o ne aly J98-was. r . “VICTORIA (CP) — - of Canadian hotels. ‘part of their honeymoon. . Winnipeg's When the Empress Hotel first exected a sign identifying ‘Thecurved roof of the Em- Heelf in 1960, one longtime press ballroom originally Now they'r re i in beautiful "shape." - guest was ind dignant. was built of clear glans, so “Apyonewho doesn't know that couples on the dance this is the Empress shoukin't floor could gaze at the stars, be staying here,” he buffed. However, the glass was : After all, for more than 50 painted blue and a second years it was assumed that roof built on top of it when an the palatial, ivy-covered air-conditioning syntern was _ building and manicured installed during Operation tawns clearly identified the Teacup. Empress, the grand old lady Waiters in the Bengal . Room are doffing their red Richard and Pat Nixon Nehru jackets for khaki didn't need a sign to find tbe = outfits ‘and. the lounges hotel in which ‘they spent decorative peacock feathers The king and queen of Hoston ferns peeking from’ Thailand managediounload behind the bar's 5.5-metre their 56. servants and 656 onk pillars, But Balderson pieces of luggage ‘in the promises that imbibers will correct foyer without a sign. still feel like ‘the British And thousands of tourists army in India.” - strolling Victoria harbor’s cordons off a sunken area The offended gentieman with rattan furniture. spoke for almost everyone Leopard-skin carpeting has who has visited, and been installed along the cur- therefore revered, the tains “similar -to British Empress. He voiced the ted army pup tents." - nacious emotional hold they" Baldersod is remodelling have on the hotel's imperial the Garden Coffee Shop and traditions and decore. © creating a gazebo area The more things change, where cake and coffee will ‘say Empress guests, the be sold beyond the present. more they'd better stay the closing time of B p.m. came. So when hole] manager - the hotel's front door while Ted Balderson describes the painting and redecorating Empress's current five- the highdceilinged lobby but year, $6-millim renovation Balderson has allowed - project, he emphasizes that nothing to interrupt high tea, much of it involves restoring served every afternoon in old crystal chandeliers, the lobby. repairing antique furniture “Tea will be maintained and returning four potted come hell or high water,’ palms to the lobby they Balderson says of the hotel’s graced more than a decade. bestknown and best-loved ago. tradition, |: Balderson jokingly “calls Vietoria artist Emily Carr the renovation project was a regular at high tea — Operation Saucer, because it and always brought ber pet picks up where Operation monkey along in a pram. Teacup ieft off in the 19608. Actor Robert Young once Operation Teacup, the made his daughters queue in Empress’s first major the tea ne for en hour “as sao aat vehets Reyprbes tar oftheir education.” onde the heel so pensive many changes he > plana for to operate. So much so that afternoon tea. He also wants the Canadian Pacific Rail- & impose a dress code — way was talking about feeling the stately lobby of demolishing the old girl and the Empress is no place for. replacing her with a glass cut-off jeans — and upgrade the menu, © ‘public ouery and & per- “Well serve fewer people, sonal appeal from then-B.C. but we'll serve them civilly,” Premier W. Am C. Bennett says Balderson. “It will ” persuaded the CPR fo spend bring back the od class.” Guests have reacted poai- bring the westernmost hotel tively to the:clmnges made the neceasary $5 million to in its chain up to modern-day so far. standards. Operation Teacupinvolved mumber of renovations over major surgery — more than the years,” says Balderson. half the hotel's 416 rooms “This is the first time people were redecorated, the old have written and calledinto | fashioned pipes and wash ask where they can buy the basins were sent to the things we have.” auction block, modern wiring was installed at more’ The Empress was than double the cost of the designed in 1904 hy Francis original building and more Rattenbury, architect of the than seven kilometres of nearby legislature and earpetd ing were laid Crystal Gardens, shortly throughout the six-storey before be retumed to his building. native England where he The current renovations, was murdered by his wife's which began in 1978, are lover... more of a facelift. While the At that time the site of the ‘pilings of Australian gum- ballroom and Bengal Room wood into the mud as’a iounge. - foundation for what was then Four 1.8-metre-round a 160-room hotel. erystalbead chandeliers about 400, more than 25 per cent of whom have worked at stalled to reflect the the hotel five yeara or | bafiroom’s opulent new royal biue carpeting and vinyl! §— Batterson says about 40 wallpaper. exiployees have worked at _ the Empress for more than ‘Balderson rescued the 20 years and “there are still chandeliers from crates three or four who've been they've been in ever since here more than 4 years.” old Royal “We had oe employee (a Alexandra Hotel was torn waiter in the Bengal Room) - down more then io yon retire a year ago last May ago. tes they're with 50 years’ service,” ” shape, but we were able to in the main dining room." get a firm af old-country § = Long service tends to restore thei,” be seid. a sense of just how things are a r * : . ~ TERR ceva AT daily roe ™~ 3 oa ; The tera Tuesday, February a, wa, Pome : d old lady becomes a new old lady. e f ald. SECOND SECTION | done at the Empress, even ‘for the eeventrics, like. the ‘two permanent ‘residents who ate cod. steaks every | night. for six years. "The waiters also learned to | “cater toa wealthy San Fran- cisco manwho refized to. Up. handle money unless he was ber kid gloves. When Winston inti ma enoonatt band. the Empress Gurng coe § ‘a . Victoria's dry spells, | will be overshadowed by © -Workmen have blocked off . “Lye been through a fancouver & create a sense of loyalty and - agical Mystery Tour OKLUOEt 20 PAC (Unt COL Om Pic TUSt BOW; TH E BEATLES ‘Magical Mystery: Tour’ ‘THE BEATLES ‘Revolver’ LP, @a.: . Givethe gift” _ ofmusic. YOUR CHOICE 2 Album or Cass., each: JOHN LENNON © ‘Shaved Fish’ THE BEATLES ‘Sergeant Pepper’ fate oH a =; 598 THE BEATLES *Rubber Soul’ LP... @@.:. 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