By Mitch Huttema (The Cascade) – Email
Deconstruction at Chilliwack North, the primary campus in Chilliwack until the opening of CEP in 2012, has begun. Building B has been completely demolished and crews are awaiting hydro shutdown to continue demolition inside of A Building. Once demolition is completed at Chilliwack North campus, space will be open for the potential development of residential units by the Van Maren Group, one of two prospective buyers, along with a Christian elementary school.
The site supervisor of the demolition team expects his team of nine workers to be able to completely gut the rest of A Building in approximately two days. The crew is currently waiting on BC Hydro to shut down the main power line so that work can progress safely. At the moment, most of the interior of the building, including the old library, has had all the drywall and ceilings removed — only the framing remains.
Plans for the construction of 180 housing units will be brought before Chilliwack City Council next month. While most UFV activity moved to CEP years ago, the theatre department still currently uses D building on the North campus, as there is no current replacement for the department’s two performance spaces, costume shop, props workshop, and archives. Building accessibility and visibility will likely be affected by construction, should the Van Maren proposal be accepted. Craig Toews, the executive director of campus planning, says a final update on the sale and plans for the area will be available “towards the middle of the summer.”
