The $ 12.5 million renovation of the exterior of the Centennial concert hall set to continue

A hub of classical music, opera and ballet in Winnipeg will receive millions of dollars in landscaping.

The province has awarded a $ 12.5 million contract for the restoration of the exterior of the Centennial Concert Hall, a project announced with a price of $ 15 million in 2019.

Manitoba-based Bockstael Construction won the contract for the project, which is expected to be completed within the next year.

Located on Main Street across from City Hall, the concert hall was built in 1967 and is home to the Manitoba Opera, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

“The work on this project will help maintain its designation as a building of potential historic significance and ensure that it will remain a cornerstone of Manitoba’s cultural community for years to come,” Minister of Justice said Monday. Culture and Heritage, Cathy Cox, in a statement.

The announcement comes as renovations inside the building continue.

Performances in the building have been largely canceled for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the latest round of relaxed restrictions now allows symphonies, theaters, operas and professional dance groups to hold rehearsals without the presence of the public.

Exterior work will include the reinstallation of Tyndall stone siding on the exterior of the building. Similar work has begun in recent years in the Manitoba Legislature.

To do the reinstallation, 40,000 square feet of old stone cladding will have to be removed. The existing system supporting this stone will also be replaced.

Bockstael Construction will also add a fall protection system as well as new roof drainage and improved windows and doors.

Exterior renovations are expected to be completed in 2022.