Sicamous’ former municipal office can be added to the list of structural casualties resulting from recent flooding.
At their last meeting, district council approved the demolition of the old Riverside Avenue building, which has gone largely unused since the recent opening of the new civic centre.
Interim administrator Doug Ruttan explained that flood damage occurred in the basement and, in order to renovate, the district would have to deal with asbestos.
“There’s some asbestos in the old building – It got wet, that’s going to cause us some problems,” said Ruttan, adding the shed behind the building would also be coming down. The goal would be to turn the municipal lot into public parking for approximately 10 to 13 trucks with boat trailers.
Coun. Fred Busch noted the building’s basement was being pumped out prior to the arrival of the BC Safety Authority, who removed meters on residences and other buildings where it was deemed necessary for public safety. Busch and council learned from district works services manager Grady MacDonald that this exacerbated the problem as the district pumps were suddenly, and without notification, deprived of power. MacDonald said that without the pumps, the water rose from one inch to three feet.
“It’s sort of a Gestapo-type move these BC Safety Authority people have pulled throughout the community…,” commented said Busch. “There were a number of homes under similar circumstances I believe you’re aware of, and there were also some businesses. I really feel we should make our protest known to our MLA and the proper authorities about this.
“If they were acting within the law then that law has to be changed.”
Asked if the demolition would be tendered out, MacDonald said the district put out a request for proposals on the former, recently demolished chamber building with the hope that someone would pay the district to take it away.
“But that didn’t happen and I don’t think that will happen with this building,” said MacDonald. “Due to the fact there’s asbestos there, I recommend that we take care of it ourselves.”
Coun. Greg Kyllo asked if insurance coverage on the building could be utilized for the cost of the demolition, noting the district has incurred a loss. Ruttan argued the district hasn’t really incurred a loss, but explained the cost of renovating the building – which he guessed to be about 40 years old – would include some “pretty hefty building code amendments.”
“We have incurred loss and it would cost some dollars to renovate if that was our desire,” reasoned Kyllo. “There should be some funds available.”
Coun. Don Richardson inquired about museum pieces that were being stored in the shed and building, wondering when they could be removed. At that point, MacDonald wasn’t aware of whether or not they’d been damaged from the flooding.
“Were they boat items,” joked Coun. Terry Rysz.
Ruttan highlighted and received support for a resolution from council, instructing staff to “check for insurance to see if that is a tool, and secondly if we can seek financial assistance under disaster relief from the province for the fact they’re the ones who caused part of the problem, and we’ll try to have it before the building is demolished.”
