St. Andrews Lodge in Qualicum Beach was a beehive of activity recently when 17 volunteers converged on the venerable old building to pack and remove all of its contents in preparation for restoration work to begin.
It took only two-and-a-half hours for the dedicated crew recruited by the St. Andrews Lodge Historical and Cultural Society to get the job done, transferring all of the lodge’s contents to a 20-foot steel storage container located at the back of the building, according to a news release by SALHACS.
“We expect to receive our building permit before the end of the year,” said SALHACS president Jay Smith. “And then it’s full steam ahead. Members of the public may well see contractors at work in December or by early January at the latest.”
The lodge was saved from demolition in November 2020 when protesters surrounded the building for five days. Local residents wrote hundreds of letters to Qualicum Beach Town Council. However, by the time the demolition efforts were halted there had been significant damage to the interior of the building, according to the release.
SALHACS agreed to bear all restoration costs in order to avoid burdening local taxpayers and has spent the past four years raising funds and obtaining a major federal grant.
Initial work on the interior of the lodge will include lead paint remediation, required seismic upgrades and installation of two accessible washrooms, one of which will be available to users of Saahtlam Park.
“We have travelled a long and sometimes-difficult road,” said Smith. “But we are thrilled to finally be moving ahead with the physical work at the lodge. We still have funds to raise and are working hard on that front.”
SALHACS has launched a Ramp It Up campaign through its Canada Helps portal to raise $25,000 for a wheelchair ramp and interior changes to accommodate those with mobility challenges. All donors will receive a tax receipt; contributions can be a lump sum or monthly or by donation of securities and mutual funds.
Donations can be easily facilitated by going to the society’s website at www.salhacs.ca and clicking on the appropriate donation button at the bottom of the home page.
“Every donation, large or small, makes a difference,” said Smith. “In the spirit of the Little family who built and operated the lodge for 80 years, the society’s motto is ‘Open to All.’ We really hope that Oceanside residents will help us reach this goal to accommodate all members of society."
