- Story by Devon Paige Smith Photography by Don Denton

For many years, the tent at was the setting for some of the Saanich Peninsula害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淭hat was in about 2015 or 2016, and it害羞草研究所檚 taken us around five, six years to get to where we are now, which is this,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a good thing that both farming and making cider teach you patience,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what we went to the architects with as a rough idea害羞草研究所攁nd they really took it from there,害羞草研究所� she explains.

Those architects are Gregory Damant and Peter Johannknecht from .

害羞草研究所淚t was a pleasure working with their team,害羞草研究所� says Kristen. 害羞草研究所淭heir design sense is outstanding and they害羞草研究所檙e very attuned to their clients害羞草研究所� needs and visions.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e started with a site-planning process to make sure it would fit where Kristen was envisioning it,害羞草研究所� explains Gregory. 害羞草研究所淭hat took a few months and I害羞草研究所檒l admit, we almost got off track because of all the possibilities the land offers,害羞草研究所� he laughs, adding, 害羞草研究所淜risten is incredibly resourceful. She害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淭his whole idea goes back to the roof of the tent,害羞草研究所� Gregory explains. 害羞草研究所淲e wanted to give it that same sense of glowing, which was a big part of the character of that tent space. I害羞草研究所檓 so glad we were able to capture that ethereal feeling.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淲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,害羞草研究所� explains Gregory.

All the ducting for the state-of-the-art ventilation system is hidden, highlighting the clean, angular lines in the trussed roof害羞草研究所攐ne of Kristen害羞草研究所檚 favourite parts of the space.

害羞草研究所淢ost people think it害羞草研究所檚 the dramatic water view at the front that害羞草研究所檚 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,害羞草研究所� she says, smiling.

The new building is as functional as it is beautiful, Kristen adds. 害羞草研究所淲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,害羞草研究所� she says.

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

害羞草研究所淚t was kind of a godsend in a strange way,害羞草研究所� says Kristen. 害羞草研究所淧eople were looking for safe space and we had it. If we hadn害羞草研究所檛 had the pavilion over the spring, summer and fall, it would have been rough.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e been able to use the pavilion in a bunch of different ways害羞草研究所攚ays that we害羞草研究所檇 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,害羞草研究所� says Kristen. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e spent a lot of time collaborating with small businesses on the Peninsula害羞草研究所攖hat害羞草研究所檚 been one of the keys to making it through these exceptional times. It helps to bounce ideas off each other.害羞草研究所�

And with bookings set through to 2023, Sea Cider is poised to take the stage once again as one of the Peninsula害羞草研究所檚 premier event settings once things return to some semblance of normal.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e so looking forward to moving ahead with our original plans for the space as well when the time is right. I can害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

This story was originally published in PEARL magazine