I drove by the Kerr building the other day, and was astonished to see that it had been pretty much completely demolished since the last time I was in town. I hadn’t heard that there was any plan to destroy it and assumed that in the “Most Beautiful of all Small Cities” surely no one would consider doing such a thing.
I couldn’t believe that a 100 year old building that was quarried from the granite on its own site would be permitted to suffer such a fate.
On picking up my Nelson Star I learned that “engineering” found it unfeasible to bring it up to code. Must be the same engineers who decided that they had to close off the spiral staircase in the old City Hall when they turned it into a museum. How pathetic.
I will bet my bottom dollar that there are engineers in Nelson that could have figured it out.
They rebuild buildings every day in other parts of the world that are in much worse shape.
Whatever engineer decided to destroy this beautiful old building should hang his or her head in shame.
If the city council in Nelson can’t find a way to preserve a heritage building like this one they must truly be toothless tigers.
Shame on every person who had a part in this decision. This is a terrible loss for anyone who loves the West Kootenay.
Rod Retzlaff
Glade