After standing empty for a number of years, Seaside Cottage # 1 has a good chance of housing a Bowen Island resident again in the near future, just as soon as major repairs are completed. At the Monday, October 22, council meeting, councillor and Metro Vancouver director Andrew Stone presented the news as an information item.
Gaëtan Royer, Metro Vancouver's metropolitan planning, environment and parks manager, stated in a letter to council, "We proceeded with advertising for a caretaker to rent the cottage. The caretaker will also assume responsibility for basic building upkeep and minor repairs of Davies Orchard cottages on the island. This will provide more frequent inspections and quicker turnaround to fix minor issues as we won't have to arrange for contractors."
Royer said that a successful person has been selected from among a dozen applicants. Prior to the caretaker moving in, repairs to the roof, windows and foundation of the cottage will be undertaken. "We allocated $52,000 from the West area's existing maintenance budgets toward this work," Royer said.
Seaside Cottage #1 is one of the Union Steamship Cottages in Snug Cove. As part of the Davies Orchard within Crippen Park, most of the cottages fall under the jurisdiction of Metro Vancouver's parks department. The cottages are seen as a reminder of the vitality of the island during the Steamship era. Bowen Heritage, formerly Bowen Island Heritage Preservation Association, has worked to preserve the cottages as important part of the heritage of Canada's west coast.
In a further communication with council, Metro Vancouver's parks west area manager Mitch Sokalski said that the contract to commence roof, structural and code work on Seaside Cottage number 1 has been awarded to a Bowen Island contractor. "The cottage is in better shape than most, but has been vacant for some time," said Sokalski, adding that the work will stop further deterioration of the structure. The goal it to complete the larger work components by the end of the year and have a caretaker in place in January who will be responsible for the final restoration touches.
