A Townsite heritage building that has housed the offices of Powell River Regional District for over three decades is for sale.
The regional board agreed to the listing for sale of the office at 5776 Marine Avenue at an in-camera portion of the board meeting on January 31. The sale is conditional upon securing a new location.
Colin Palmer, board chair, said the regional district has a deal in play for a new office location, but he can’t reveal the location. “Nobody is going to know what the deal is,” he said. “In the meantime, we have to put this one up for sale in order to get the other one.”
The current offices are housed in one of only two designated heritage buildings in Powell River and can no longer serve as an office without major renovations. The board is committed to honour the heritage status of the building and decided it was time to find a new location.
Built in 1912, the house was one of four special residences for managers of the Powell River Company. It served as the chief superintendent’s home. The regional district purchased the building in 1980 and it ceased to be a private residence. Some minor renovations were done in 1981.
Mac Fraser, the regional district’s chief administrative officer, said the building is on the provincial registry for heritage buildings and is one of two designated heritage buildings within the City of Powell River. “We want to make it really clear, absolutely we will only sell to someone who gives us confidence to respect that designation and treats it properly,” he said. “Some of the glass panes are 101 years old.”
