Work to restore the dome of the Saskatchewan legislature is complete and the shiny new copper top has been unveiled.
The dome in Regina had been under scaffolding and white plastic for about two years.
When the plastic was removed Monday night, people saw the dome shine for the first time since the building officially opened in 1912.
There is about 12.7 tonnes of new copper on the legislature.
Jerrod Keuler, project manager of the dome restoration work, said it will age to the familiar green-black patina over the next year or two. The timing will depend on how much rain, sun and wind hits the building and each direction.
Behind all of the copper is a new wood structural backing which will make it a lot more durable than the original construction, he said.
"The workmanship that went into creating the wood backup is probably just as impressive as the copper you see here," he said. "Just about every detail was built out of wood first and then clad in copper."
Years of rain, snow and wind have also taken their toll on other parts of the dome.
Water got behind the stones and damaged them. Some stones were rotting away and had to be completely replaced. About 17.5 tonnes of new stone from Tyndall, Man., was needed to repair it.
The original stone was from Tyndall as well.
There's also a new gutter system and new lead flashing around horizontal surfaces, which Keuler said will prevent water from getting behind the stone in the future.
"The intent of this project is to make sure that this building lasts another 100 years," he said.
The cost of the dome restoration is $21 million.
