The Parksville Legion is closed following last week’s rain storm.
“We’re trying to get the word out to everyone, especially our members, that due to repairs following that ‘freak’ storm last Monday evening our Branch on Hirst Avenue is closed for major repairs,” said director of publicity Gale Mossman.
When manager Laura Bonner walked in Tuesday morning she noticed squishy carpets and quickly discovered extensive water standing throughout the back half of the building, two inches deep in some places.
The experts tell her it backed up through their drains and most of the affected floors will have to be torn up and replaced.
While insurance will pay for most of it, the Legion will suffer from the extended closure, which they tell her could be a couple months.
“They said they’d try to have it done by Remembrance Day,” she said.
In the meantime, they will try to open the hall part of the building — which faired pretty well — as soon as possible to allow the other groups that rely on income from bingo nights to get back up and running.
Mossman said many of their members who don’t have e-mail are showing up for scheduled activities only to discover they are closed.
Mossman said with other places closed due to the storm, including Stedmans, she said she is concerned about the impact on the downtown overall. In the meantime, they are spreading the word they are closed until further notice.
