“Peter Hemingway was a visionary in his time, and his influence on architectural design in the city was significant,” said David Johnston, a heritage planner with the City’s Heritage Conservation section. “Hemingway used the beauty and sometimes harshness of the prairie to influence his designs. That’s reflected in the way Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre blends into the landscape but also stands out as a unique structure.”
The pool building is designed in the Expressionist style of modern architecture. Its dramatic, sweeping roofline, reminiscent of a tent structure over the pool, reflects the transition from the Rocky Mountains to the prairies’ foothills and flatlands. The roof is clad in copper, and the interior structure is supported by a suspension cable system anchored to eight large concrete pillars on the north and south sides of the building.
The Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19 public health restrictions. Rehabilitation work began in fall 2021 and was completed in late 2025. The project included upgrades to its mechanical, structural and electrical systems, as well as the pool basin. In addition, the work included replacement of the glass curtain wall and lighting, along with the addition of a cold plunge pool and an elevator.
Peter Hemingway’s children, Curtis and Mistaya Hemingway, say their family is pleased the aquatic centre has been returned to service.
“Thank you to all the people that stood for this building, cared for it, rebuilt it and brought it back. And thank you for honouring our father’s work by keeping it alive, not as a monument, but as a living place full of people, still fulfilling its original purpose as a civic swimming pool. Today we rededicate more than a building: we rededicate a civic belief that this city can be brave in what it builds, and generous in who it serves.”
The Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre is the 195th heritage designation approved by Edmonton City Council since the program began in 1985. Because the Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre is owned by the City of Edmonton, no funding will be required from the City’s Heritage Reserve fund.
Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre reopened January 27 alongside the adjoining Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre.
While continuing to work on heritage designations, the City’s heritage planning team is also developing a new city-wide Heritage Places Strategy. The strategy will replace the existing Historic Resource Management Plan, take a broader view of Edmonton’s history and address important issues like climate adaptation and preserving heritage in a densifying city.
