Concerned residents voiced their displeasure on Monday, Nov. 2 of the impeding demolition of St. Andrews Lodge in Qualicum Beach. The Town maintains restoring the 82-year-old building isn't feasible. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

wrecking ball

Historic lodge in Qualicum Beach to be demolished, councillors & residents raise concerns

Nov 3, 2020 | 5:24 AM

QUALICUM BEACH — A landmark will soon be no more after more than 80 years on the Qualicum Beach waterfront, despite numerous citizens and town councillors expressing displeasure with the demolition process.

The decision to demolish or relocate the long-closed St. Andrews Lodge by no later than Feb. 1, 2021 was made during a regular Qualicum Beach town council meeting on Oct. 28.

The Town’s CAO Daniel Sailland later specified a contractor was hired by the Town to tear the building down.

“There was a discussion at the time of ‘Could we save a door, could we save a window, could there be aspects of it that could be saved?’ and Parksville Heavy (Equipment) says they can and they will be integrating that into the work that they do,” Sailland said during the Oct. 28 meeting.

Knocking down the 1,500 square foot building on 1.6 acres of Town-owned waterfront land is estimated to cost $40,000.

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A consultant hired by the Town reported last Spring restoring the building would cost $545,000, excluding engineering and architectural costs.

During last week’s meeting coun. Robert Filmer took issue with council deciding the lodge’s fate two weeks prior during an in-camera session.

Filmer said the Town didn’t communicate its plan properly.

“We decided in-camera that we’re going to get rid of this building and then (the public) see it on an agenda that its been done and now they’re hearing a week later that its been actioned,” Filmer said.

A motion to overturn St. Andrews Lodge’s removal was shot down by a 3-2 vote, with coun. Adam Walker joining Filmer in a failed bid to preserve the building.

During a protest attended by about 30 people on Monday, Nov. 2, former Qualicum Beach councillor Anne Skipsey said the Town underminded efforts to save the lodge.

“The fact that people are finding out by accident that the Town has a contract to demolish this building is not fair to the citizens of this town,” Skipsey said.

Mayor Brian Wiese told last week’s council meeting there was extensive public consultation for the property. He noted a request for proposals issued in July, 2020 to reuse or relocate the lodge produced a single incomplete application.

On top of expensive restoration costs, coun. Scott Harrison said it would be unwise to preserve St. Andrews Lodge without knowing longterm operational costs.

“We need to know the ongoing cost of maintaining that asset, we do not have that information,” Harrison said.

In a news release issued late Monday, the Town stated preserving St. Andrews Lodge was dependant on grant funding which would have diverted resources away from other Town initiatives.

It’s not clear exactly when the lodge will be removed.

Seven other cottages on the property, which used to be a vibrant summer time resort, were torn down earlier this year

The Town purchased the St. Andrews Lodge property for $3.4 million in 2018 and has a conceptual plan in place to transform it into an accessible waterfront park.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes