Whether it is the responsibility of building owner Seaboard Hotels, building manager American Investments (AI) or AI owner and Powell River Chamber of Commerce president Jack Barr himself, the former Inn at Westview needs to be dealt with immediately.
Reports from residents and neighbouring businesses of rats, potholes in the parking lot and transient activity inside and around the dilapidated building are warranted concerns, but the safety of the building is the more pressing issue.
At this point, with major structural damage to the building and the front left section bulging out due to a massive hole in the roof, the building has become a hazard, not just for those ill-advised enough to go inside, but for anyone walking by the front of the building.
Security fences to protect the public and keep troublemakers out are a no-brainer at this point, but this is the same property manager who, instead of fixing massive potholes in the parking lot as soon as possible, attempts to put the responsibility on a neighbouring property that uses the lot.
Barr talks about encouraging development in the business core of Powell River, in which he owns the most prominent building, Town Centre Mall, yet he allows the most unsightly building in the city to sit right in the middle of it, a disaster waiting to happen.
The lack of responsibility shown with this building is staggering. Sure, someone comes out and paints over the graffiti and hammers pieces of plywood up every time someone breaks into the building, but that is only cosmetic.
When the Powell River Fire Rescue chief tells his firefighters they are not allowed to enter the building due to structural hazards and toxic mould, someone needs to step in and force the owner’s hand on this building.
City of Powell River cannot wait for a buyer to come along in months or years and relieve Barr from his burden. The building has an owner in Seaboard, and it is responsible for it now.
City council has deliberated on what to do with the building for more than a decade. Time is way overdue to take action.
Barr said, if he could, he would deal with the building tomorrow. It needed to be dealt with many yesterdays ago.
Jason Schreurs, publisher/editor
