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Fundraising efforts for Brick Building begin
Members of the Cranbrook Heritage Association were hosted by SuperStore last week. Selling bricks and cornerstones in support of the restoration of the small city-owned Brick & Electrical Building, the group netted $730.
Karen Crawford, president of the Cranbrook Heritage Association (CHA) said, “Our volunteers worked hard and the citizens of Cranbrook were extremely generous. The response has solidified our determination to raise enough money to return the building to structural stability.”
The CHA was granted a one-year reprieve on demolition by City of Cranbrook Council in order to prove the structural stability of the Water & Electrical Building, and to begin the work to stabilize it and ready it for future use.
Crawford reported, “Our group has raised the money to pay Nelson Engineering for the structural engineering report, and with the positive results of that we are now raising the money to pay for materials. The labour will be largely volunteer.”
She stated that the CHA’s next move is to appear before city council on May 26 to report on progress and to request that the city rescind it’s demolition order and secure the future of both the project and the building.
“We have generously been granted a free table at the May 31 Farmers’ Market,” Crawford said, adding, “and we will be there to continue the fundraising efforts in order to purchase materials for building restoration. We are getting very good responses from Cranbrook citizens at our businesses receiving donations for the project: Lotus Books, Kathy’s Kitchen, Cloverdale Paints and Hot Shots Café. I believe the people of Cranbrook want to retain the remaining heritage elements of our city and use them to build a more prosperous and exciting downtown.”
The CHA has several more fundraising events planned, working to raise the estimated $40,000 required to bring the small brick building back to a structurally sound future.
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