Access Renovations
We are installing an elevator!
510 Fort St Gallery & Office Closed - November 2023 through July 2024
Open Space is embarking on an exciting development in the management of our 510 Fort St facility and our ability to accommodate folks into the space.
We are closed for a nine month renovation project. When complete, the facility renovations will increase access to second floor programming and operations. The renovations include; an elevator, from the ground floor up to the gallery level, a seismic shear wall, that will increase the seismic rating of the building, a new stairwell, and open foyer for access to the elevator, automatic front door, accessed by buttons inside and out, and universal washrooms, with gender-neutral stalls.
“The Open Space Artist-Run Centre at 510 Fort Street has been our home for the past fifty-one years and we are thankful to the founders of the society for having the foresight to purchase the building in the 1970’s,” said Open Space Executive Director Doug Jarvis. “We are excited to upgrade access to our space so that we can better accommodate all members of the Open Space community, including those who utilize assistive devices and mobility aids.”
Open Space is working with Number TEN Architectural Group on the renovation and has hired Cascadia West Contracting Ltd. as the general contractor for the project.
The closure is anticipated to last six months and during that time Open Space staff will work off-site, in addition Open Space is planning projects in the community, for information about upcoming programming plans visit https://openspace.ca/, the website and social media channels will be updated regularly.
Over the past two years we have been actively raising funds to support some very necessary upgrades and renovations to our facility. Open Space is grateful to the following partners for support of the project; Canadian Heritage - Cultural Spaces, BC Arts Council - Arts Infrastructure Program, Employment and Social Development Canada - Enabling Accessibility Fund, City of Victoria - Cultural Infrastructure - Accessibility Fund.
Stay tuned to learn more about the Accessibility Renovations project plans and to further engage in the support of access to arts and culture on lək̓ʷəŋən land. Please renew your membership or sign up as a new member and take advantage of our 50 Years Membership Drive. For more information and to help answer any questions that you have please contact Doug Jarvis, Executive Director at director@openspace.ca
Koto Restaurant located on the main floor of 510 Fort Street will remain open during the renovations.
Renovation Updates
April 2024
Photo: The new mezzanine will be a bit smaller in width with additional headroom, but will continue to provide working space adjacent to the main gallery with floor-access storage underneath.
We are deep into the Access Renovations project process and learning a lot about the building during this discovery phase! Cascadia West Contracting has been clearing out the space removing some of the older walls, flooring surfaces and the tucked away closets and storage areas. 510 Fort St. has had quite a history over the past hundred years, and the renovation process is activating a few of its tucked away stories.
While preparing the main level space for the excavation and concrete work needed to proceed with the elevator installation, the construction team discovered evidence of an old oil tank buried under the floor, just below the old stairwell. To account for structural safety and the need for stable ground soil, the oil tank and its adjacent contaminated soil is being removed and replaced with engineered fill and a new concrete surface. This process is a necessary step in moving forward with the project and will extend the renovation time frame by at least one month with a projected end date sometime in the summer 2024.
The oil tank is a common artifact in older commercial buildings and its presence seems to confirm stories that we have learned of past uses of the space. One visitor had recently shared the memory of the smell of diesel and whale fat that used to fill the air back when the space was used to service marine engines. This anecdote gives some provenance to the existing oil tank and we will look into this story further so that it can be recorded as an interesting part of the building's history, and added to the ongoing story of the space.
Needless to say, the discovery of an oil tank under the floor has prompted some further assessment and construction work for the contractors, architects and engineers and some additional expenses as well as some creative merchandise opportunities for Open Space. We are working on a line of new renovation inspired tote bags and other items to acknowledge the amazing work the Access Renovations construction team is doing and to commemorate the importance of these facility upgrades to the future access and use of the space.
Photo: The new mezzanine will be a bit smaller in width with additional headroom, but will continue to provide working space adjacent to the main gallery with floor-access storage underneath.
