‘This is part of the history of Alberta’: Advocates continue to try to save the old RAM

An advocate signing a new "Save the Old RAM" banner on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (Brandon Lynch/CTV News Edmonton)

Advocates pushing back against the demolition of the old Royal Alberta Museum (RAM) building braved the cold to show their support after “heart bombs” at the site were taken down.

On Friday for Valentine’s Day, the Save the Old Ram Taskforce, a community group trying to save the building, gathered for a Heart Bombing and hung 200 heart-shaped messages on the fence surrounding the premises.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

The messages were taken down within 24 hours, according to the taskforce.

The taskforce has been fighting to save the building since the province announced in 2024 that the historic building in Glenora would be demolished and the site turned into a green space or a park.

The old RAM was built in 1965 and closed in 2015.

“It was done beautifully, it was done with care and it’s a legacy project,” said Douglas Cardinal, an award-winning Calgary-born architect.

“It’s an example of what one can do to raise the dignity and pride of a community by creating really good architecture, really good buildings that will stand the test of time.”

On Tuesday, the group returned to put up a banner at the site, signed by Cardinal, members of the taskforce and members of the public.

Cardinal, who designed numerous buildings across the country, including St. Albert Place, said the old RAM was an inspiration to him.

“I felt I had to do the same in my architecture,” Cardinal added. “We need examples that inspire people and architects to do their best in creating a legacy for the future.

“We do our best in architecture to raise people’s spirits, put dignity in our institutions and always try our best to look after our history and our culture and our people.”

When it was built, the old RAM “was a state-of-the-art facility using iconic Canadian materials, including tyndall stone from Manitoba, Ontario marble and Québec black granite,” according to the taskforce.

The late monarch Queen Elizabeth II visited the museum in 2005 as part of the celebration of Alberta’s centennial.

“When things are done in a good way, we should honor that and respect that. That is our legacy, that’s our history, this is part of the history of Alberta,” Cardinal said.

Advocates say the province’s decision to demolish the building was done without consulting the public and they are calling for a moratorium on the demolition to allow for exploration and discussion on alternative plans.

Before the demolition was announced, Beljan Developments - a developer which worked on several Edmonton landmarks - said it was surprised by the announcement, as it had been working with the province on a plan for the building.

• Developer makes plea to Alberta government to reconsider plan to demolish old museum

Repairing the old RAM was estimated to cost around $200 million, the province said in 2024. Demolition costs were estimated between between $22 to $48 million.

“Based on feedback from the community, the possibility of renovating and repurposing the structure was investigated; unfortunately, the repairs and costs are too extensive to be practical,” the province wrote in a news release in 2024.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Ali Yusuf, Craig Ellingson and Karyn Mulcahy