Federal government adds $40 million to $190 million Calgary planetarium conversion to art gallery

The federal government is investing $40 million in the final phase of Contemporary Calgary's redevelopment of the Centennial Planetarium into a public art gallery, Cbc reported. The funding, announced Friday, comes from Ottawa's $51 billion Build Communities Strong Fund.

Contemporary Calgary CEO David Leinster said the project will turn one of the city's key civic spaces into a destination for contemporary art.

Federal Heritage Minister Marc Miller stated the investment will help write the building's next chapter by creating space for people to experience art while preserving a landmark important to Albertans. The total project cost is estimated at $190 million.

The final phase, budgeted at $160 million, includes a new entrance pavilion, a three-floor education and gallery wing, expanded event spaces, a public art park and garden, and conversion of the planetarium dome into an LED Art Dome.

Upgrades will incorporate geothermal energy and high-performance systems to cut total energy use by 41 percent. Renovations are set to start in fall 2027 and finish in 2030. The provincial government contributed $40 million last year, with remaining costs expected from community and private donors.

The building opened in 1967. The science centre left in 2011, leaving the site vacant for eight years. Contemporary Calgary and the city signed a 25-year lease with a 10-year extension option in 2018, and the group began occupancy in 2019.

The city spent $24.5 million on the first phase and $5.5 million on the second phase, which renovated the Morris & Ann Dancyger Observatory Gallery and the Heather Edwards Theatre. Calgary Confederation MP Corey Hogan said the work will address demand for cultural infrastructure in the downtown west end.