Dear Editor,
I just received an email that deeply disappoints and saddens me. The email was from Comox CAO Jordan Wall on behalf of the Town of Comox Council and he states that the Council has rejected the latest Merville Community Association (MCA)’s offer to move the Mack Liang Shakesides building from Comox to the Merville hall site.
I am a director of the MCA and back in 2016 I had a Letter to the Editor published in which I said that Shakesides could be moved to Merville if Comox didn’t want it. I received a surprisingly positive response from that letter. All sorts of people applauded and said what a great idea it was. At the time, Shakesides, a building with land that had been generously donated to Comox by ornithologist Mack Liang, was under the threat of demolition as the town claimed that it was derelict. This was after the town had been renting out the home and pocketing the money since it was donated in 1982. Maintenance had been negligible.
Nine years later, I am still a director of the MCA and, with other board members, I have just spent many months back and forth with the Comox Council trying to convince them not to demolish the building but rather to let the MCA move it to Merville. There are many people in the Comox Valley who would like to see this heritage building preserved. Once on the Merville hall site, the building would be renovated and turned into a caretaker’s residence and mini museum to honour Mack Liang. Having a heritage building used daily is the best way to preserve it according to Heritage Canada. The MCA has already restored two heritage buildings on its property, the 1915 Stolen Church and the Manse. The Manse now houses a very successful Montessori school.
I have appeared before the Council twice to ask the town to help us move Shakesides. The response has always been, “it’s too costly.” However, the town has allocated at least $50,000.00 to demolish and truck away the building.
Since my last appeal, the MCA has managed to get a commitment from several generous citizens to loan the remainder of the money needed to move the building. So now there need not be any additional cost to the town. The nasty building can be made to disappear from the sight of Comox residents and Merville will forever house and maintain it. Still, surprisingly, the Council has voted to demolish the building and to replace it with a $300,000.00 “viewing platform” to honour(??) Mack Liang.
The MCA has received a quote from Nickel Bros. House Movers to move the building by barge and truck to the Merville hall site. The MCA has permission from the Agricultural Land Commission to put the building on the hall site. The MCA site has the proper residential zoning and is starting the CVRD permit process. Note that the CVRD is also quite against having construction debris from any house demolition be sent to the regional land fill. The MCA has been working diligently to make a workable plan and still the Town of Comox Council would rather see Shakesides turned into dust and dashed dreams rather than help to support a very viable alternative to destruction.
What is it that drives the Comox Council to hate an inanimate building? Why do they not want to help preserve a piece of Canadian heritage? Why is it that, after nine years and just when the MCA has the money and all it’s ducks in a row, there is the rush to demolish the building now? In fact, the Council has even stated to the MCA that the town could wait another year to build their wonderful platform. Why does the Council continue to lead on the MCA with false promises? Why is the Comox Council being so mean spirited?
The MCA has offered the perfect solution to the Shakesides Affair. The MCA is ready to begin the process of moving Shakesides to Merville where, it would appear, there is a genuine interest in preserving Canadian heritage. Contractors have been lining up to help with the renovations; a fundraising appeal has been started and a potential caretaker has even applied for the job. So let it be noted that if the Council’s minds can be changed and if they can offer to help, the MCA is ready and able to get the job done.
Signed,
Craig Freeman
MCA
