CANADIAN CANOE MUSEUM - After a long journey, the new Canadian Canoe Museum opened its doors at a new location in Peterborough, Ont. The facility was designed by Unity Design Studio and Chandos Construction was the general contractor. The team also includes Basterfield & Associates ; City Welding Works; Emily Creek Woodworking; Havelock Metal; JP Rowland ; Lancer Electric; and R&J Machine .The museum, a two-storey, 65,000-square-foot building, is located at 2077 Ashburnham Dr.
“There was an existing berm from an old rail line…that remained, so it’s kind of a berm of soil that actually balanced the site and allowed us to build there.”One of biggest challenges was with the collection storage in the building. “When you look at that sheer quantity of watercraft it’s kind of overwhelming,” said Gallant. “Five hundred canoes, all of which have some pretty amazing stories, is pretty powerful. To be able to showcase those in the design makes the new Canadian Canoe Museum pretty unique. It’s really weaved into the flow of the building.”The collection hall on the main floor and the exhibit hall on the second floor are 20,000 square feet each. The front third of the building is the atrium space.