The Town of Qualicum Beach and the St. Andrews Lodge Historical and Cultural Society have come to an agreement.
A lease was signed June 30 that will allow the society to begin the huge task of renovating and preserving the historical lodge that was late last year scheduled to be demolished. Mayor Brian Wiese handed the keys to the lodge to society president Jay Smith.
“We are so delighted to have reached this crossroad, which allows us to get to work restoring the Lodge and bringing it back to life,” said Smith. “We have more than 100 volunteers who are keen to help.”
The treasured heritage building, the Lodge was opened on Aug. 1, 1938 and welcomed visitors for more than 80 years under the auspices of the Little family. The family was well-known in Qualicum Beach and is credited with many significant contributions to community life.
READ MORE: Society to pay electric bills for historic St. Andrews Lodge in Qualicum Beach
St. Andrews Lodge harkens back to the time when the village was first establishing itself as a vacation destination for the likes of John Wayne, the King of Siam, Ava Gardner, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and many other celebrities.
The Lodge and Glen Cottages served as a year-round getaway for multiple generations of families who travelled from near and far to enjoy the quaint cottages and Lodge, the beautiful grounds and the broad sweep of beachfront. The building is the essence of old-fashioned local hospitality and is one of the few from that era that is still standing.
Further information on the society and the lodge can be found on-line at savethelodge.ca or on Facebook at St. Andrews Lodge Historical and Cultural Society.
Reference the website if you would like to volunteer, donate funds or services or otherwise be involved with this exciting project.
— NEWS Staff, submitted
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