Qualicum Beach town council asked staff to look into how they could memorialize historical buildings in the town.
Coun. Anne Skipsey brought the motion at the Jan. 11 meeting in reference to council’s consideration of a duplex proposal at 184 First Avenue West, which unanimously passed second reading.
“This is a very old building — in Qualicum Beach years,” she quipped, calling it “one of the oldest buildings in town that’s left.”
“When it’s demolished we will lose a bit of the town’s history. For example, who here knows that the little building at the back of the house was actually built because the wife of the owner was diagnosed with tuberculosis and she was no longer able to live in the house with the rest of the family.”
“It was also used as a preschool for many years,” she said, “I know that because I happened to attend preschool there.”
“I would like to see us try to capture a little bit of this town’s history and have a record before it’s gone.”
Chief Administrative Officer Daniel Sailland said staff has been working with the property owner and museum to find a way to memorialize it, including photographing it before it is demolished.
Staff will bring an overall plan or policy back for council’s consideration to address similar notable buildings in the future.
He said that while this is just the first step, he doesn’t believe council’s idea was about protecting old buildings, just memorializing them.
