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J UNE 2018 | 77 Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge: Autograph Collection PHOTOGRAPHY [2,3,5] BY SCOTT NORSWORTHY/COURTESY NAVIGATE DESIGN; PHOTOGRAPHY [1,4] COURTESY POMEROY LODGING GROUP Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge: Autograph Collection W hen the 233-unit Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge was brought into the Autograph Collection of properties, an expecta- tion of luxury and class came with the move. The hotel – originally built to accommodate athletes and specta- tors during the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary – had not seen much in the way of renovations and updates. That has changed completely through the efforts of the Pomeroy Lodging team and talented designers that created an upscale, backcountry environment. "From the beginning we saw the opportunity in the Kananaskis region as it is the gem of the Rockies, in our opinion, and it really gives people an opportunity to be in the backcountry and stay in luxurious rooms and the lodge," says Jackie Clayton, VP pub- lic relations & partnerships, Pomeroy Lodging. "The energizing redesign of the restaurants and rooms is evident when you walk into the property." Floor-to-ceiling windows show- casing the mountains outside greet guests as they enter the lobby, and the two-storey ceiling with a beautiful fireplace and elegant chandeliers adds to the updated design. "We have fully renovated guestrooms and suites, the conference and banquet facilities have been totally updated, and we enhanced and increased the family amenities and programming," says Clayton. Former retail spaces on the exterior of the building were removed, allowing natural light to flow into the interior of the hotel. "Our guests will be wowed with the sense of arrival and the addi- tion of the lobby bar," she says. "Another unique feature is the Kananaskis Nordic Spa. It's the only one of its kind in Alberta and it truly fits our theme of recharge, reconnect, and rediscover." Clive Hockley, senior project man- ager with PCL Constructors Canada says when his team started the reno- vations, the reception area was moved to another lodge to give the contrac- tors access to the entire area. "In the main lobby we stripped out everything including the reception desk, the lobby, ceilings and floors coverings, and we removed a section of post-tensioned floor – the bar, kitchen, and restaurant were completely removed, as well as the retail units and offices along the corridor route, this allowed the new corridor natural lighting from the front windows," he explains. "Because the retail units were blocking the natural light, removing them made a significant change to the main floor. The original bar and kitchen area were quite small, the new design opened this area up and made it more light and airy." The guest rooms and lobby area were redesigned by Robynne Moncur, principal of Moncur Design Associates Inc., with stunning results. "The guest rooms themselves maintain the exist- ing footprint, but the bathrooms have all new finishes," says Moncur. "Some of the suites were reconfigured to make them more spacious and work better for the modern traveller." Moncur notes that the colour scheme includes Cognacs, soft greys and browns, blending in with eclectic furni- ture. "For the design, we had oversized furniture in the lobby with mixed fab- rics to make it look like it's a collection that evolved over time as opposed to having a designer come in with the com- plete package. It's a mixture of different patterns. One of the things you notice in old lodges is patterns and fabrics that you would never put together, but when you see them that way, it works. It's just a little bit quirky with a homey feeling." Ken Lam, principal at Navigate Design, and his team were responsi- ble for the dining and bar areas. "The theme throughout the hotel was mod- ern mountain luxury and our role was focused on creating an intimate dining experience," he says. "We partnered with our sister company, Icon Legacy, who created the menu, hired staff, and handled the kitchen needs." Lam says they opened the kitchen area, a common theme in restaurants today. "Customers like to see the activity in the kitchen, smell the foods, and even see their own meals being prepared. Experientially, they feel like they are part of the stage, or part of the action. It adds to the whole dining experience." He concurs with Moncur about the eclectic seating options. "This is a throwback to the old mountain lodges where people collect things like wooden chairs, high-back seats, or a found lamp that was passed down from great grandma. We added that theme to blend with the modern look of the hotel. It gives it a bit of character." Several pieces of artwork were curated spe- cifically to fit the theme. "Some of them are Olympic throwbacks, G8 Summit, images of the Kananaskis region, ani- mal prints, and photos of native plants." Lam says the restaurants on the property not only cater to the hotel guests, but also to residents in the area. "We have definitely elevated the dining experience compared to what would be typically found in Banff or Lake Louise. People who expect restaurant- style menus will be pleased to see that there is a departure from that at the Kananaskis Lodge. Pomeroy Lodging wants to attract people from outside of the Kananaskis region to experience the upscale dining model." With such a significant renovation to the lodge came the need for restructur- ing, handled by Scouten Engineering. "There was a suspended slab on the sec- ond level so we cut a lot of that out and created a bridge effect on the second floor for viewing," says Dave Scouten, principal. "Unlike a conventionally rein- forced slab, which would have just been demolished and redone, our challenge was to replace the monostrand post- tension construction, which consists of high-strength steel tendons, or bundles of wires in tubes embedded within the concrete slabs," he explains. "On this project we had some assistance from a post-tension expert. We designed it and he detailed it. It was a challenging job for us, but the end result was well worth it." Jackie Clayton says the team is really excited about the tourism aspect of the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge: "We're extremely proud of the renovations and revitalization we achieved for this property." A LOCATION 1 Centennial Drive, Kananaskis Village, Alberta OWNER/DEVELOPER Pomeroy Lodging Group ARCHITECT R.W. Scheidt Design GENERAL CONTRACTOR PCL Constructors Canada STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Scouten Engineering MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Acorn Consulting Engineers PUBLIC AREA AND GUEST TOWER INTERIOR DESIGNER Moncur Design Associates Inc. RESTAURANT/ INTERIOR BAR DESIGNER Navigate Design TOTAL SIZE 220,000 square feet TOTAL COST $36 million by LAURIE JONES 1 2 3 4 5 1:24 PM

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