The living wall in Tory: on the surface it was a beautiful splash of greenery, a pop of colour and life especially welcome during our long winters - but it was hiding a big bill and harbouring some unwanted residents. In light of the cost of maintenance and pest management, the living wall was dismantled on June 28 and 29, 2018.
The living wall went up in 2011 and included 1,800 plants. While the space is beloved, ensuring that the wall is healthy and pest-free has been more challenging than predicted, and the university made the difficult decision to dismantle it. Unfortunately, the plants weren't able to be saved and transplanted elsewhere due to the results of the infestation.
The funds allocated to the living wall covered ongoing pest management, care of the plants, and general maintenance. Removal of the greenery will allow for funds to be reallocated to other high-priority deferred maintenance projects in the Tory building.
The university understands the importance of maintaining a welcoming space in the Tory atrium. With students returning in September, representatives from the Faculty of Arts, School of Business, University of Alberta Museums, Office of the University Architect and relevant student associations will discuss the future of the space. Ideally, consultation will lead to a new type of colour and warmth for the atrium. Ben Louie, university architect, says that, "the removal of the Living Wall presents us with an opportunity to re-imagine and also re-activate the Tory Atrium as a space to better support the changing needs of our students, and faculty and staff who frequent this place to pause in their busy academic schedule."
James Allen, associate vice president of Operations & Maintenance with Facilities & Operations explains that "the decision to remove the Living Wall from the Tory-Business Atrium was not taken lightly. After careful analysis, it was determined that the maintenance dollars used to preserve the Living Wall needed to be spent in a more sustainable manner, to improve the reliability and comfort of the Atrium, and the Tory and Business buildings."
Looking ahead, the space has tremendous potential to be reimagined, and we are going to work hard to make sure that the atrium remains a space where everyone feels welcome.