Ludowici Terra Cotta Clay Tiles in Canada: Harbin Gate, Edmonton

A Cultural Gift Revival

In 1987, the City of Edmonton officially opened the Harbin Friendship Gate, which was paid for and built by Chinese-Edmontonians to commemorate their twin-city relationship between Edmonton and the City of Harbin in China’s Heilongjiang Province. Edmonton’s Chinese Benevolent Association partnered with the city to establish the gate, and for 30 years it represented the spirit of international friendship between the two cities.

However, to accommodate construction of the Valley Line Southeast LRT, the original gate was dismantled and put into storage in 2017. A new friendship gate and new location was proposed and approved, and material production for the new wider gate is currently underway:

• 2023 — Edmonton City Council approved $6 million to design and build a new gate.
• 2024 – Design of the new gate began; consultant and construction management contracts were awarded, and engagement with Edmonton’s Chinese community and the City of Harbin, China began.
• 2025 – Edmonton City council approved an additional $2.7 million for the project, and a detailed design concept was completed and shared with the community.
• 2026 – Construction of the new gate began in March
• 2027 – Construction anticipated to be completed in Summer 2027

The new gate will be built on 97 Street between Jasper Avenue and Okisikow Way and will feature a custom colour Ludowici Barrel tile roof. This custom profile is just one of more than 40 different terra cotta roof tile profiles offered by Ludowici. The final custom tile colour is currently under review with the design team.

Training and Installation

Signature Roof Tile of Calgary, will install the custom tile roof on the new gate, as it did back in 1987, when the original gate was built. For nearly 40 years, Signature Roof Tile has provided home and business owners with top quality workmanship and comprehensive tile installation and repair services.

Signature Roof Tile specializes in installing multiple roof tile systems. In anticipation of the start of the new gate construction, company owner Chad Coljee and roofing consultant, Ramil Eclarin recently traveled to New Lexington, Ohio to participate in Ludowici’s ‘Factory Installation Training’ (F.I.T.) program; a two-day practical workshop.

While the Signature team are experts in terra cotta roofing installation, Coljee and Eclarin were looking for updated product design information, as well as hands-on installation training. The F.I.T. program not only specializes in training contractors of all levels of terra cotta installation experience and is the first phase of the exclusive Ludowici ‘Crown Roofer Program,’ a highly desirable designation for tile roof installers.

The program includes a variety of classroom seminars and practical hands-on sessions that address the fundamental technical elements of working with terra cotta clay tile, the likes of which will be installed on the new Harbin Gate.

Ludowici Tiles are available exclusively in Canada through North Country Slate (NCS). This is just another reason that makes NCS your perfect premium roofing partner:

• Fire Resistant– Ludowici roof tiles are Class A fire-rated and simply will not burn.
• Longevity — Ludowici terra cotta products come with a comprehensive 75-year manufacturer’s warranty.
• Durability – Ludowici tiles do not absorb water and withstand Canada’s extreme cold and harsh environments for decades, with no depreciation.
• Sustainable– Terra cotta is a ‘green’ and sustainable building material that is both energy efficient and 100% recyclable. Ludowici terra cotta has one of the lowest environmental impacts in terms of ‘embodied carbon’ of any building envelope material available.
• Maintenance – Ludowici tile roofs are maintenance free and do not require any annual cleaning or washing.
• Warranty – Ludowici tiles are available in an extensive range of 58 standard colours, mists, and blends, with access to hundreds of other custom developed colours. And their 75-year material warranty includes colourfastness to UV light. Other than natural stone roofing slate, no other roofing product offers warranties this long.

In short, North Country Slate and Ludowici can add beauty and aesthetic appeal to any structure, as it is doing with the new Harbin Gate. For additional information, please contact us or call 1-800-975-2835.