BANFF – The $2.6 million redevelopment of the Cascades of Time Garden is complete, returning the “wonderful gem” to its former glory.
Water to the cascading ponds was turned off in 2004 after aging pipes led to water leaking from the 70-year-old pools, undermining the flowerbeds and threatening the stability of the historic Cambrian Pavilion’s foundation.
Parks Canada officials say the project involved the conservation and rehabilitation of the historic ponds and watercourses and any flowerbeds immediately surrounding them, noting the cost covered design and construction.
Steve Malins, cultural resource management advisor for Banff National Park, said the project successfully retained the historic design intent of architect Harold C. Beckett, allowing visitors and residents to enjoy this cultural showpiece for years to come.
“The whole system is working now,” said Malins, adding water is pumped from the Bow River.
“This garden is extremely popular in town. It’s a wonderful gem.”
The Parks Canada administration building, garden and layout of the 12-acre grounds were designed by Beckett – a rare example of landscape design coordinated with the design of a building by the same architect.
With its stone pathways, rustic pavilions, bridges and ponds surrounded by tiered flowerbeds, the gardens were designed as a geological garden to explain the geology of Banff National Park.
“The water features were intended to depict the geological sequence of time,” said Malins. “That’s where we get the namesake – the water is cascading through time.”
The Cambrian pond rehabilitation was completed in 2015 and repairs to the Devonian pond and reflecting pond wrapped up in 2017.
“Water was diverted to the Devonian pond in 2017 and allowed to cascade down to the Cambrian pond and then to the reflecting pond,” said Malins.
“Work on the Cretaceous pond was completed this spring and water now flows through the entire series of ponds and water courses.”
Malins said heritage conservation architects worked on the project with Parks Canada.
“The basins of each pond and the water courses linking them received new concrete that carefully followed their historic design,” he said.
