CPR Lodge relocation plans still up in air

A group of volunteers are still planning to move a historic building from a Fort Point private property onto a piece of public property; however the big question they are facing is where to put it.

The group, which recently banded together to form the Columbia Valley Heritage Society, appeared before a committee of the whole meeting of council on Monday afternoon to update municipal leaders about their plans to move, restore and operate the old CPR Lodge.

Spokesperson Nick Berzins told the committee that his group has moved away from their original idea to place the building next to Pynelogs Cultural Centre.

“Generally we feel there is a lack of support… if we were to put it adjacent to Pynelogs,” he said, adding, “We would like to move forward with a location near the Rotary Ball Park.”

The new location is currently a small grassy area, between some tennis courts and a ball diamond on one side and an embankment with active railway tracks at the bottom on the other. The property is owned by the District of Invermere.

Berzins faced a number of questions from the committee, which consisted of the mayor and council (councilor Ray Brydon was absent). Noting the scale of the project and that funding is primarily expected to come from grants and donations, Mayor Gerry Taft asked what would happen if sufficient amounts of money were not garnered.

Berzins acknowledged that a balance will have to be found between the society’s plans and the money they can get, however he remained optimistic that enough money will be gathered to pay people for the work they do on the project.

“The trades get hit up all the time… but we don’t ask a doctor to perform an appendectomy for free,” Berzins quipped.

Councillor Al Miller, a vocal critic of the District’s previous decision to provide $30,000 in financial support, asked if ongoing maintenance of the building would be covered by the society. Berzins said that users fees would support the building’s upkeep and pointed to the model Pynelogs Cultural Centre uses where the building pays for itself.

“Our intention isn’t to bundle it up and hand it over (to the District),” Berzins advised.

Taft related his concerns that the location was slightly removed from centres of activity, which was a bonus of the spot adjacent to Pynelogs. Pointing to the society’s secondary location at the defunct set of tennis courts, he suggested that although it may not quite have the same appeal, the more visible location might aid in incorporating it into people’s activities.

Berzins suggested that the building will be a draw, almost regardless of its exact location, and relayed plans to construct a large deck on the outside of the building which would serve well for views over Dorothy Lake.

When asked specifically for his input by Taft, Miller said he wasn’t sold on the idea as a whole. Prefacing his comments by stating that he truly tries not to be a negative person, Miller said he still wasn’t “on side.” Noting the expense of the project, he suggested more work should be put into the multi-use arts centre that CV Arts has been championing over the last few years.

“This (CPR Lodge project) is going to be expensive no matter how we do it,” said Miller, who stated that the District’s future overall expenses should be prioritized.

The meeting ended with Taft asking Berzins to provide drawings of how the project would look at both the two new proposed sites. He acknowledged that a decision on the project’s final resting place likely wont be made at today’s (Tuesday, June 9) council meeting, but would be done soon.

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