MANNING PARK RESORT

 

MASTER PLANNING OVERVIEW

Manning Park Resort, BC
Manning Park is located in the Cascade Mountains of southwestern British Columbia 224 kilometers east of Vancouver.  The Provincial Park was created to preserve and protect an area of outstanding beauty in the Cascade wilderness region. It contains more than 66,500 hectares (162,640 acres) of rugged mountains, alpine meadows, valleys, pristine lakes and streams. Manning Park Resort is situated centrally within Manning Park —  four thousand feet above sea level among lodgepole pines. It has all the natural attributes that make a family mountain resort an attractive destination.

The Resort first opened by the BC Provincial Government in the late1950s with the construction of the Hope-Princeton Highway.  In 1984, the Resort was privatized. Today, Manning Park Resort offers the public a variety of services and recreational opportunities including a main guest lodge, a restaurant, a dining room (Pinewoods Inn), lounge (Bear’s Den), general store, recreation centre, chalets, cabins, camp sites, day use areas, alpine ski area, snowmobile and Nordic ski trails. As well there are many kilometers of spectacular hiking and riding trails.

Master Planning
Broadway Architects were first retained in the early 1990's to assist the Resort owners to:

• Establish a comprehensive development plan for new guest accommodation, staff accommodation, guest services and associated operational facilities in the Pinewoods Flats area;
• Create an overall vision and design theme for the resort which protects and enhances the natural, historical and cultural environment of this special area in Manning Provincial Park;
• Provide an upgrading and maintenance program for existing facilities;
• Define specific architectural and environmental guidelines to produce indigenously based buildings —  using local materials and consistent design —  sympathetic to the natural setting

To function more effectively as a modern resort and to accommodate the increasing number of visitors, additional services and new guest and staff facilities were necessary.  The existing facilities also required upgrading to comply with current building code standards and handicap access requirements.

Broadway Architects created a "Working Master Plan" that outlined ordered development for future growth, and the upgrading of the existing facilities. The resort facilities are in two distinct zones of Manning Park: Pinewood Flats and Gibson Pass. Pinewood Flats area has historically been the operational center of the resort and the orienting service hub for the general public to take advantage of the many recreational opportunities within Manning Park. The main focal points of the Pinewoods Flats guest service area are the Manning Park Guest Lodge and the Pinewoods Inn.  In the Development Plan, guest accommodation and facilities, staff accommodation, administrative and maintenance services are all contained within the current leased lands.

The master plan for the Pinewoods Flats area included:

• Upgrading of Pinewood Inn and a new General Store (completed January 1993-95)
• New 80 seat Grizzly Den Lounge (completed 1998)
• Conference meeting rooms in Pinewoods Inn (completen1998)
• New Recreation Centre with hot tub, change rooms, and fitness facility
  (Phase 1 completed 1998-1999)
• Upgraded Nordic Sking Facility (completed 1998 -1999)
• New Resort and Guest Laundry Facility (completed 1998-1999)
• Expanded Dining facilities for Pinewoods Inn (new self contained wing, Parkview Inn)
• Renovation and and expansion of the existing Manning Park Lodge (completed 2001-2002)
  (new entry, lounge, office areas, conference facilities)
• Recreation Centre Swimming Pool (Phase 2)
  (Phase 2 completed 2003-2004)
• Addition of 69 new guest rooms to Manning Park Lodge
• Two new 24 room Guest Lodges (Similkameen & Cascade Guest Lodges)
• New 16 room Guest Lodge (Skagit Guest Lodge)
• Upgraded Chalets + additional Chalets
• Upgraded Last Resort Guest Lodge
• Upgraded “Windy Joe’s”
• Introduction of a ring road
• Enhancement of the open meadow area
• New staff housing facilities in staff subdivision area
• New outdoor recreation areas including tennis courts, barbecue, cross country training and skating areas

Seven major architectural projects have been designed by Broadway Architects since the master plan was conceived. The current new owners have recently constructed the new wing for the Pinewoods Inn initally outlined in the master plan as Parkview Inn.

Broadway Architects completed architectural projects at Maning Park Resort include:

Pinewoods Inn (Mother Bear )
Manning Park Resort, Manning Provincial Park (1994)
Pinewoods Inn was the first project in a long term  building program to provide Manning Park Resort guests new green resort facilities with a distinct, cohesive identity. This 18,000 sf  guest services facility accommodates: a 100 seat  restaurant, a 75 seat dining room, a 80 seat lounge, a 1,500 sf country store, a  bistro & outdoor eating area, and conference rooms. The intent was to produce an indigenous, eco based building sympathetic to the natural setting to set the tone for new buildings and upgrading of the existing facilities.

The environmental design for Pinewoods Inn is reminiscent of traditional mountain vernacular. Use of indigenous, durable materials including cedar, fir logs, rock and earth based accent colours are important elements. Artwork has been incorporated into the structural detailing with animals of the area highlighted to mark each building. Mother bear & cubs is a design metaphor for Pinewoods Inn.

Bear's Den Lounge (Grizzly)
Manning Park Resort, Manning Provincial Park (1996)
The 80 seat lounge is located on the lower floor of Pinewoods Inn.  There is also a small conference room on this level. The lounge is named after the Grizzly which is common to the area.

Manning Park Lodge Hotel (Eagle's Nest)
Manning Park Resort, Manning Provincial Park (2002-03)
Manning Park Lodge is a 41 room hotel. Our major addition and renovation resulted in the upgrading and expansion of  all guest rooms, adding "accessible" rooms and washrooms, and public areas, as well as providing a new entry, lobby, front desk, conference rooms and resort office administration offices.

The sustainable environmental design concept for the Manning Park Lodge is reminiscent of traditional eco mountain resort vernacular. Use of indigenous, durable materials including cedar, fir log posts and exposed beams, rock walls are important design elements. Artwork has been incorporated into the structural detailing with animals from the area highlighted to mark the entry and main lobby as well as murals on the inside.

Loon Lagoon Recreation Centre (Loon)
Manning Park Resort, Manning Provincial Park  Phase 1 (1996)   Phase 2 (2004)
The Manning Park Loon Lagoon Recreation Centre is a geo-thermal heated green resort building that includes a swimming pool, two indoor hot tubs, a sauna, and fitness facility. The design also includes an outdoor hot tub, first aid room and other amenities. In keeping with the resort's fresh air experience, healthy mandate, the pool and hot tubs are ozone treated.

The "Loon" has been used as a design metaphor for this mountain ski resort facility, recalling and promoting the lure and sanctity of the wild.

The Loon Lagoon Recreation Centre was one of the first commercial project in British Columbia to use geo-exchange heating and the first to incorporate locally harvested "pine beetle" impacted wood. Natural building materials have been used throughout this green eco resort building.

Manning Park Resort Laundry Facility (Loon) 
Manning Park Resort, Manning Provincial Park (1996) 
A centrally located commercial laundry facility to serve the resort operations and also for general guest use was provided in a separate wing to the Loon Lagoon Recreation centre.

Nordic Ski Centre (Snow)
Manning Park Resort, Manning Provincial Park (1996)
Also adjacent to the Loon Lagoon Recreation Center is the renovated Nordic Centre which caters to cross country skiers and snowshoeing enthusiasts.