News

TheReview Wednesday, November 27,1991 — A4

Four options but no decision on old house —

by Glenn Werkman
The Review

The future of a 1912 house in a
municipal park is undecided after
a Central Saanich committee con-
sidered four options — including
demolition and death by fire —
Monday night.

The unoccupied home in Butter-
field Park, at 1184-Mt. Newton
Crossroad, has some value but is
not historically significant enough
to warrant special designation,
parks administrative assistant
Bonnie McKenzie said.

It has been broken into several
times in recent months with fires

started and council members are
concerned with the liability.

Moving it seemed to be an
option with a proposal put forward
by historic home owner Evelyn
Hardy of Stellys Crossroad and
West Saanich Road.

However, Ald. Ian Cameron
reported that contractors who

-looked at the home “all said it’s a

great house but there’s no way I'll
move it.”

Cost estimates to the municipal-
ity to move the home are about
$20,000. Alternatively, demolition
including removal of debris 1s
estimated to cost $7,830 while
demolition with materials bumed

Agenda set for Town meeting

Sidney council members are
ready to face the music at a town
hall style meeting Monday night.

The meeting is scheduled to
begin at 7:30 p.m. at Sanscha Hall.
It replaces the committee of the
whole meeting which is normally
held on the first Monday of the
month.

Aldermen want to hear brickbats
and bouquets from actions taken in
their first year in office. They also
want input on issues facing the
town.

For example, one item approved
for the meeting’s agenda by com-
mittee of the whole Nov. 18 is a
proposal for a public moorage
facility off the Beacon Avenue
wharf.

A report from staff suggests
such a facility would require an
initial capital cost of $126,000,
plus yearly operating expenses of
$12,500.

Another item approved was a
discussion of the sewage situation
and the sewage treatment plant,
which is operating at capacity.

Ald. John Calder told committee
of the whole that Mike Williams,
chief engineer of the Capital
Regional District, would speak on
the issue if asked. The committee
decided to make such a request.

Downtown revitalization and the
review of the Official Community
Plan were also put on the agenda.

A final addition was the report
on Town Hall undertaken by Cuff
and Associates. The company
undertook a thorough review of
operations, and among its recom-
mendations was the splitting of the
clerk/administrator’s position.

Council has taken this step, as
former administrator Geoff Logan

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his retirement next September.

Aldermen were told George
Cuff, the report’s author, wants to
speak to his report at a public
meeting.

One item taken off a proposed
list of topics prepared by Mayor
Marie Rosko was affordable hous-
ing.

She said in an interview before
the Noy. 18 committee meeting
she wanted to know the views of
taxpayers on affordable housing,
specifically, whether they would
be willing to pay for sewer connec-
tions to projects proposed for
McDonald Park Road in North
Saanich.

Two 24-unit projects for the area
have to be connected to the Town’s
system, but most aldermen have
voted against making the connec-
tions. oe

Some have cited cost and the
fact that the town would be
responsible for liability and main-
tenance. There are also concerns
the projects would add to the

- sewage flow to the treatment plant,

and adding to the flow could make
the Town subject to stiff fines from
the provincial government for

dumping sludge illegally into the

ocean.

“We'd like a direction from the
residents if they feel going outside
our border is the route we should
take,”’ Rosko said.

However, the item was not
included on the agenda, although
aldermen said they could speak to
this and other issues if they are
raised.

on site would cost about $5,542.

Ald. Arlene Box was poised to
recommend that Option 2 be
approved and that boards and
other pieces from the house be
used to build benches or other
items as a way of preserving
history.

But Cameron urged colleagues
to look for another solution. “To
tear down livable space sort of
goes against the grain,” he said.

Mayor Ted Jones said that with
an estimate of $50,000 to refurbish
the house to livable condition, the
municipality could rent it for $800

and “it would only take seven
years to amortize it. It would more
than pay its way.”

Basic repairs to the house — to
upgrade the roof, heating and elec-
trical plus Hydro connection —
would cost about $11,000 but
would not be adequate for some-
one to live there, McKenzie said.

Hardy told committee that she
“fell in love’ with the house the
moment she saw it. She proposes
to have it moved to her property at
1167-West Saanich so she can fix
it up and “put something back into
the community. I know the munic-
ipality is interested in a nice
looking heritage building.

“Tt would be a real honor for me
to have this project,” Hardy said.
Open houses two or three times a
year are part of her commitment.

However, Ald. Jack Mar said
municipal zoning requirements
prevent a used home to be moved
to a residential lot, such as
Hardy’s.

Former alderman Ted Clayards
said residents in the area have tried
to keep an eye on the house. He
urged council to form a committee
to take on refurbishing the house,
stating it could be an asset to the
municipality in the future.

On Cameron’s recommenda-
tion, committee tabled the issue
for one month.

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