- Story by Devon Paige Smith Photography by Don Denton

For many years, the tent at was the setting for some of the Saanich Peninsula含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淭hat was in about 2015 or 2016, and it含羞草研究社檚 taken us around five, six years to get to where we are now, which is this,含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a good thing that both farming and making cider teach you patience,含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 what we went to the architects with as a rough idea含羞草研究社攁nd they really took it from there,含羞草研究社� she explains.

Those architects are Gregory Damant and Peter Johannknecht from .

含羞草研究社淚t was a pleasure working with their team,含羞草研究社� says Kristen. 含羞草研究社淭heir design sense is outstanding and they含羞草研究社檙e very attuned to their clients含羞草研究社� needs and visions.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淲e started with a site-planning process to make sure it would fit where Kristen was envisioning it,含羞草研究社� explains Gregory. 含羞草研究社淭hat took a few months and I含羞草研究社檒l admit, we almost got off track because of all the possibilities the land offers,含羞草研究社� he laughs, adding, 含羞草研究社淜risten is incredibly resourceful. She含羞草研究社檚 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.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檚 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.

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

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

含羞草研究社淲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,含羞草研究社� explains Gregory.

All the ducting for the state-of-the-art ventilation system is hidden, highlighting the clean, angular lines in the trussed roof含羞草研究社攐ne of Kristen含羞草研究社檚 favourite parts of the space.

含羞草研究社淢ost people think it含羞草研究社檚 the dramatic water view at the front that含羞草研究社檚 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,含羞草研究社� she says, smiling.

The new building is as functional as it is beautiful, Kristen adds. 含羞草研究社淲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,含羞草研究社� she says.

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

含羞草研究社淚t was kind of a godsend in a strange way,含羞草研究社� says Kristen. 含羞草研究社淧eople were looking for safe space and we had it. If we hadn含羞草研究社檛 had the pavilion over the spring, summer and fall, it would have been rough.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e been able to use the pavilion in a bunch of different ways含羞草研究社攚ays that we含羞草研究社檇 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,含羞草研究社� says Kristen. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e spent a lot of time collaborating with small businesses on the Peninsula含羞草研究社攖hat含羞草研究社檚 been one of the keys to making it through these exceptional times. It helps to bounce ideas off each other.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e so looking forward to moving ahead with our original plans for the space as well when the time is right. I can含羞草研究社檛 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.含羞草研究社�

This story was originally published in PEARL magazine