Queen Elizabeth Planetarium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Queen Elizabeth Planetarium |
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| Planetarium | |
.jpg) The planetarium in 1961 |
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| Design: | Walter Tefler and R. F. Duke |
| Opening date: | 22 September 1960 |
| Dedicated to: | Elizabeth II |
| Owner: | City of Edmonton |
| Location: | Coronation Park Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
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Location in Edmonton |
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The Queen Elizabeth Planetarium or Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium is a former planetarium in Coronation Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was the first planetarium in Canada. It operated from 1960 to 1983. Walter Tefler and R. F. Duke designed it. The planetarium was named to remember the visit of Elizabeth II in 1959.
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How the Planetarium Started
In 1958, people in Edmonton wanted to build something special. It would be a permanent memorial to honor the visit of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in July 1959.
Early Ideas for a Memorial
At first, there were a few ideas for this special memorial:
- A tall, three-sided pillar called a "trilon."
- A beautiful fountain.
- Improving Coronation Park itself.
Why a Planetarium Was Chosen
An alderman (a city council member) named Frederick John Mitchell suggested adding an observatory. Later, S. Frank Page, who worked with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, had a new idea. He thought city lights might make an observatory hard to use. So, in November 1958, he suggested building a planetarium instead.
The idea for the planetarium gained support. The City Council approved the project in December 1959. The finance committee also approved it in March 1959. In July of that year, the Queen visited the site during her tour.
A group of experts helped create a plan for the planetarium. On December 21, 1959, the Royal Canadian Legion also supported the idea. The planetarium project was estimated to cost $110,000. On March 9, 1959, the City Council officially approved building the planetarium in Coronation Park.
The Queen's Visit and Dedication
During the Queen's visit in July 1959, Mayor William Hawrelak gave a speech. He welcomed the Queen and Prince Philip to Coronation Park. He explained that the park was named to honor her coronation. The Mayor also asked for the Queen's permission to name the new building The Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium. He said it would be a lasting monument to her visit.
Opening and Early Years
The Queen Elizabeth Planetarium officially opened on Thursday, September 22, 1960. Mayor Elmer Ernest Roper dedicated the building. A message from the Queen was read aloud. The University of Alberta gave the planetarium a large piece of the Bruderheim meteorite. This meteorite became a main display in the building.
First Directors and Popularity
Ian McLennan was the first Director of the Planetarium. He started in August 1960 and worked there until October 1965. Many volunteers from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada helped out.
The Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium was the first public planetarium in Canada. The second one opened in Montreal in 1966.
David Rodgers became the director in November 1965. He was director for a short time, until July 1966. During his time, the planetarium had very popular shows. On July 4, 1966, the 25,000th person visited. In 1967, a record 33,500 people came to the planetarium.
William Cable took over as director in August 1967. During his time, fewer volunteers from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada were involved. Attendance also dropped. Cable left the planetarium in 1972.
John Hault became the director in January 1973. He stayed until the planetarium closed on December 31, 1983. He then became the director of the Edmonton Space Sciences Centre. This center is now known as Telus World of Science.
What Happened to the Planetarium?
The Queen Elizabeth II Planetarium was meant to be the main building in Coronation Park. For a few years, it was the only building there. Other facilities, like Coronation Pool and Coronation Arena, were built later.
The planetarium had a small seating area, only for 65 people. It closed at the end of 1983. A new, bigger science center, the Edmonton Space Sciences Centre, opened nearby in 1983. This new center took over the planetarium's role.
Efforts to Restore the Building
After closing, the planetarium building was empty and started to fall apart. In 2004, people began working to get the building recognized as a historic site. In May 2005, the Historical Resources Review Panel agreed that the planetarium was important. Later, the Edmonton Historical Board also agreed. In August, the building was added to the "A" list of historic resources in Edmonton.
In November 2016, the city announced plans to fix up the planetarium. In March 2017, it officially gained heritage status. The restored planetarium was planned to open in 2019 or early 2020.
Images for kids
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The planetarium in 1961
