We heartily agree with council that a decision should be made before 2019.
The Kasapi Centre, the town-owned waterfront building that currently sits empty on South Shore Road, has already gone unused for more than a year.
We agreed with the Town of Lake Cowichan’s excitement when the property, including the building, was donated.
To have such a spot for public use is something communities dream of. Many important pieces of public land are donated by generous citizens, becoming jewels as communities grow up around them. In the end, residents almost inevitably wind up lauding the foresight of everyone involved, as the sites become ones that would be impossible to acquire if it was tried once the community was fully mature and densified.
The importance of preserving these bastions of premium land for the use of citizens in the future cannot be overstated or underestimated.
Situated as this land is on the banks of the river, it will only become more valuable, both in terms of real estate and in terms of public interest, as the years go by.
It could certainly become one of the town’s most sought-after public spaces.
But now there is a big choice to be made. The idea has been floated that perhaps the land itself would have more value just as a park, and the building, which is in need of repairs and reconfiguration for any future use, should just be demolished.
It is an important idea to at least consider, even though we’re not totally convinced it’s the way to go.
Other uses for the site have been floated, including turning it into a gallery or arts centre, space for community groups and more.
It all depends what kind of shape the building is in, and how expensive renovations would be.
What’s important now is that the community, armed with the above information, have a say about what they feel is the best and highest use of this donated space.
Both options, keeping the building and not, have some appeal and things to recommend them.
We don’t think there will be any significant changes between now and 2019 that warrant putting off the decision by years.
Time to take the temperature of the residents.