Saskatoon’s Remai Modern Art Gallery opening delayed once again

The targeted opening date for Saskatoon’s Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan is up in the air after a construction benchmark was recently pushed back, according to its board of directors.

Scott Verity, the board’s vice-chair, told Saskatoon city council on Monday that the gallery was supposed to open by the end of last September, however the project’s contractor Ellis Don has moved back its targeted substantial completion date. Once that benchmark is achieved, the group will be able to move into the building.

“Until we get a solid answer as to when we can get access to the building, we won’t be able to set a firm opening date,” Verity said to reporters after speaking to city council.

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The gallery has experienced numerous delays over the past months. Officials had expected the building to be tenant-ready by 2016, but later moved that mark back to early January.

Verity told city council that the project is now supposed to reach substantial completion by Feb. 27. Saskatoon city manager Murray Totland told reporters that there’s been issues between the architectural drawings and the contractor’s ability to carry out those blueprints.

“I think we’ve all built things and find out that as you’re constructing things it doesn’t quite work out exactly the way maybe it was designed,” Totland said.

“There’s something missing, there’s an error, omission.”

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READ MORE: Saskatoon city council shelves branding, reduces Remai Modern funding

Even once the building is complete, Verity said the group will still need eight more months after that milestone before the gallery’s doors can open.

“We have a couple of secondary contracts to take place, which is construction of the restaurant, and the main feature gallery,” Verity said.

“That will happen after we get access to the building.”

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The gallery must also meet the environmental standards necessary to preserve artwork indoors. Verity said all of this can happen in 2017, based on the current building completion dates.

“We’re anxious to get that gallery open to the public,” he added.