A community hub and tourist destination
Located in the District of Vanderhoof in Northern British Columbia, the Vanderhoof Tourism and Cultural Center is an extension of its Heritage Museum and Park. The new cultural centre exhibits the region’s Indigenous artifacts and art, adding to the educational experience of the surrounding park – which features preserved buildings from the 1900’s.
To promote a vision of shared community and culture, the District of Vanderhoof worked in collaboration with the local Saik’uz First Nation on the building’s design. The circular architecture is influenced by Indigenous pit houses, which are places for storytelling, dancing, celebrations, and other cultural activities. Artifacts from the Saik’uz First Nation and surrounding First Nations are displayed throughout the gallery, highlighting the district’s investment in building First Nations relationships and community unity.
The centre is also home to the 37-foot Rodseth Carving. This monumental carving took six years to complete and is a Vanderhoof treasure, as it visually outlines key aspects of the community’s culture and geographic landscape. In addition to the carving, the 4,000 sq. ft. multi-use facility includes a large gallery room, two meeting rooms and an outdoor stage/canopy that can be used to host community events, gatherings, and workshops.
Achieving a small town’s big vision
The District of Vanderhoof engaged our team to manage the project from design through closeout.
During the conceptual design phase, we led discussions to assess the district’s various architectural options. The district wanted to blend modern architecture with traditional Indigenous elements to attract the attention of tourists and encourage visitors to learn more about the land’s Indigenous roots. After settling on a circular structure, the project team encountered a problem – the facility wasn’t large enough to house the 37-foot Rodseth carving. Our team offered support by holding discussions with the district’s council, and securing the approvals and additional funding needed to increase the size of the facility from 2,200 sq. ft. to 4,000 sq. ft.
As the project evolved, so did the district’s vision for the new space. Our project managers worked collaboratively with the team to accommodate changes to the project’s scope and overall complexity, including the addition of an outdoor canopy, stage, and sustainability initiatives like solar panels and EV charging stations. It was the project team’s transparent communication and our clear understanding of the district and Saik’uz First Nation’s vision that made it possible to facilitate these changes on time and within the new budget.
We are proud to support the District of Vanderhoof, Saik’uz First Nation and surrounding First Nations on this cultural community project. It’s addition to the Vanderhoof community now brings First Nations, local residents and tourists together to celebrate history and local Indigenous culture.
