Edmonton's Muttart Conservatory celebrates 40 years
Adrienne Lamb | CBC News | Posted: September 10, 2016 1:30 PM | Last Updated: September 10, 2016
From homemade props to elaborate sets with lights, motors and waterfalls: 'We’ve come quite a long ways'
For James McIvor, taking a stroll through the feature pyramid at the Muttart Conservatory is a walk down memory lane.
McIvor has worked at the conservatory for 36 years and a new display reflecting themes at the venue since in opened in September 1976 brings back a flood of memories.
"We've done Greek shows, we've done Paris, love from Paris, Chinese New Year," he said, pointing to a mermaid floating next to some Victorian lilies from The Octopus's Garden exhibit back in 2010.
The blast from the past exhibit runs until Oct. 2.
McIvor recalls in the beginning, the props displayed alongside the plants weren't nearly as elaborate as they are today.
"The first Christmas was the ice queen's castle and we actually had to ask staff to bring toilet paper rolls to build it and put it together," remembered McIvor. "We've come quite a ways".
The conservatory was built as a memorial to Edmonton entrepreneurs Gladys and Merrill Muttart.
Funding came from The Muttart Foundation established by the couple back in the 1950s.
The foundation donated $1 million covering half the cost of the initial construction.
Sarah Birmingham recalls walking from Riverdale Elementary School in Grade 2 to see the Muttart for the very first time.
"My brother got married here three years ago. It was the sword in the stone show," said Briningham, who's spent the last five years as a grower at the conservatory.
One of Birmingham's more pungent memories is the blooming of Putrella, the so-called corpse flower.
"The conservatory was the first in western Canada to have an eight-foot-tall flower bloom in our presents," she said.
More than 6,000 people lined up to get a whiff of the stinky plant for themselves.
Birmingham expects crowds to return for the 40th anniversary show this month.
The celebration includes a disco ball flashback dance party in the feature pyramid Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 9626 96a Street.
If you want to see more from the Muttart Conservatory watch Our Edmonton Sunday at 5 p.m. and 11 a.m. on Monday on CBC TV.