Three buildings on Courtenay's riverfront will be torn down this summer to improve safety, the environment and community gathering spaces downtown.
The three vacant buildings — Anderton Arms, Cona Hostel and the Bridge Lounge, have been vacant for some time. The city took ownership of the Bridge Lounge in 2016, and the other two buildings last year. The demolition will start this month, and is expected to be completed by the end of August.
“We know many in the community have been asking about the timeline for removal of these buildings and plans to improve the area,” said Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells. “We’re glad to be moving to this step — it’s an important one in the wide-ranging work underway to improve our downtown core.”
The city took ownership of the Anderton Arms and Cona Hostel buildings due to safety concerns related to the failing retaining wall. The plan is to demolish the buildings, leaving the foundations in place and fenced off for safety. In a future phase, the wall will be removed and the shoreline re-naturalized.
Demolition of these buildings is part of a broader suite of initiatives supporting the long-term vision for the Courtenay’s downtown hub. Related efforts include upcoming construction of the 6th Street Active Transportation Bridge, planned improvements to 6th Street as part of the Active Corridor project and the Downtown Vitalization Local Area Plan process now underway.
There will be traffic pattern changes along Anderton Avenue during construction; however, 5th Street and the 5th Street Bridge will not be impacted. Watch for details about closures, which will be shared on the project webpage and social media as they become available.
Demolition work will not impact Canada Day celebrations. Requirements are in place to ensure work is not active in the neighbourhood during this busy time. Access will also be maintained to the Florence Filberg Centre, as will access for transit and emergency services vehicles (from 5th street onto Anderton Avenue).
