The Burns Lake Band is currently in the midst of upgrading the gas station at the Rainbow Motel and looking into other possibilities for the site, including a new motel, a restaurant and possibly a First Nations interpretive centre.
“What we are doing is demolishing everything, but the gas bar portion of the Rainbow Motel,” explained Burns Lake Band Chief Albert Gerow.
“We looked at remodeling and renovating the motel, but due to its age and its deteriorating floors we felt that it would be safer to demolish it.”
According to Chief Gerow, the gas bar will be completely renovated inside and out.
“We are re-doing the floor, the wall paneling and repairing the roof. The gas bar will have new lighting and a new floor plan, along with electrical upgrading,” he said.
It will also have two new fuel tanks to provide all three grades of fuel, as well as diesel.
“The gas bar will also have a canopy over the fueling stations and once we are ready to re-open, we will be providing full service at self service prices. We will also be able to fill propane bottles, along with auto-propane for recreational vehicles,” Chief Gerow said.
It is anticipated that it will take a couple of weeks to demolish the old facility and then a few more weeks on top of that to complete the interior refinishing, install new gas pumps and a canopy.
As for the motel or possibly interpretive centre and restaurant, Chief Gerow said that the Burns Lake Band are still working towards developing the project and have not set any plans in motion yet.
