Senior Lounge Update
Dear NHC members,
Since our last update on the Senior Lounge, your Directors have been busy dealing with the immediate aftermath of the fire. Club President, Robert Charest, has been engaged in discussions with our insurance company and Town authorities. Arrangements have been made to clean up and protect the site and planning is underway for the restoration or re-build of the Senior Lounge.
Rest assured, the Board is actively managing the situation.
The objective of the Senior Lounge Rebuild Project is to complete the restoration/rebuild of the Senior Lounge in its existing location by the Opening Tea in late June 2019.
It’s an ambitious goal and, at this point, we cannot say with any certainty that it will be met. There are a number of factors beyond our control, notably the timing to obtain construction permits and the actual construction itself.
The Board has identified the following three main work streams of activity to get us there efficiently:
1) Insurance & Government Relations
2) Design & Build
3) Communications
Each work stream is being led by a member of the Executive Committee of the Board and Brian Patterson is actively supporting all three.
The outpouring of offers of assistance from Club members has been impressive and reassuring. The Board plans to engage as many Club members as reasonably possible and practicable to complete the Project.
While we cannot involve everyone in the Project, we’ll keep you informed of key developments and do our very best to address any questions and/or concerns you may have.
To this end, we have set up a new email address to receive your suggestions, comments and/or questions about the Project: nhcrebuild@gmail.com.
Of course, Brian remains available to assist at all times. He can be reached by email at managernhclub@bell.net.
Below are answers to some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
- Do we have any more information about the cause of the fire?
There have been no new developments in ascertaining the cause of the fire, which we continue to describe as unintentional human error (likely a wayward cigarette butt). This is consistent with the report of local fire and police authorities.
2.What was the extent of the damage?
While we await a final report from Intact, our insurance company, their Adjustor observed the following:
- The building’s foundation is strong and was not severely affected
- The skeleton of the building and the fireplace were both severely damaged
- Three of the four walls remain standing
Various members have taken pictures of the site. You can find some of them here: www.nhclub.org.
3.Will the Senior Lounge be rebuilt in its current location?
It’s not yet clear whether we will be able to re-build on the same footprint by the lake. While that remains the objective, present regulations require a setback of 10 meters from the lake for any construction. We do think we have a case for grandfathering the historic Senior Lounge and the Board is taking every action necessary to support that argument. However, it’s too early to know if the regulatory authorities will agree with us. We’ll keep you informed as discussions with the Town progress on this point.
4.Will the Senior Lounge be ready for next summer?
Again, our objective is to complete the restoration/rebuild of the Senior Lounge in its existing location by the Opening Tea in late June 2019. This is an aggressive target and meeting it depends on a number of factors, some of which we don’t control. That said, we have established a detailed workback plan to be holding the Opening Tea in the restored lounge.
Thank you all for your continued support of your North Hatley Club.
The Board of Directors
