The 108 Mile Ranch Community Hall will be undergoing renovations in 2024 to make the building more energy-efficient.
The Cariboo Regional District has made $45,000 in Community Works funding available for the project which will include new energy-efficient insulation, wall surface preparation and applying house wrap to the building exterior.
“(It’s) very exciting,” said Michele Spence, 108 Mile Ranch Community Association president. “We still need to secure funding from Northern Development for the rest of the funding. We have to put that application in before Jan. 31st.”
They will be working on getting it started as soon as possible so the organization can apply for a second round of funding through Northern Development and the District’s Community Works funding for 2024. This will allow them to tackle two major projects back to back.
“The siding. The energy efficiency. The way that we have structured the grant is we’re adding insulation, strapping it over top of the existing plywood siding provided that we don’t find any scary things when we do some exploratory holes in the siding. We’ll be strapping then we’ll be putting new siding over top.
Spence said that because funding is coming from the 2023 budget they are eligible to apply for a second project grant for 2024. Northern Development indicated as long as the siding project is completed and the reports are submitted they can apply for another grant. They would need to apply by July 31st for this to happen.
There has been some discussion around what type of siding would be the best choice, Hardie board or metal siding. The challenge with the Hardie board is it needs to be repainted which would leave the hall in the same position it is in now.
“It’s not a forever thing. If you don’t maintain Hardie board it will start to deteriorate whereas this metal siding, the finish on it is guaranteed for 30 years,” she said, adding that painting the hall is not a small undertaking due to the height, particularly on the backside.
Siding now comes with a woodgrain finish which would be in keeping with the Cariboo theme while at the same time providing a sturdy long-term solution to the siding issue.
The plywood worked for a long time but without regular painting, it became a problem. So part of the challenge is leaving the hall in a place that makes its upkeep easier for future boards. Spence pointed out that the boards are volunteer people and the time involved in the building currently is more than most people who volunteered to help had in mind.
The Association is looking at being able to hold proper programs rather than count on special events such as weddings which are few and far between. There is no consistent cash flow and with the new Indigenous centre opening up, there will be a brand new facility competing for the same types of events.
There are two additional projects on the drawing board for 2024. The first is to upgrade the electrical in the building. It is currently maxed out, which means upgrading the kitchen to participate in Better At Homes and food insecurity meal programs is not possible as they do not have the power.
“We’ve already started the process with BC Hydro’s design team and a local electrician to determine what we need to do to upgrade to 400 amp, what the cost is going to be and how long it’s going to take.”
The second involves upgrading the lighting. Currently, the hall has T3s which produce heat and drop down making it difficult for taller individuals. A second problem is flies, which often get inside the light covers.
“And then all of a sudden you have an Armageddon of flies in the building and we’re trying to clean windows that are 30 feet up in the air and window sills. We can’t do it. We can’t keep up.”
LEDs would be more energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing with much lower maintenance. Most LEDs will last at least five years before needing to be replaced.
“It’s a big job. We had a contractor come in last year and take all the covers off, and of course, you have to be careful because they’re fragile. They have to bring in scaffolding to get at some of the stuff, it’s not a great thing,” she said.
Spence has a long history of working with nonprofit organizations. She said she has been lucky to work with several people who felt it was important to be very deliberate in what they did and set future boards and the organization up for success.
“So my only goal before I no longer am the president of the 108 Mile Ranch Community Association is to make sure the incoming board have a really good roadmap and they’re set up to be able to come in and feel comfortable and confident in what they’re doing on behalf of the community,” she said.
