Formerly known as the Physical Education Centre (PEC), the $85 million restoration of Mitchell Hall has garnered a national heritage award.
The Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP) awarded Andre Scheinman of Heritage Preservation Consultant and Michael Park of RJC Engineers an Award of Merit in Conservation: Engineering.
CAHP praised the preservation of heritage of the building, recognizing the effort taken to maintain the original 1930s historical façade. The historic wooden windows and doors, the roof, and original exterior stonework walls were all maintained in the restoration process.
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“We are thrilled to share that Mitchell Hall is being recognized with this national honour,” Karen Bertrand, vice-principal (advancement) wrote in a statement.
“We worked closely with donors who shared our vision of creating a state-of-the-art building that preserves its history and pays homage to the past. Their philanthropic support helped realize this vision, and now the entire community benefits from this special place.”
Mitchell Hall was completed for a grand opening in 2019 and renamed after Bruce Mitchell, Sci ’68, whose generous donation for the renovation was announced in 2018.
The successful restoration was owed in large part to $50 million in philanthropic support and $22 million provided by the federal and provincial governments.
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According to John Witjes, associate vice-principal (facilities), donors and University administrators prioritized the preservation of the building’s history throughout the complex project of balancing historical restoration with state-of-the-art design.
“It’s a great honour for Mitchell Hall to be recognized with this award,” Witjes stated. “It is an impressive facility and a showpiece on campus.”
“As a former Queen’s student having used the original PEC, I am proud to have been involved in and able to witness this amazing transformation.”
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