Renovation of SaskPower head offices enters final stage

SaskPower renovations near end WATCH: Regina’s iconic SaskPower head offices are being restored top to bottom, with the process nearing its end. Wayne Mantyka reports.

SaskPower’s headquarters in Regina, with its curving contour, has been celebrated and studied in architectural circles for decades. Now, it’s being completely refurbished at a cost of $129 million.

“We’re almost done. We’ve done the renovation, the refurbishment floor by floor in a really systematic way,” Scott Campbell explained, the director of properties for the crown corporation.

Refurbishment of the 13 story building began in 2018. Each floor has been stripped to bare concrete and rebuilt, starting at the top and working down.

Crews have now reached the lobby and underground parking levels.

“What’s happening right now is we’re rebuilding the front. We’ve waterproofed the top of the parkade,” Campbell said.

The SaskPower building was designed by local architect Joseph Pettick and was the pride of the city when it opened in 1962.

The crown corporation was eager to show it off with CKCK Radio and Television broadcasting from the building on election nights in the 1960s and early 70s.

The top floor had a public observation deck and restaurant. However, those were not retained through the renovations.

Other features that are being restored include curving interior wall panels, mosaic stone pillars and the front yard water fountain.

“Our head office is really special when you look at the landscape of downtown Regina and the rich history,” Campbell said.

“We‘ve made many attempts to reuse any materials that we have.”

SaskPower is also refurbishing a second office tower which it has purchased one block south of its head offices.

Work on both will be completed by the spring of 2023, giving new life to important architecture from the 1960s.