes: The Tate Modern, London, and the Dia Beacon, New York, offer visitors no clue to their original uses a power station and a Nabisco factory, respectively. The interiors of these buildings have been stripped to provide a neutral background for the display of art...Their minimalist design produces large, simple volumes, but they lack identity with the industrial past, making big, but bland, places. EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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Keep options open. In the earliest stages of park development, attention has focused on preserving options for the future. For example, at Sloss Furnaces the first funding was allocated to stabilizing structures on the site;7 it was three years before the site plan was completed. At Landschaftspark, only the exterior of the former power plant was integrated into the grounds; its adaptive re-use as a concert hall did not come until years later. Publicly plan and fund. In each of the cases cited, the site has transitioned from privately-owned industrial use to become a publicly-planned and publicly-funded park. In one of the cases this process began with the donation of the property and building by the final owner (Sloss Furnaces); in another case the site was purchased from its owner by the municipality (Gas Works Park); and in others a public body or publicly-funded body took over administration of abandoned properties (Mill Ruins Park, Landschaftspark). Value heritage building exteriors. Across each of the case studies, park designers concluded that the exteriors of unoccupied structures had aesthetic and historic value, and would be incorporated into the site even if they could not be re-used or re-programmed (while leaving open the possibility of a later adaptive re-use). Their designs have made a wide range of former industrial structures positive elements of the overall site plan, and shown different ways structures can be retained, interpreted and programmed (as everything from climbing walls, scuba tanks, play barns, courtyards). Use minimal intervention. While the case studies feature a range of intervention levels, the consensus is that it is preferable to use the smallest possible intervention necessary when interpreting or adapting the site and its structures, with a focus on interventions that promote public safety or stabilize structures to prevent further deterioration. Interpret multiple histories. A challenge for the Industrial Heritage Parks is interpreting the many different historical, cultural and economic conditions relevant to understanding the sites. Less successful sites treat industrial structures as aesthetic objects in the landscape rather than as well-interpreted heritage. As discussed later in this briefing (page 13), should the RGS be incorporated into an Industrial Heritage Park there are inclusive heritage planning principles which can be followed to ensure that the many histories and perspectives relevant to the site, and in particular its Aboriginal history, are incorporated into the park design. Plan for the long term, take action in the short term:8 creative recreational programming and adaptation. The case studies show it is possible to blend the principal of minimal intervention with low-impact programming that makes the site attractive to recreational users and families. The 2011 Views and Perspectives report identified a number of creative and affordable ways to program the outdoor space and building exterior which would not require bringing the interior of the RGS up to code at this time. Recommendations from Views and Perspectives that are similar to successful programming found in the case studies include:
Light up the site, especially during the winter months when daylight is at a premium. This could include light shows and creative illumination of the smokestacks and buildings. [Note: This could now tie-in to existing efforts to light the High Level Bridge and to have the new Walterdale Bridge as a signature entry into central Edmonton.] Install an outdoor climbing wall on the side of the large building, and make it an ice climbing wall in winter; Hold open-air markets, even during the winter months such as a Christmas outdoor market; Have artists use the space to create striking and conversation-starting art installations; Use shipping containers to create temporary structures on the site; Host outdoor movie viewings, using a huge white sheet against the side of a building for a projection screen something that could be seen from across the river. Allow boaters and rafters a place to dock so they can take a break from their water activities to explore the site. Offer recreational activities. These need not be confined to the grounds of the site, but could incorporate the broader river valley. One idea was to run a zipline from the south bank of the river to the site. People also suggested climbing walls, tightropes, and other adventure activities that make use of the natural aspects of the river valley.

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In its February 2013 report, Administration concluded that the minimum work needed to preserve the opportunity to repurpose the RGS buildings at a later date would cost $4.56 million, of which $1.7 million was for structural stabilization, and $2.8 million for roof replacement. Amounts for mechanical and safety installations (heating, electrical, guard rails) were additional to this. These investments would stabilize the structure but will not provide for public access or programming. Operating costs for the stabilized structures were estimated at $645,000 per year, and were included in the 2013 Operating Budget on a pro rata basis (based on transfer to the City occurring part-way through 2013). 8 Plan for the long term, take action in the short term, was one of the conclusions presented in the 2011 Views and Perspectives report on the Rossdale consultations. EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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CASE STUDIES: INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE PARKS Case Study: Gas Works Park, Seattle, Washington Gas Works Park is one of the earliest instances of industrial structures being incorporated into park design. The park is 19 acres (7.7 ha), similar in scale to the generation portion of the Rossdale site, and so may be the most relevant example of how an industrial structure can be incorporated into a waterside park. The centre of the park features the remnants of the last remaining coal gasification plant in the United States, which was abandoned in 1956. 9 The site and structures were purchased from the former owner by the City of Seattle in 1962. In 1970, Richard Haag was retained to develop a park plan for the site. Haag realized that the site contained the last gas works a unique opportunity for preservation and recommended preservation of portions of the plant for its historic, esthetic and utilitarian value.

Key Features Incorporates portions of an industrial facility into a waterside park Similar in scale to the Rossdale generation site Integrates structure into an open park used as recreational space and for water views Relatively high level of intervention (demolition) on the site compared to later industrial park projects Limited adaptation of some structures for specific uses (e.g. play barn); others fenced off from access

The park opened in 1975 to widespread acclaim and was recognized with the American Society of Landscape Architects Award of Excellence. Writing in the New York Times, Paul Goldberger praised its innovation: The complex array of towers, tanks and pipes of the gas works forms a powerful industrial still life ... serving both as a visual focus for the park and as a monument to the citys industrial past. The park represents a complete reversal from a period when industrial monuments were regarded, even by preservationists, as ugly intrusions on the landscape, to a time when such structures as the gas works are recognized for their potential ability to enhance the urban experience. The park is entered through a landscaped parking area or through a bike and walking path. A grassy berm and rows of trees marks the former railroad right of way. The park has several areas: The Earth Mound, Prow, and Lawns are open areas intended for passive and active recreation, and (like Rossdale) offer excellent views of the city and water. The Towers (of the former gasification plant), Play Barn, and Picnic Shelter are adapted from the original structures. Some parts of the plant stand as ruins, while others have been reconditioned, painted, and incorporated into a children's play barn structure, constructed in part from what was the plant's exhauster-compressor building. Gas Works Park also features an artificial kite-flying hill with an elaborately sculptured sundial built into its summit (the hill was built up from the rubble of demolished structures on the site). Contaminated soil and groundwater have not prevented re-use of the site; they are being remediated in situ through bio-phytoremediation. The park is a Seattle City and Washington State Landmark, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The descriptive text in this case study is abridged from the Seattle Parks Department and Wikipedia (see References). The photos are attributed to Liesl Matthies and Shakespeare at en.wikipedia. EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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Case Study: Landschaftspark (Landscape Park), Duisburg-North, Germany One of the most widely discussed success stories in the practice of Key Features converting industrial sites into parks is Germanys Landschaftspark. A large scale conversion of a 200-ha While dramatically larger in scale than the 6-ha Rossdale site, it is a industrial site into a park model for how structures on a former industrial site can largely be Blends diverse recreational uses with a left intact (the principle of minimal intervention), and sensitively minimal intervention strategy incorporated into a park design that uses the structures for extensive Phased implementation. Planned in recreational programming and activity. Hugh Hardy writes: 1991, first elements opened in 1994, power plant converted (1997), visitors Winner of a 2005 EDRA/Places Design Award is the magnificent centre added (2001) hybrid designed by landscape architect Peter Latz, founder of Latz Design evolves as project is funded + Partners. The same forces behind the thriving Sloss Furnaces incrementally conversionhave led to the reuse of many of the coal-mining and steel-manufacturing sites in a 200-square-mile area of Germany bordered by the Lippe, Ruhr and Rhine rivers. Reviving these places in their entirety is a project conceived and implemented by a public-private coalition called the International Building Exhibition Emscherpark. The most spectacular of the reclamation efforts so far has been that at Duisburg. Defying the traditional serene notion of park, Latzs design juxtaposes nature with industry by transforming massive industrial objects into places of culture and recreation. It reconstitutes the original fabric in ways sympathetic to its configuration by using water to make slides, ponds, swimming pools, a diving center, and fountains, and by using existing structures as promenades and footbridges. A hulking wall has become a rock-climbing center, and one of three gigantic blast furnaces is a concert venue. The parks vast acreage accommodates fairgrounds, childrens play areas, and extensive gardens. This is almost the ideal reuse of an industrial site, one instance when huge size (568 acres) is an advantage, and where the areas history is preserved. Also, because the land is being reclaimed slowly, the project can be funded incrementally, and its design can evolve along with the landscape. The park is free to its six hundred thousand annual visitors. Elisabeth Clemence Chan also finds it successful, a place that begins to find a middle ground between theme park industrial ruins and totally unembellished (and unusable yet narratively complex) industrial ruins. At Landscape Park Duisburg-North the ruins are left standing in a somewhat crumbling yet preserved state, while the planting design and program help to highlight the complex meanings and history of the steelworks the park replaced. The difference between Latzs work at Duisburg-North and other well-known industrial ruin parks is his approach, the syntactical planning approach, a design process that layers information with timeless aspects of a placeThis was not an historical preservation strategy per se but a design based upon a deep analysis and integration of four separate concepts, with an overall strategy of using minimal intervention. Power Plant Over a period of more than ten years, a culture, nature and leisure park has been created around the old ironworks which is unique in terms of its multifaceted combination of uses. Walking, cycling, playing, letting off steam, enjoying the view from Blast Furnace 5 and relaxing in the beer garden or restaurant are just a few of the many possibilities a visit provides. And at night Jonathan Parks light installation shines over the houses of the city - a Duisburg landmark visible from a distance.
(Text and photo source: http://en.landschaftspark.de/theparkk/introduction Photo: Siegfried Dammrath)

EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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Climbing Garden Since 1990 the Duisburg section of the German Alpine Association has had its own climbing garden in the Landscape Park Duisburg Nord. They did the construction work themselves and it has since been frequently extended. The actual climbing garden was created inside the charge bunker. When the ironworks was still operational, this is where coke and iron ores were stored. The varying degrees of steepness of the walls and the well preserved towers are ideally suited for climbing, and once youre on the summit you can enjoy a marvellous view over the surrounding area. Photo: Horst Neuendorf
(Text and photo source: http://en.landschaftspark.de/leisuresport/climbing-garden )

Night Lighting at Landschaftspark (Photo: Kai Schmeling)

EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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Case Study: Mill Ruins Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota The following description of Mill City Museum and Mill Ruins Park is abridged from Sydney Schoofs Preservation Without Restoration (p.44-47).

The Washburn A Mill Complex was the largest flour mill left in Minneapolis, a city whose growth was connected to the growth of the flour milling industry. The mill, the last of its kind in the city, closed in the 1960s, and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in the 1980s. The vacant mill burned in the 1990s; the fire was so destructive that restoration was not an option, but rather than demolish the remains it was preserved and converted into a museum without reconstructing the original structure. Instead, the Minneapolis Community Development Agency removed debris from the site and stabilized the walls in order to prevent further collapse and for safety reasons.

Key Features Preserves and programs the ruins of an historic industrial building, including open air courtyard created by the walls of the original mill structure Integrates the building with nearby archeological features in a riverside park Incorporates biking and walking paths, landscaping and interpretive signs

An open air courtyard10 is created by the walls of the original mill structure and graphics depicting the milling machines are featured on the glass wall to give visitors a sense of their scale. As the ruins themselves have not had time to gain historic significance, they are not interpreted to the same extent that the history of original building is interpreted (including the period of the buildings abandonment, which is a significant part of the citys history).

Mill Ruins Park is across the street from Mill City Museum and was once part of the same complex. The ruins, adjacent to the river, are remnants of the mill run and buildings. The historic significance of the site was taken into consideration as the area was developed and the site was excavated and its future planned for by the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board. The park opened in 2001 and was completed in 2005. There are now biking and walking paths, landscaping and interpretive signs illustrating the history of the site, as well as walking tours available. While the designation of historic significance came before the Washburn A Mill was ruined, contributing to the call for its preservation, the use to which it was put after ruination is unique and can provide important lessons. Because the ruins of the mill are located near the center of a major city, both safety and vandalism were considered in the development of the design. Mill Ruins Park is also effective as a park due to its proximity to the river and integration with recreational activities and trails. This project demonstrates that there are circumstances in which ruins can be used for something more than a unique, aesthetically interesting park.

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As illustrated in the photos above, from the Mill City Museum, the courtyard space is programmed with music and other live events. The American Institute of Architects award citation for the project calls Mill City: A creative adaptive reuse of an extant shell of a mill building, with contrasting insertion of contemporary materials, weaving the old and the new into a seamless whole...A complex and intriguing social and regional story that reveals itself as the visitor progresses through the spaces. It is museum as a verb...A gutsy, crystalline, glowing courtyard for a re-emerging waterfront district that attracts young and old and has stimulated adjacent development. EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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Case Study: Sloss Furnaces, Birmingham, Alabama Sloss Furnaces operated as a pig iron-producing blast furnace from 1882 to 1971.11 After closing it became one of the first industrial sites (and the only blast furnace) in the United States to be preserved for public use. In 1981 the furnaces were designated a United States National Historic Landmark.

The path to designation began in 1973, when the property was donated by its final owner to a public authority for possible development as a museum of industry. The authority determined that redevelopment was not feasible and made plans to demolish the furnaces. Local preservationists formed the Sloss Furnace Association to lobby for preservation of this site because of its central importance to the history of Birmingham. In 1976 the site was documented for the Historic American Engineering Record and its significance was detailed in a study commissioned by the city. Birmingham voters approved a $3.3 million bond issue in 1977 to preserve the site. This money went toward stabilization of about two-thirds of the historic structures on site, the construction of a visitor's center and the establishment of a metal arts program.

Key Features Site left intact, with minimal intervention as industrial buildings were integrated into a park setting Began with stabilization of 40 buildings and development of a master plan Park evolved over time as resources became available

The master plan, developed in 1980 by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates, was titled A Museum of Modern Times. It envisioned the site as a home for educational, cultural, and recreational programs, with visitors able to walk through the site, with its two giant blast furnaces and forty other structures (Hardy, 2005). Visitors encounter the active artifacts of steel-making, with the site and buildings left intact save for some editing to satisfy building code and safety concerns (Chan, 2009).

Sloss Furnaces currently serves as an interpretive museum of industry, as a concert, special events (e.g. weddings) and festival venue, and as host of a nationally recognized metal arts program. Construction is underway on a new $10 million visitors center. The furnace site, along a wide strip of land reserved in Birmingham's original city plan for railroads and industry, is part of a proposed linear park through downtown Birmingham.

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The text in this case study is abridged from Wikipedia, except where credited to Hardy and Chan. Photos: Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark (http://slossfurnaces.com/rental/weddings) EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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Case Study: SteelStacks, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania In 1995, after a nearly 120-year history of steel production on the site, the Bethlehem Steel plant closed.12 In 1999, the City of Bethlehem, Bethlehem Area School District, and County of Northampton the three local taxing bodies established a Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) district on the property, dedicating any future tax dollars generated from new business on the site to helping revitalize the former steel plant.

Then, through a partnership involving the nonprofit ArtsQuest, the City of Bethlehem, the Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority, local public television station PBS 39 and Sands BethWorks Retail LLC, which donated the land for the project, plans were put in place to transform the site into an arts and entertainment district that would showcase music, art, festivals, educational programming and more throughout the year.

Key Features Preservation of large-scale industrial structures as a backdrop to new development Primary investment in nearby new facilities including multiple performing arts centres Interpretation of site history through tours and activities, but mainly nonheritage programming

Over the past several years, more than $70 million has been invested into the SteelStacks project, primarily into the construction of new performing arts facilities and commercial buildings. Since its opening in spring 2011, more than one million people have visited SteelStacks to enjoy musical performances, films, community celebrations and festivals. The site design for SteelStacks preserves Bethlehem Steels five blast furnaces, which serve as a backdrop for a campus that includes significant new buildings.13 The new facilities include ArtsQuest (a contemporary performing arts center), the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, and three outdoor music venues. An art and architecture tour interprets the site:
Tours begin at one of the earliest buildings on the former steel plant, the 1863 Stock House, now the oldest building remaining on the site. Made of stone and brick, the Stock House was initially used to store raw materials for the iron making process. Today, it has been fully restored and serves as a Visitor Center for the City of Bethlehem. Participants also visit the remains of the former Bessemer Rail Rolling Mill; the Turn and Grind Shop; and the Commercial-Style Steel General Offices. The tours also stop at the Levitt Pavilion, a 21st-century outdoor music pavilion created by Wallace Roberts and Todd, as well as the ArtsQuest Center, a contemporary performing arts center designed by Spillman Farmer Architects. During the tours, visitors learn how Bethlehem Steel became a major producer of structural steel in the early 20th centurythe tour also highlight the five public sculptures at SteelStacks. Photos: (L) Lee Music Pavillion at SteelStacks (Lee Beaumont); (R) SteelStacks campus street view (SteelStacks.org).

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The text in this section is abridged from SteelStacks (http://www.steelstacks.org/history/) and the tour summary is abridged from Artsquest (http://www.artsquest.org/tours/) 13 This design approach has its critics. Chan writes, with reference to J.B. Jackson: ruins of vernacular structures and landscapes act more as a reflection of contemporary values than as any kind of monument to an accurate historyFrom this perspective, the ruins of manufacturing used as a backdrop in park design are monuments more symbolic of our cultures reverence for technology, power and scale rather than of any desire to remember particular people, acts or consequences of the industrial age. EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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CONCEPTUAL IMAGES OF CASE STUDY EXAMPLES APPLIED TO ROSSDALE Three examples from the case studies which also feature in the Views and Perspectives report are depicted below as conceptual illustrations. In each case, the emphasis is on activating the exterior of the RGS through a new intervention such as night lighting or use as a theatre or having it serve as a backdrop to a new activity in the park area in front, such as a summer market space. In these conceptual illustrations the building interior is not necessarily made habitable, though the option is retained should a future re-use opportunity become viable.

EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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SITE PLANNING FOR INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE PARKS: INCLUSIVE HERITAGE PRINCIPLES Regardless of the approach used for the future of the RGS, there are some heritage principles which should be incorporated into any design approach. The most significant of these are that the planning approach be based on inclusivity i.e. the commemoration and interpretation of the many histories of the site, rather than a single narrative or single use. The 2004 Historical Land Use Study anticipated this challenge when discussing the future of the RGS site and buildings. The fourteen recommendations included one that relates to the future use of the RGS site specifically, and another that addresses the value of an inclusive approach to heritage:
4. Should industrial use of the EPCOR lands immediately east of the burial ground cease at some time in the future, a protocol for mitigation should be developed in consultation with ACD [now Alberta Culture]. (p.207) 14. Initiatives should be taken to commemorate and interpret all the significant history of Rossdale flats, including the many uses during the fur-trade era and the variety of other uses that have occurred before and after that era. Commemoration and interpretation should recognize the achievements of the many cultures who lived and worked here for millennia, and who collectively were instrumental in creating the City of Edmonton. (p.208)

The inclusion of multiple narratives in future site planning is not unique to the Rossdale site; it is a well understood issue in all heritage interpretation, and there are challenges which are common to projects involving industrial structures. In her survey of industrial ruins in parks, Chan (2009) concluded that the structures are not typically used in ways that project the environmental consequences, production practices, economics, or legacies of the industry. Instead, it is my view that parks containing industrial ruins are designed and built because people enjoy ruins, especially in parks.14 This approach masks history, rather than interprets it. As a remedy, Chan proposes a series of primary actions that can be taken by landscape architects to reveal and activate the historical narrative of post-industrial sites, which we abridge as follows: 1. Treat the structures primarily as historical evidence and secondarily as aesthetic devices; 2. Consider the impact that contemporary values have on the interpretation of the site. Be careful not to overdo the design based on current perspectives. Design a site with a complex narrative that will last; 3. Allow history to be the primary contextual and conceptual layer, not an afterthought. Programming, aesthetics and function can follow historical content; 4. Use the smallest possible intervention. The less complex the design, the more sustainable the site;15 5. Program processes of discovery into the design of industrial ruin parks. Do not over-program or go too far in cleaning up the site, or it will impede creativity and the potential for discovery. A place that retains some gritty character will tell a more multifaceted narrative than one that is polished. These principles would be useful references during the development of a future site plan or landscape design that incorporated the RGS into the river valley park system.

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Chan concluded that this happens because industrial ruins possess four shared traits that can depoliticize history, namely: 1. Industrial ruins are attractive in parks for their aesthetically curious state. They are typically huge, old and weathered, qualities many people find appealing. 2. The original functions of industrial ruins are difficult to decipher, and are therefore easily mythologized. 3. The perception of industrial ruins in parks is subject to the traditional use of ruins in Classical gardens. 4. Industrial ruins possess a particular sublime quality that stems from a history, at least in the United States of America, of reverence and awe for technology. 15 In discussing the fourth principle, taking the smallest possible intervention, Chan notes that one might consider simply leaving the industrial ruins in ruins (perhaps, in the case of a park, fenced from recreational areas). Many experts on industrial history believe that industrial ruins left as ruins is the most comprehensive educational approach and can probably tell a more complete and complex story of the sites past than any park design. This approach is discussed above in the section Deliberately Eroding Ruin.

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ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES As depicted in Figure 1 (page 2), there are a range of potential futures for industrial heritage structures between demolition and adaptive re-use, including a range of treatments within the category of Industrial Heritage Parks. This section briefly summarizes three alternative strategies that communities have also used, both intentionally and unintentionally, to deal with sites: mothballing, preserved ruins and abandonment. Alternative Strategy: Mothball For Later Re-Use When all means of finding a productive use for a historic building have been exhausted or when funds are not currently available to put a deteriorating structure into a useable condition, it may be necessary to close up the building temporarily to protect it from the weather as well as to secure it from vandalism. 16 This process, known as mothballing, can be a necessary and effective means of protecting the building while planning the property's future, or raising money for a preservation, rehabilitation or restoration project. If a vacant property has been declared unsafe by building officials, stabilization and mothballing may be the only way to protect it from demolition. The project team will usually consist of an architect, historian, preservation specialist, sometimes a structural engineer, and a contractor. Mothballing should not be done without careful planning to ensure that needed physical repairs are made prior to securing the building. The steps discussed in this brief can protect buildings for periods of up to ten years; long-term success will also depend on continued, although somewhat limited, monitoring and maintenance. A vacant historic building cannot survive indefinitely in a boarded-up condition, and so even marginal interim uses where there is regular activity and monitoring, such as a caretaker residence or non-flammable storage, are generally preferable to mothballing. In a few limited cases, when the vacant building is in good condition and in a location where it can be watched and checked regularly, closing and locking the door, setting heat levels at just above freezing, and securing the windows may provide sufficient protection for a period of a few years. But if long-term mothballing is the only remaining option, it must be done properly. This will require stabilization of the exterior, properly designed security protection, generally some form of interior ventilationeither through mechanical or natural air exchange systemsand continued maintenance and surveillance monitoring. The following 9 steps are involved in properly mothballing a building:
Documentation 1. Document the architectural and historical significance of the building. 2. Prepare a condition assessment of the building. Stabilization 3. Structurally stabilize the building, based on a professional condition assessment. 4. Exterminate or control pests, including termites and rodents. 5. Protect the exterior from moisture penetration. Mothballing 6. Secure the building and its component features to reduce vandalism or break-ins. 7. Provide adequate ventilation to the interior. 8. Secure or modify utilities and mechanical systems. 9. Develop and implement a maintenance and monitoring plan for protection.

Edmonton Mothballing Success Stories: Hotel MacDonald, Federal Building and the Prince of Wales Armouries Edmonton has recent experience successfully mothballing heritage buildings whose significance and scale made them irreplaceable historic resources. Mothballing of the Hotel MacDonald (from 1983 to 1991), the Federal Building (1989 to 2014), the Prince of Wales Armouries (1970s 1992), and the Bay building was used as a strategy to retain these resources until such time as reuses were identified and became commercially viable.
16

The text in this section is abridged from the opening section of the National Parks Service Preservation Brief Mothballing Historic Buildings, by Sharon C. Park, AIA. EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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Alternative Strategy: Preserved or Eroding Ruin In the preceding examples, Industrial Heritage Parks have incorporated buildings and structures in various states of repair. Some have been stabilized and are being preserved in their present state, or restored/adapted for other uses. Others are being left exposed to the elements and are transforming over time. Most of the parks discussed so far have featured a blend of approaches, with certain structures left to evolve over time while others are cared for. The final category are ruins, which typically receive one of two treatments: [they] can be stabilized to preserve them for future generations [or] left to further deteriorate where appropriate, provided public safety is ensured (Schoof, 2011). This category does not currently apply to Rossdale, because the buildings on site are not ruins, and owners of Provincial Historic Resources have obligations to maintain these resources in good repair. However, by Schoofs definitions, it is reasonable to consider that the current condition of the Low Pressure Plant puts it on the borderline between being an abandoned building or a ruin. He distinguishes these as follows:
A building can be defined as a structure which houses activities that could not be performed adequately or at all without shelter from the environment. It has a defined interior and exterior, with load-bearing structure, walls, and a roof that protects any goods and activities from the weather, intruders, and pests. The working definition of ruins for this paper will be the visible remains of a building or series of buildings that have outlived their usefulness yet stand as a physical reminder of the social conditions that created them, as well as the change in society that led to their abandonment. ...the remains of buildings so deteriorated that they can no longer perform their function. Ruins differ from abandoned buildings, which are vacant but can reasonably be expected to be repaired and reused.

In the unfortunate event that some of the buildings at the RGS site become ruins in the future (as happened, for example, in Minneapolis at the Mill City site due to a fire), there is precedent for preserving remnants of ruined buildings rather than demolishing them entirely or rebuilding. In Preservation Without Restoration, Sydney Schoof examines how ruins have been treated, and concludes that when a building has reached a state of ruin, restoration is inappropriate as it would detract from the significance associated with the decline of the structure . Western historical precedents for preserving ruins in their present condition dates to the late 1400s, when Roman ruins such as the Coliseum were first ordered preserved (rather than renovated or demolished) by Pope Pius II, and were extended in the 19th century by the Romantic Movement and the development of landscape architecture, which both incorporated existing ruins into landscapes and fabricated new ruins and follies to satisfy evolving tastes.17 Considering this precedent, Chan (2009) asks, somewhat rhetorically, What if we took a cue from Pope Piuss strategy and let the crumbling ruins of industry stand, in this eroding state, as monuments? Parks could be built around them and among them (with many fences), but the structures and artifacts could continue to tell the fragmented stories of history. Ruins provide an opportunity for memory that is totally different from written history. It is this set of meanings that is lost when industrial ruins are polished, painted and planted. By being defined and designed they lose their ambiguity the incomplete state of decay that gives them a more complex meaning. But she then concludes this option is unrealistic Given the way landscape design and urban planning work today there is no question that proposing a repertoire of foreboding ruins is an impractical position to take at the moment and instead looks to Industrial Heritage Parks such as Landschaftspark as models of the middle ground between unembellished ruins and historically-void theme park recreational sites. In his study of the contemporary treatment of ruins, Schoof found common patterns, concluding that:
[The] preservation of each followed a common pattern of development. After several years of neglect and deterioration, interest begins to grow amongst the local community, generally based on the aesthetic appeal of the structure. People come to the area to photograph the ruins or to experience the sense of mystery they evoke. The community then begins to feel that the ruins are important and should be preserved and begin to examine their historic significance. Once preserved, most sites containing ruins are turned into parks where visitors can view the stabilized structures and learn about their history from plaques, guides, museums, or some combination of sources. These parks allow visitors access to the important cultural and aesthetic sites, while the maintenance of the structures means that the safely of the visitors is assured. Depending on the site, the stabilization and preservation of the ruins is opposed by interested parties. This is most often the case for Native America sites where some believe that everything, including an ancestral site, has a natural life cycle, at the end of which it should rightfully expir e. In general, however, the arrested decay of a stabilized ruin is accepted as an appropriate measure.
17

In some cases, ruins and follies were one and the same, as in St. Louis where a folly was constructed in Tower Grove Park in 1871, made from the stone of a downtown hotel which had been destroyed by fire in 1867. EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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Not all deteriorating structures are ruins that should be preserved, however. The decline of the building must be representative of a change in lifestyle that is not visible otherwise. Abandonment of a town, or major developments in industry that made industrial sites obsolete and impractical to update are examples of this type of significant transition. Even certain ruins that have achieved significance should be allowed to continue to deteriorate, where feasible. When the structure is unsafe or where it is significant enough to warrant preservation, the above steps should be taken. Still, to arrest their decay is to alter their historic significance as forgotten places. Preservation may be a valid step to take for ruins that have come much into the public eye or are unique in their own right, but to assume the responsibility for maintenance is often impractical and is not necessary for every site. Continued neglect is especially appropriate for sites where cultural beliefs demand it, as is sometimes the case for Native American sites.

Examples of Preserved or Eroding Ruins: Casa Grande and Whites Factory Casa Grande: Preserved Ruin18 Whites Factory: Eroding Ruin19

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is located in what is now Coolidge, Arizona. The structure as it exists today was originally constructed during the 14th century and abandoned by 1450. Preservation work began in 1890. Debris was removed from the building and the surrounding site, a fence built around the structure, and the walls were underpinned with stone. In 1903 a roof was built to protect Casa Grande from the elements. The roof was replaced in 1932 with one designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. During the design process it was noted by the architect Thomas Vint that if a shelter is placed over the ruin, it takes an architectural value that can't help but affect a view of the ruins. Vint therefore advocated a design that was as far a departure from the design and material of the ruin as can be obtained. The shelter should be a thing apart from the ruin, rather than blend with it.

There has been a mill on the site of Whites Factory in Acushnet, Massachusetts since 1799. It was rebuilt twice after fires in 1830 and 1854, and then turned into a saw mill. The exact date that it was abandoned is unclear, though it appears it was still in use in 1907. A marker explaining the history of the site was erected in 1994 by the Acushnet Historical Commission and David White, of Whites Dairy. The land is owned by the Fairhaven Acushnet Land Preservation Trust. There are three single family homes within only a few hundred yards of the structure; while there is a sign posted noting that there may be falling rocks, there are no barriers keeping visitors from exploring both the interior and the exterior of the ruins. In 2009, there was a push for funding to stabilize one of the walls for safety and preservation purposes. The aesthetic appeal of the site was noted by Ned Connors, an industrial historian researching the site. He stated that This is one of the prettiest sites I've worked on. It's Acushnet's Mayan ruin. It was once one of those hard-working, dirty places where people spent their entire lives. Now it's a romantic setting.

18 19

Descriptive text abridged from Schoof (2011); photo by Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (2012). Descriptive text abridged from Schoof (2011); photo by Union Wharf Workshops (2010).

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Alternative Strategy: Abandonment and Organic Redevelopment Abandonment of former industrial sites is not normally an intentional strategy it typically arises from negative circumstances, such as the bankruptcy of the former site owner and/or the financial incapacity of local government to either demolish or reclaim the site, or in cases where redevelopment is not immediately a priority. Deliberate abandonment is not compatible with the obligation of an owner of a Provincial Historic Resource to maintain their property. We include it as a theoretical possibility on the continuum between demolition and adaptive re-use primarily because our goal in this briefing is to describe a comprehensive inventory of alternatives used in other communities, and secondarily, because deliberate abandonment and organic redevelopment, while controversial, is an emerging concept being explored by architects and urban designers. For example, in his literature review on the topic, Fein (2011) notes that:
The overall conceptis the preservation of the unique aesthetic and character of abandoned industrial ruin, while producing a new program that works selectively within the context of that abandonment. That is, to accept what is considered by many as blight, and preserve that quality as not only an aesthetic characteristic, but also a historical symbolto show how buildings can exist as functionally dead pieces of architecture that not only have a positive effect on surrounding urban areas (as opposed to a negative effect so commonly attributed to vacant and abandoned buildings) but serve as public remnants of the transitory nature of civilization. That is, thoughtful design can both preserve the romantic aesthetic of abandoned industrial ruins, and create a space that is physically, economically, and culturally contributive to the surrounding context.

Fein builds on this in his 2012 thesis studying the aesthetic of decay in urban areas, noting the inherent beauty that many find in architecture that has lost its purpose and that if one finds beauty in dilapidated buildings, historical preservation or adaptive reuse could sometimes be viewed as problematic. 20 Noting that complete preservation, adaptive reuse, or renovation are not always viable options due the state of the existing structure, the location, modern technological needs, or, most commonly, financing and/or economic situations, he proposes as an alternative design program for a vacant industrial building in Cincinnati. The programs approach is unusual, an organic re-occupation of the site and building in phases, which he describes as follows:
The program for the design of the Crosley Building is complex, in that it is a product of a phased reoccupation. The design itself will develop over a period of twenty years, and is primarily focused upon the aesthetic of the existing building; an aesthetic that is characterized by decay. The space program will develop over time with respect to the aesthetic.The first phase of reoccupation will be a guerrilla style takeover of the space the primary goal of this phase is to change the public perception of decay. [In] the second phase of reoccupationinterventions by users will be at a larger scale and permit increased functionality of the space. The goal of the second phase is to bring the functional aspects of the decaying site to the public realm, through transparency of occupation and development. The third phase of reoccupation will be an officially encouraged usage of some spaces within the building. The property owner and developer will begin to formalize the interventions made during the first two phases. As the building owner and a developer begin to make interventions in the project, a formal program will be applied. This program will include coded parking requirements, public and private entry, as well as private usage of the site that coincides with the public, heterotopic program described during the previous phase. The fourth and final phase of reoccupation will bea formalized, legal use [which] will develop out of the idiosyncratic functions that occur within the building over time. This final phase will result in a fully programmed building that is, ultimately, a product of the slow reoccupation process.

Feins study is conceptual only, and acknowledges the many legal, community and practical barriers to such an organic re-occupation approach. To the extent it is an appropriate treatment for any site, it seems more suited to communities with large volumes of abandoned building stock and few if any alternatives for redevelopment.

20

This is not a new concept; it echoes the 19th-century views of art critic John Ruskin, whose architecture writings supported the maintenance of heritage buildings but argued that the aging of buildings and ruins was aesthetically pleasing and efforts at their restoration were destructive. EDMONTON HISTORICAL BOARD Executive Committee Briefing: Alternatives to the Adaptive Re-Use of the Rossdale Generating Station, May 2013

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REFERENCES Alberta Register of Historic Places (2001). Rossdale Power Plant. Web. https://hermis.alberta.ca/ARHP/Details.aspx?DeptID=1&ObjectID=4665-0418 Clemensen, A. Berle (1992). Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Arizona: a Centennial History of the First Prehistoric Reserve 1892 1992, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, March 1992. http://www.nps.gov/cagr/parkmgmt/upload/CAGR%20-%20Centennial%20History%20-%20MAR%2092.pdf Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Web. 27 April 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Grande_Ruins_National_Monument Cizler, Jasna (2011): Limits and potentials of industrial heritage re-use discussing different approaches to conversions in Leeds, UK, University of Belgrade. 2 March 2013. http://www.academia.edu/1064895/Limits_and_potentials_of_industrial_heritage_re-use__discussing_different_approaches_to_conversions_in_Leeds_UK City of Edmonton (2011): Repurposing the Rossdale Generating Station and Riverfront Plaza: Views and Perspectives. http://bit.ly/155rOZe City of Edmonton Sustainable Development (2012): Rossdale Lands Redevelopment Breakdown of Costs, Sustainable Development report 2012SPE005, March 21, 2012. City of Edmonton Sustainable Development (2013): Rossdale Power Plant Status Update, Sustainable Development report 2013SPE002, February 11, 2013. Chan, Elisabeth Clemence (2009): What roles for ruins? Meaning and narrative of industrial ruins in contemporary parks, Journal of Landscape Architecture, 4:2, 20-31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/18626033.2009.9723419 David, Rebecca and Skarf, Joshua: Elisabeth Clemence Chans What Roles for Ruins? Web. 2 March 2013. http://rhruins.blogspot.ca/2011/03/elisabeth-clemence-chans-what-roles-for.html Donadieu, Pierre: What role for industrial ruins in public parks: Between history, memory and leisure. Web. 2 March 2013. http://www.topia.fr/images/documents/topia_chronique_5_avril_2010.pdf Edensor, Tim (2005): Industrial Ruins: Spaces, Aesthetics and Materiality, Berg Publishers. Excerpt: http://proteus.brown.edu/archaeologicaltheory/admin/download.html?attachid=3733144 EPCOR (2008): Rossdale Adaptive Re-Use Bulletin, February 2008. http://bit.ly/ZZJxbw Fein, Zachery E. (2010): Industrial Urban Decay and Adaptive Reuse Potential, Niehoff Studio. http://www.uc.edu/cdc/niehoff_studio/programs/great_streets/w10/reports/industrial_urban_decay.pdf Fein, Zachery E. (2011): The Aesthetic of Decay, Thesis, University of Cincinnati. http://zfein.com/architecture/thesis/thesis.pdf Gas Works Park. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Web. 2 March 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_Works_Park Hardy, Hugh (2005): The Romance of Abandonment: Industrial Parks, Awards Jury Commentaries, Places 17(3): 32-37. http://designobserver.com/media/pdf/The_Romance_of_403.pdf Kalman, Harold; Stanley, Meg; Evans, Clint; Ronaghan, Brian; Cross, Guy (2004): Rossdale Historical Land Use Study, City of Edmonton Planning and Development Department. http://bit.ly/11xMhzh
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Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord. Park web-site. Web. http://en.landschaftspark.de/the-park Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Web. 2 March 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landschaftspark_Duisburg-Nord Joern W. Langhorst (2004): Rising from Ruins: Postindustrial Sites between Abandonment and Engagement , proceedings of the OpenSpace-PeopleSpace conference, Edinburgh University, UK. Mill Ruins Park. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Web. 13 April 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mill_Ruins_Park Seattle Parks and Recreation. Gas Works Park. Web. http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=293 Sharon C. Park: Preservation Briefs: Mothballing Historic Buildings, U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/31-mothballing.htm Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. Web. 13 April 2013. http://slossfurnaces.com/history/becomingsloss-furnaces-national-historic-landmark/ SteelStacks History of Bethlehem Steel. Web. 13 April 2013. http://www.steelstacks.org/history Sydney Schoof (2011): Preservation Without Restoration: The Case for Ruins, Historic Preservation Paper 1. http://docs.rwu.edu/hp_theses/1

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