The Centre Block tower at the former Woodlands site will be demolished - much to the delight of former residents.
New Westminster city council has reversed its earlier decision to retain the Centre Block and have staff explore options for the retention and reuse of the tower building. Many former residents and their families had urged the city to demolish the building because it's a reminder of the abuse that some suffered at the institution.
Coun. Bob Osterman said Woodlands had a large number of very good, capable employees, but the building is a visible reminder for those who have bad memories of their time there.
Coun. Jonathan Cote originally supported retention of the tower but said he would support demolition because of the concerns and input from past Woodlands residents and current Victoria Hill residents.
"I do appreciate the developer's contribution will be dedicated to the city's heritage fund," he said. "We may have an opportunity to save or enhance another heritage feature in the city."
On Monday, council supported demolition of the Centre Block tower. The Onni Group of Companies, which owns the site, will contribute $600,000 to a city heritage fund and will provide interpretive panels and landscaping on the former tower footprint site.
Coun. Jaimie McEvoy, who supported the demolition, cited a letter from Alistair Kerr, a former director of the Heritage Branch in Victoria.
"I believe that after two years of extensive public consultation and strong feelings expressed by the two advocacy groups for the former patients, the right decision is to demolish the remainder of the tower," he wrote in an email to the city's heritage planner. "As for even keeping the footprint of the tower, it's a moot point. If it can be used in positive, healing way, then by all means keep it. If not, don't entertain keeping it simply because you think you should. That's never a compelling reason. But I agree with the two advocacy groups. Some things are simply better if we let them go."
The B.C. Association for Community Living and the Community Living Society have supported demolition of the building.
"We are relieved," said Faith Bodnar, executive director of the B.C. Association for Community Living.
Bodnar said the association appreciates the ability to be part of the conversation regarding the Centre Block tower and welcomes an opportunity to be part of task force that will help provide direction about the content of interpretative panels to be placed on the site.
"I think council deserves a lot of credit," she told The Record Tuesday. "I appreciate the fact they listened, as difficult a decision as it was."
McEvoy believes the task force will play a very important role in considering how Woodlands school can be remembered in a meaningful way at the site.
"There was a community there that was the size of a small town itself, thousands of people," said McEvoy, whose aunt was a resident at Woodlands. "That community deserves to be remembered."
Coun. Lorrie Williams said she was "horrified" when council first considered tearing down something historical, but she would support the tower's demolition because past Woodlands and present Victoria Hill residents aren't interested in its retention.
"I still have a feeling of unease about tearing it down. It is final," she said. "It was not an easy decision on my part. I guess we have to let it go."
A staff report noted that Onni has raised concerns about the ownership of the Centre Block tower, the physical and visual impact of the tower on the new Victoria Hill development and the cost implications of retaining the tower. (The rest of the Centre Block was destroyed by fire, which only left the tower standing.)
Coun. Betty McIntosh felt the costs of retaining the Centre Block tower were cost prohibitive and she wasn't sure who would cover costs associated with retaining and reusing the building.
The staff report noted that the costs for structural and seismic upgrading have been estimated between $500,000 and $3 million, depending on the tower's use. That excluded any costs related to ownership and ongoing maintenance.
Williams said the city couldn't find any useful use for the Centre Block and it would have been costly to maintain.
"The expense alone took my breath away," she said. "Who would pay it, and why would we pay it?"
tmcmanus@royalcityrecord.com
