Permits have been issued and the process of demolishing Powell River’s former Inn at Westview began the week of Monday, December 10, according to Jack Barr, agent for building owner Seaboard Hotels.
Seaboard is paying for the demolition and the company will remain owners of the property. Walls will be coming down and a vacant lot will be left in its place.
“They've been issued their permit, so all the paperwork has been completed,” said City of Powell River building inspector Graeme Stewart. “They are now able to begin demolition.”
Stewart said the whole building is being treated as hazardous waste. It is his understanding that an excavator will probably be used to take it down slowly and the hazardous waste will be carefully contained, he added. The demolition will not be a controlled implosion.
“Basically, they’ll use large garbage bags,” said Stewart. “They line the containers with plastic and then seal them up and ship them to whatever site is going to deal with the hazardous waste.”
WorkSafeBC has all of the authority on the project.
According to city director of infrastructure Tor Birtig, the city wrote into the building permit that water, sewer and drainage services will need to be capped to keep deleterious materials filtered from city drainage.
“They're likely to keep water hydrants active while they do the demolition because we're told, as far as their procedures are concerned, they're going to be watering down the site to keep the dust to a minimal standard,” said Birtig. “We'll take a look at the drainage to make sure they have filtration control.”
With removal of the foundation, there should not be any dangerous materials, according to Stewart. Once the hazardous waste is removed, holes left on the site will be filled.
“We've put that in as a requirement,” said Stewart. “They have to fill it to the surrounding area and have to compact it so we're not creating a hole in the ground.”
The area will be covered with a compacted material, not asphalt.
It is not know known what future plans are for the property.
For some longtime residents it is bittersweet to know the landmark is coming down.
“I remember playing among the construction of the site after the men who were building the inn went home; we were climbing up on top to the floors and different levels and hanging out up there, playing in that area,” said City of Powell River mayor Dave Formosa. “That's my old stomping grounds. My brother's first job was as a busboy at the inn.”
The hotel opened December 15,1966, as the Powell River Motor Inn.
Formosa said he remembers the inn as the place to be and that the pub was always hopping with different bands every weekend.
