{"id":15648,"date":"2025-02-11T01:46:33","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T01:46:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/11\/save-the-old-ram-task-force-fights-demolition-of-former-royal-alberta-museum-building\/"},"modified":"2025-02-11T01:46:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T01:46:33","slug":"save-the-old-ram-task-force-fights-demolition-of-former-royal-alberta-museum-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/11\/save-the-old-ram-task-force-fights-demolition-of-former-royal-alberta-museum-building\/","title":{"rendered":"Save the old RAM: Task force fights demolition of former Royal Alberta Museum building"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A task force has been created to save the old Royal Alberta Museum<\/a> building in Glenora.<\/p>\n

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The former museum is set to be demolished to make way for a new green space surrounding the adjacent Government House, along 102 Avenue atop Groat Road.<\/p>\n

The provincial museum opened in 1967 to celebrate Canada\u2019s centennial and received royal designation and renaming during a visit by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005, to mark the province\u2019s 100th anniversary.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\tQueen Elizabeth II at the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton during a 2005 royal tour.\t\t\t\t<\/span>
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The building is constructed with marble from Ontario, granite from Quebec, and decorated with ancient Indigenous petroglyphs.<\/p>\n

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The new, much bigger Royal Alberta Museum opened in downtown Edmonton in 2018, following a years-long move and setup of the new exhibits.<\/p>\n

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The original location closed to the public at the end of 2015 \u2014 when the RAM held a 48-hour send off party<\/a>. The museum was open around the clock, allowing people to get a final look at the then-48-year-old facility.<\/p>\n

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Since all the exhibits and artifacts in storage were moved out in 2016 and 2017<\/a>, the building has languished empty for the better part of a decade.<\/p>\n

Last summer, the province announced it now has a date with the wrecking ball<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Alberta government estimated it spends over $700,000 annually on operating and maintenance costs on the empty building, and\u00a0the cost of demolishing the old RAM building will be somewhere between $22 million and $48 million.<\/p>\n

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The Alberta Ministry of Infrastructure claims the building needs over $200 million in repairs and has no practical use, justifying its demolition.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll critical systems including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical, and water systems are well past life expectancy and require extensive maintenance or replacement,\u201d a statement from the ministry said.<\/p>\n

Even with significant investment, the government said many areas of the building require demolition due to structural issues and contamination from hazardous materials.<\/p>\n

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But the \u2018Save the Old RAM\u2019 task force is calling for a moratorium to explore alternative possibilities.<\/p>\n

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On Valentine\u2019s Day, the task force plans to place hearts on the construction fencing that now surrounds the old RAM, to show their love for the historic structure.<\/p>\n

Watch the video above for more information.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u2014 With files from Karen Bartko and Phil Heidenreich, Global News<\/em><\/p>\n

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