Altona’s Gallery in the Park recently received some much-needed repairs, as part of a project to upgrade the building.
“They’re pretty much done with the roof now, as per schedule,” says Altona recreation services manager Eric Hildebrand. “They replaced the cedar shakes. When they removed the original product, there was some wood that also needed to be replaced. So, they added a moisture barrier, and a metal roof that has a cedar shake appearance.”
He says they opted to use this instead of actual cedar shakes, for lower maintenance.
“Cedar shakes are wonderful, but we went with a product that’s essentially maintenance free. They look just like shakes, but they won’t split or rot. This product gives you the aesthetic and can be locked on all four sides for exceptional watertightness. We won’t have any uplift caused by high winds or rains. It’s a nice product.”
The gallery will also be getting new siding this fall.
“We’re going through a few different options. Whether that’s a steel siding with a woodgrain appearance, an engineered wood product, or a fiber cement board. We’re just waiting for some visual samples to come in, to determine what colours would work well from the different product lines, with the roofing product that’s in place now.”
There are a bunch of intricate wood details that will be done with a maintenance-free PVC product that can resemble wood and cut to any shape as needed, to honour the detailing that gives the building that historical charm.
The structure was built in 1902. Being two and a half stories tall, with no tall surrounding trees for shelter, Hildebrand says the building really takes a beating from the elements.
“It’s pretty exposed to the strong winds and the sunlight. We’re looking at a product right now that would give it 25-30 more years, maintenance free, and that product will only arrive in late summer or fall. We want to make sure it’s something the committee is happy with, that fits the budget, gives the aesthetics, and provides the charm.”
While it would have been nice for the gallery’s facelift to be complete by its season opening in June, Hildebrand says the goal was never to have both the roof and siding completed together.
“The goal was to finish the roofing prior to the opening of the season, enjoy the season as it is over the summer, and continue the renovations in fall. The siding will likely not take as long as the shingles, where they had to deal with all the various pitches and peaks. It all depends on how much trim work they find, and how much is exposed when they start to remove some of the older product. I’m not sure how much of it is original. A lot of the wood was recreated when the building was renovated many years ago.”
The plan, he says, is for this to be a long-term solution.
“We’re exploring a low maintenance product that still provides the charm and that historical look. It’s a beautiful asset to the community, and a real diamond in the rough.”
