Volunteers told to evacuate condemned building

The former Rimbey Community Centre, now used to house the Lions Project 84 and Helping Hands, has been deemed unsafe and both organizations have been asked to vacate by the end of the month.

Rimbey CAO Tony Goode sent a letter to the occupants informing them they would need to be out by Feb. 29. Council plans to meet with the Lions Club Feb. 28 to discuss the issue.

“It’s unfortunate we have to do this, but we have to think of the safety of the public using the building and the people working in it as well,” said Goode.

The cost of upkeep for the building came under review during budget deliberations Feb. 3 and council decided to have the town’s building inspector, Stirling Bott from Superior Safety Codes Inc., look at it.

“It was costing us close to $18,000 annually to subsidize it,” said Rimbey’s CAO Tony Goode. “The town was paying for utilities, insurance and freight.”

The inspector’s report stated the building is in a dilapidated condition with numerous cracks in the foundation inside and out.

“I strongly recommend that use of this building be discontinued immediately. In my opinion there is a high possibility of a serious incident occurring,” Bott said in his report.

Council met with members of the Lions Club Feb. 8 to discuss the inspector’s report and agreed, at that time, to meet again at the end of the month.

However, at the Feb. 13 council meeting, Coun. Joe Anglin, made a motion to have the building evacuated immediately. His motion was defeated 3-2 with Mayor Sheldon Ibbotson and councillors Gayle Rondeel and Jack Webb opposed.

“I want to hear what the Lions have to say before we kick them out,” said Webb. “I think we should honor our commitment to the Lions and give them two weeks.”

Anglin later made a written request to council that an emergency meeting be held to address the issue.

“It is unreasonable to allow occupancy of a condemned building. Allowing occupancy of a condemned building is, in my opinion, irresponsible and negligent,” he said in his letter.

However, Ibbotson said a special meeting requires the signatures of three council members and was not held.

Rimbey Lions member Ray Durand doesn’t believe the Lions Club should be evicted from the building based on information contained in the inspector’s report.

“That study that was done was a total waste of money because nothing new came out that we didn’t know in the first place.”

However Goode said there was no cost for the report.

Durand said Project 84 is used primarily as a place to sort paper and glass. Some equipment is also stored there.

“We do get some revenue for the recycled paper which goes back to the town,” he said.

Durand sees no alternative location for the club to carry on with the recycling project if they are forced to evacuate. “We’re done. We’ve got no place to go.”

Lions member Tom Ford said he enjoys volunteering at Project 84.

“It keeps me doing something. We know the building is a wreck, but for what it is being used for, it’s quite adequate.”

Joan and Tom Fenwick, who run Helping Hands, a goodwill operation in the basement, agree the building is in bad shape.

“It gets pretty cold in here with the wind blowing through the cracks,” said Joan Fenwick.

“It floods in the spring,” added Tom.

The couple said Helping Hands definitely meets a need in the community and they are glad to help out. However, Joan noted the building has been broken into three times.

“In a way I’m glad we have to move,” she said.

Goode has been inquiring about other locations for Helping Hands such as the top floor of the provincial building.