- Story by Devon Paige Smith Photography by Don Denton

For many years, the tent at was the setting for some of the Saanich Peninsula香蕉视频直播檚 most beautiful gatherings and events. Eight months of the year, the light and airy tent set the stage for weddings, anniversaries and galas, and many of Sea Cider香蕉视频直播檚 own signature events.

But eventually, founder, owner and general manager of Sea Cider, Kristen Needham, through consultation with the Municipality of Central Saanich, decided it was time to upgrade to something more permanent.

香蕉视频直播淭hat was in about 2015 or 2016, and it香蕉视频直播檚 taken us around five, six years to get to where we are now, which is this,香蕉视频直播� says Kristen, motioning around the beautiful, bright new space.

In order to prepare for the build, Sea Cider needed approval from the Agricultural Land Commission, along with all the other consultations, permits and licensing that come with creating an event-centric space in a rural area.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a good thing that both farming and making cider teach you patience,香蕉视频直播� she laughs.

Fortunately, Kristen came equipped with an inspiration in the form of the well-known and beloved tent. She also wanted something that would sit as a sort of modernized sibling to the main cider house.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 what we went to the architects with as a rough idea香蕉视频直播攁nd they really took it from there,香蕉视频直播� she explains.

Those architects are Gregory Damant and Peter Johannknecht from .

香蕉视频直播淚t was a pleasure working with their team,香蕉视频直播� says Kristen. 香蕉视频直播淭heir design sense is outstanding and they香蕉视频直播檙e very attuned to their clients香蕉视频直播� needs and visions.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e started with a site-planning process to make sure it would fit where Kristen was envisioning it,香蕉视频直播� explains Gregory. 香蕉视频直播淭hat took a few months and I香蕉视频直播檒l admit, we almost got off track because of all the possibilities the land offers,香蕉视频直播� he laughs, adding, 香蕉视频直播淜risten is incredibly resourceful. She香蕉视频直播檚 very nice to work with, and she came equipped with her own ideas but was more than willing to work together. This project was very much a collaboration with her, as well as her staff who run the events, to make sure we were creating the space in a way which would be useful for them.香蕉视频直播�

The team was able to determine through some careful planning that the site of the original tent would work and could be accommodated through fireproofing the walls to ensure it adhered to coding due to its proximity to the main cider house.

Aside from the location, one of the main aspects of the tent that both Kristen and the architects wanted to capture was the feeling of light and warmth in the space.

Although the resulting pavilion has lots of natural light and is painted bright white (including the trusses in the ceiling) the team wanted there to be a feeling of warmth. Cascadia香蕉视频直播檚 team, which included Andy Guiry and Nicole Fitzgerald, worked with Jeff Halpenny of AES Engineering to create 3D renderings of the space and the proposed lighting plan to make sure it looked the way they wanted it to.

香蕉视频直播淭his whole idea goes back to the roof of the tent,香蕉视频直播� Gregory explains. 香蕉视频直播淲e wanted to give it that same sense of glowing, which was a big part of the character of that tent space. I香蕉视频直播檓 so glad we were able to capture that ethereal feeling.香蕉视频直播�

The new pavilion is 2,800 square feet total including front and back of house and upstairs and down, which is storage space.

香蕉视频直播淲e really wanted to keep the service spaces collected in the back, neatly tucked away, to really define that sense of front of house versus back of house,香蕉视频直播� explains Gregory.

All the ducting for the state-of-the-art ventilation system is hidden, highlighting the clean, angular lines in the trussed roof香蕉视频直播攐ne of Kristen香蕉视频直播檚 favourite parts of the space.

香蕉视频直播淢ost people think it香蕉视频直播檚 the dramatic water view at the front that香蕉视频直播檚 the best part, but my favourite aspect is the view looking back through the pavilion towards the west. You can see the sun set through the back windows and I love looking up through the roof trusses. It has that rustic farmhouse feeling which I love so much,香蕉视频直播� she says, smiling.

The new building is as functional as it is beautiful, Kristen adds. 香蕉视频直播淲e stepped up cider production through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the basement of the pavilion has been a key storage area for all of our inventory,香蕉视频直播� she says.

The ink was drying on the occupancy permit for the pavilion when COVID-19 hit.

香蕉视频直播淚t was kind of a godsend in a strange way,香蕉视频直播� says Kristen. 香蕉视频直播淧eople were looking for safe space and we had it. If we hadn香蕉视频直播檛 had the pavilion over the spring, summer and fall, it would have been rough.香蕉视频直播�

A state-of-the-art HVAC system, big sliding windows at the front of the space that open, and a common outdoor courtyard shared with the main cider house mean Sea Cider has been able to continue to host safe, physically distanced classes.

Through winter and spring, there are low-intensity yoga classes twice a week, along with workshops, a brunch series, and elopements. Starting after Easter, Foodie Friday with food trucks will kick off providing COVID-19 restrictions allow.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e been able to use the pavilion in a bunch of different ways香蕉视频直播攚ays that we香蕉视频直播檇 never considered but have come about because of COVID-19 and the resulting restrictions. Our entrepreneurial spirit, like that of many businesses through COVID-19, has risen to the challenge,香蕉视频直播� says Kristen. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e spent a lot of time collaborating with small businesses on the Peninsula香蕉视频直播攖hat香蕉视频直播檚 been one of the keys to making it through these exceptional times. It helps to bounce ideas off each other.香蕉视频直播�

And with bookings set through to 2023, Sea Cider is poised to take the stage once again as one of the Peninsula香蕉视频直播檚 premier event settings once things return to some semblance of normal.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e so looking forward to moving ahead with our original plans for the space as well when the time is right. I can香蕉视频直播檛 wait for the day when the pavilion is buzzing with tours seven days a week. After over five years in the making, lots of planning, hoping and sweat equity, and then a tough couple of seasons with COVID-19, it will be a dream come true.香蕉视频直播�

This story was originally published in PEARL magazine