Comox council heard a variety of opinions about the current state of naturalist Mack Laing’s former home Wednesday night during a special committee of the whole meeting at the Comox Community Centre.
With more than 80 people in attendance, council facilitated a special meeting which served as a workshop to engage in a discussion of issues and compromises related to the Mack Laing Trust modification.
In February, council decided on a three-month abeyance to continue an information gathering process concerning the contentious topic of the trust.
RELATED: Three-month abeyance in Mack Laing Trust decision: Comox council
Last year, following the municipal election, Town staff presented a report requesting council’s direction with an application currently before the court to modify the trust.
A decision was made to defer a decision until the new year.
The application is seeking approval to modify the trust from the current requirement to convert Laing’s former residence Shakesides to a nature house and instead remove the home and construct a viewing platform with the funds held in the trust.
Shakesides, Mack Laing’s final residence, was gifted to the Town by Laing approximately 10 years before his death.
He left the Town $45,000 for upgrades and “annual operating costs” of a museum when he died in 1982.
The Mack Laing Heritage Society (MLHS) has objected to the Town’s proposal and had applied to the court for standing in the Town’s application to modify the trust so the society could state its objections to the proposal.
The MLHS wants the Town to fulfill the original terms of the trust and the MLHS was not successful in its application for standing.
However, the court granted the MLHS intervenor status, and the ability to present evidence supporting its position.
During the meeting, the Town’s Parks Superintendent Al Fraser explained he began looking at the possibility of putting together a conceptual design for a viewing platform on the existing Shakesides footprint in 2017.
“We took a look at the existing house, we took a look at what we had to look at in terms of the existing footprint, taking into account a number of things … the floodplain, the surroundings and the peace and the quiet,” he said. “We also looked at some of the architectural details contained in the house. We put a rendering together to loosely reflect some of the architectural features such as the dormers and also looked at the fact that if we were to proceed into a more detailed design we would look at incorporating some of the building components that are currently in place as it relates to the old house.”
Engineer and landscape architect Tim O’Brien added the overall idea is that the space is a nature park, but there is also an important history to retain.
Unfortunately, he added, Shakesides is not practical to retain, but it is important to retain the feel of the area and honour Laing’s wishes.
“[The idea would] be that it’s a long-lived structure that wouldn’t take a lot of maintenance, but when you’re out on the water or passing from a distance, it would bring to mind the original house that’s there now,” he said.
| Shakesides, the last home of naturalist Hamilton Mack Laing, in Comox |
“When you come in closer, you can come underneath the roof. There would be display panels, you could read about the kinds of things that Mack would want people to know about this site.”
“As well, there’s an idea of a picnic table more or less where his kitchen table was so you could sit down at that table and have a picnic and pretend you’re looking out 70 years ago.”
He noted likely the structure would be built out of steel and would have some wood features.
During the question and answer period, questions were raised about the flooding on the property. Fraser explained there is a considerable tidal exchange in the area and there has been noticeable flooding on the property up to and inside the building foundation.
One participant asked if there has been a certified structural report done on the building on behalf of the town as to its condition, suitability or use in the reconstruction or redesign.
Fraser said a cursory report has been prepared, but added it wasn’t a comprehensive report.
“In terms of structural integrity and having it look at, there’s still considerable work to be done in that regard. The building foundation we know has fairly significant cracks, but I’m not a structural engineer and I’m not suggesting that can’t be mitigated in some fashion but I think for all intents and purposes the cursory inspection and subsequent report was just that. It was a very soft pass.”
Resident John Tayless commented an assumption is being made that the building can’t be retained.
“… and that’s absolutely wrong. Remember the building was built by Mack Laing. It wasn’t built by a contractor. And he was very aware of the flooding, he chose that spot and the foundation is made of concrete and it’s seven feet high. Let’s not fall into the trap here of just somebody says something and you assume that’s how it should be. The building is recoverable and there’s much effort gone into it… that’s what makes it so special is that it was built by Mack with his own hands.”
Ken Macdonald questioned council about “two competing visions,” - one brought forth by the MLHS to restore Shakesides and the one brought forth by the Town.
“I think both visions are valid and I think both visions ought to be represented and people that are here tonight ought to be able to see both visions and make a decision around both.”
Comox Mayor Russ Arnott said the Town is moving forward as noted in the invitation sent out for the meeting.
“This council has voted to continue with the modification, whatever that looks like after tonight … but to go backward is not where we’re at tonight. It was laid out pretty clear to me in the open invitation where we’re at … let’s continue to move forward.”
Following a workshop opportunity in small groups, some suggestions presented included restoring the park back to the way it was, honouring the heritage values of the site and minor modifications to the viewing platform design. Four members of the MLHS, represented by president Kris Neilson said the site is not suitable for a natural area as the history of the site will be gone if the house is to be torn down.
Council will receive a summary of all of the submitted comments and the issue will be presented to councillors at the April 3 regular council meeting.
erin.haluschak@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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