Major repairs to the flood-damaged basement of Sechelt’s Rockwood Lodge are due to be completed by the end of the month
Siobhan Smith, the district’s arts, culture and communications coordinator, told councillors at their March 20 meeting that the $82,000 repair and restoration project has saved the building from further damage and expanded the space available for community groups.
Rockwood, at 5511 Shorncliffe Ave., and the picturesque gardens on its grounds, are owned by the District of Sechelt. It was built in 1937 and is the only building in Sechelt on the British Columbian registry of designated heritage sites.
The drainage issues and flooding at the site in 2016 forced the district to block off the basement for safety reasons, although the rest of the building was able to remain open. In fact, Rockwood was booked for 245 days by 43 different community organizations in 2016.
The district put up $17,000 for repairs and renovations and got a $65,000 Canada 150 grant. The work included upgrades to the foundation and exterior drainage and a complete renovation of the interior. According to Smith, it all came in about $100 under budget.
“We haven’t simply saved this building, we’ve created a new community use space,” Smith said. “We’ve provided something that will be able to be used for generations to come in our community… We’re really proud of the work our staff has done with this space, and it’s quite beautiful.”
Smith said the district is looking to May for a public unveiling of the completed renovation, and could be ready to start booking the space in later summer or fall.
She also said the idea of relocating the Sechelt Community Archives to Rockwood is also still being actively explored.
Accommodating the archives would require more upgrades, including dehumidification systems, appropriate humidity and temperature controls and UV filter coating on the windows.
Smith said district staff are preparing a business case for moving the archives, which could be included for consideration in the 2019 budget.
