[scyeg]

What was the national museum the federal government under Harper was looking for a host centre for and then Edmonton was the top bid? Or only qualifying bid meeting the standards? And then the feds scrapped the idea?
Anyone remember that?

National Portrait Museum

 

[scyeg]

National Portrait Museum

National Portrait Museum

Or, Gallery rather

 

[TAS]

National Portrait Museum

The Portrait Gallery of Canada is still looking for a home and still exists online only.

A New Kind of Museum - Portrait Gallery of Canada

The Portrait Gallery of Canada (MPC) is a new kind of museum — a place that collects and shares the stories of these individuals and communities who define Canada.

portraitcanada.ca

 

[Glenco]

What was the national museum the federal government under Harper was looking for a host centre for and then Edmonton was the top bid? Or only qualifying bid meeting the standards? And then the feds scrapped the idea?
Anyone remember that?

One of many snubs by Harper. Remember Expo 2017 for Canada’s 150th anniversary?

 

[TAS]

This was from 2007:

"It announced in November 2007 that the Harper government wanted the museum to be a public-private partnership and was inviting nine cities across Canada to compete for the gallery.

Edmonton and Calgary were among the three finalists, with Ottawa, in bidding for a National Portrait Gallery.

Alberta's Minister of Culture Lindsay Blackett said the news that the bids were deemed unacceptable was a shock to him.

"I don't understand why, when the money's there, that the government would say we're going to close it," he told CBC News. "The provincial government and private sector were going bear the cost. Really all the federal government had to do was incur the cost of shipping the artifacts to Alberta."

 

[TAS]

One of many snubs by Harper. Remember Expo 2017 for Canada’s 150th anniversary?

Here's some history on that. The province under Stelmach was on board with most of the funding (66%) and then late in process Harper killed it.

Harper's Quebec arena blunder helped kill off Edmonton's Expo

Harper betrayed his own fiscal conservatism musing about an arena in Quebec city, then sacrificed Edmonton’s Expo in an attempt to set things right If Stephen Harpe…

edmontonjournal.com

 

[Barnaby]

I'm hoping the parking lot can be used for apartments. The view would be incredible.

 

[kcantor]

As posted to Alberta Purchasing Connection:

Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) for Redevelopment -
Royal Alberta Museum – Glenora – Lease Arrangement
Plan No: 023792
Site Visit
Date: August 15th and 22nd, 2025
Time: 10 a.m.
Venue: 12845-102 Ave
Edmonton, Alberta
RAM - GLENORA
RFEOI Closing Date and Time: September 26, 2025 at 4 p.m. Alberta time.
RFEOI Submission:
Attention: Project Procurement Specialist
Email Address: infras.procurement@gov.ab.ca
Royal Alberta Museum - Glenora
12845 – 102 Ave, Edmonton, Alberta
Inquiries Contact:
infra.ramg@gov.ab.ca
Project Procurement Specialist, Alberta Infrastructure
Government of Alberta, Canada
e-mail: infra.ramg@gov.ab.ca

 

[constance_chlore]

I'm hoping the parking lot can be used for apartments. The view would be incredible.

That would be great! But again, it's Glenora, so don't hold your breath.

 

[EdmTrekker]

"Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) for Redevelopment -
Royal Alberta Museum – Glenora – Lease Arrangement"

Lease the building? Lease the land like the UofA is doing at Michener? I guess the RFEOI is out and someone with an account at MERX or ECA can pull it and share that info ... Ken

 

[kcantor]

It is an interesting read to say the least and has some nuggets within (ie the floor plans on page 164 of the Report).

While it has been identified as an RFEOI, the conditions and criteria within it that must be met by a proponent would appear to effectively make it more of an RFP submission that would be binding on the proponent if accepted by the Province than an RFEOI.

Also of note is the Province has had a decade or more to work through this and those interested have been given less than 70 days...

Please note the file is too big to post in full. I will try and break it down to more manageable pieces.

 

[kcantor]

^
That's not working so if anyone would like a copy, send me a quick email at kcantor@copperwing.ca and I'll send it directly to you. At 288 pages it's a touch under an 8 MB file.

 

[IanO]

Pair a multi-use facility with a small amount of brownstones on the west side to generate some $$$ and add some new housing to the area.

 

[kcantor]

Pair a multi-use facility with a small amount of brownstones on the west side to generate some $$$ and add some new housing to the area.

You might want to read the RFEOI before telling us how to respond to it.

 

[CplKlinger]

"Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) for Redevelopment -
Royal Alberta Museum – Glenora – Lease Arrangement"

Lease the building? Lease the land like the UofA is doing at Michener? I guess the RFEOI is out and someone with an account at MERX or ECA can pull it and share that info ... Ken

They don't want to sell the building because it's close to Government House; they want to have a veto on what it'd get used for and what sort of footprint they have on the rest of the property (ie so that it doesn't generate foot traffic near Government House, which they feel would be a security issue).