Big things are brewing for the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre.
Now a part of the global travel brand Pursuit, Brewster Travel has been busy updating their base of operations at the toe of the Athabasca Glacier midway between Jasper and Lake Louise.
They鈥檝e hired Forrec, a company with a reputation for designing marquee attractions such as LegoLand and other theme parks around the globe, to create a master plan for the centre.
Forrec鈥檚 senior director of visitor attractions, Matt Dawson, has a new recipe for the future and doesn鈥檛 mince words about what will soon be the Discovery Centre鈥檚 past.
鈥淭he building is crowded and underwhelming,鈥� Dawson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a missed opportunity - Brewster ranks high (on online travel sites and apps) but the building gets poor or non-existent reviews. People are just blanking it out of their minds. So we want to have complementary experiences inside that enhance what they have outside.鈥�
The next big thing for the Icefield centre is still coming into focus, but in the meantime the building is a flurry of activity as crews put the finishing touches on its two re-envisioned restaurants, the starkly contrasting Altitude and Chalet.
Both spaces emulate the practical function of the eateries they are replacing, with buffet-style and cafeteria service to handle the 600,000 or so visitors that pass through the centre in a normal year.
But they鈥檝e been upgraded to meet the standard Brewster has set with the centre鈥檚 anchor attractions, the glacier adventure tour and the glacier skywalk.
鈥淎ltitude is a 450-square-metre buffet style servery,鈥� Dawson explained. 鈥淚t takes inspiration from the natural environment. So the colour palette is inspired by glaciers, lots of icy blues and whites, harder surfaces - it鈥檚 cool and contemporary, and would not be out of place in downtown Vancouver.鈥�
He said it would serve dishes true to their Canadian and Albertan origins to help provide the mostly international visitorship with an experience that feels 鈥渞ooted in place.鈥�
Chalet, by contrast, is smaller at 330 sq. m. and is kitted out to create more of a rustic lodge on the verge of a mountain adventure sort of vibe.
鈥淚t will be cafeteria-style where you order first, but the food will be kind of higher-end, with limited menu offerings to increase the quality of the food,鈥� Dawson continued.
He said Chalet鈥檚 theme should evoke the feeling of stocking up on provisions before hitting the trail, with lots of grab-and-go items available too. Wood and textured metal in the material palette allow the cafeteria to appear as much like a cabin as could be expected, with a massive synthetic fireplace setting the tone.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the best fake fireplace I鈥檝e ever seen,鈥� he said.
The floorplan will allow for high throughput but with nooks and crannies built in so patrons feel like they鈥檙e in a cozy venue.
The restaurants are expected to be ready for the Glacier Adventure season鈥檚 April 14 opening.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited,鈥� said Rusty Noble, the Icefield Centre鈥檚 general manager. 鈥淚t brings the food experience up to the 21st century, and it鈥檚 part of the ongoing upgrades we鈥檙e making to our visitor experiences. Last year we did some great work to the gondola in Banff and now it鈥檚 our turn to get some upgrades.鈥�
Craig Gilbert
