A little building with a lot of history in Qualicum Beach may be saved.
As council prepared for the final votes to rezone a small, two-storey residential lot in the downtown Village Neighbourhood, they heard a request from Wendy Maurer on behalf of the the Qualicum Beach Museum and Historical Society.
“The museum is always interested in finding additional room for storage and displays,” she told council, “and we believe that, should the building be in suitable condition, it would be an asset to the museum.”
She said the building, which was built behind the house at 184 First Avenue as a refuge for the woman of the house when she was diagnosed with tuberculosis, is a good representative of small buildings in the area.
Coun. Anne Skipsey had also previously highlighted the building’s history.
“It was also used as a preschool for many years,” she said. “I know that because I happened to attend preschool there.”
Mauer said there don’t appear to be any other similar little buildings they would be able to move.
The museum had already been working with the property owner to photograph and memorialize the roughly 100-year-old house and had the owner’s permission to remove the building, Mauer said. Since the town owns the museum property, they need town permission and hope for help moving the building.
Mauer said they already have items in mind that could be displayed in the outbuilding and they have a space for it on the small lot where they could back the building in. Meanwhile, town council unanimously passed third reading to allow the old house to be replaced by two duplexes, four residential units of approximately 130 sq.m (1,400 sq.ft.) each.
The town’s Advisory Planning Commission recommended approval subject to receiving more details on a number of things like the laneway aesthetics, landscape plan and floor plans.
Four people spoke during the public hearing, one speaking against the project for deviating from the official community plan (OCP), two spoke passionately about recognizing and saving some of the plants on the property and a neighbour spoke of concerns about drainage.
Director of Planning Luke Sales said the proposed landscaping would capture more of the rainwater and direct it into the storm water system than what’s currently happening.
He said staff recommended allowing the projected because “it meets the the town’s long-term development strategy,” and the OCP’s “commitment to intensive uses in the downtown… bringing people and businesses to this area.”
He called it an important infill project, helping move the town towards its long-term goal.
He said the lack of commercial — the main deviation from the OCP — “is a recognition of the changing market conditions.” In previous discussions several councillors spoke of there already being retail vacancies in the area.
Coun. Neil Horner said there were issues raised at the meeting he would like time to consider, suggesting not voting on final adoption until the next meeting.
Coun. Bull Luchtmeijer said that, “since we’ve had the public hearing, council can take no further input, to delay it is probably not the best approach,” but was out-voted.
Council will consider final adoption at its Feb. 22 meeting.
In response to the project council also asked staff to develop a protocol to memorialize historical buildings within the town.
