The Parksville water tower won’t have to travel too far to make its new home.
During the summer, the tower will be moved approximately 160 metres east of its current location along the Alberni Highway near Parksville’s entrance from Highway 19, to the east side of the train station.
In November 2020, Parksville city council approved the donation of the water tower to the East End Track Gang (EETG) of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Division of the Canadian Railroad Historical Association.
READ MORE: Parksville water tower saved from demolition by E&N
Council also approved the donation of $35,000 to assist with the removal, relocation and restoration of the tower.
In 2019 the city investigated the condition of the tower and an engineering firm was hired to assess the structure. The water tank tower was found to be in poor condition and intervention was required to reinstate structural stability and slow the ongoing deterioration.
The cost to demolish the tower was estimated to be $35,600; the cost to remediate in place was $273,000; and to deconstruct, move and rehabilitate the tower was estimated to be $321,000. The city recognizes that the water tower has been a landmark on the Alberni Highway for years and are pleased the EETG plan to restore the water tower as its new caretakers.
— NEWS Staff, submitted