Hall renos await green light

Photo: Trevor Rockliffe - Castanet

A decision by an insurance company will ultimately determine when the Westbank Lions Hall will be ready to open again.

Construction at the hall has been going on for about two months in an effort to repair damage caused by a fire that partially destroyed the building on Sept 1, 2013.

Lions Club spokesman, Rick Hebner, says phase one of the re-construction is complete - now, they are waiting.

"What we are waiting for now is for the insurance company to make a decision on who is going to finish off the re-construction of the building," says Hebner.

"Up until this time Winmar has been looking after it because it has all been considered building stabilization. Now that the envelope of the building is complete the insurance company has to decide whether they are going to carry on and let Winmar finish the job or whether they are going to go out to other contractors."

Hebner says if Winmar is able to finish the job, they figure the Lions could return to the hall by the end of June.

"If they go out to tender and go with another company we have no idea when we will be back in the building."

He says everyone involved is pushing for Winmar to continue on and complete the project.

"Winmar has done an excellent job for us. Everything is on time and on budget," says Hebner.

According to Hebner about 80 or 90 per cent of the work remaining is interior work such as insulation, replacing the furnaces, plumbing work, drywall, flooring, carpets, paint and fixtures.

Siding on the exterior also needs to be put up.

Hebner says the Lions have started taking wedding reception bookings for the fall but adds they have been telling clients to keep checking back on progress of the re-construction.

The Westbank Lions Hall was insured for just under $3M.

The fire, deemed suspicious, is being investigated by West Kelowna RCMP.

No arrests have been made.