Anderton Wall FAQ's
Questions
- Why has the City bought the Anderton Arms building?
- How much did the City pay for the Anderton Arms?
- What will happen to the tenants of the building?
- What will happen to the Anderton Arms building?
- What will happen to the Anderton Wall?
- What's happening with the former Cona Hostel building?
- What is happening with "The Bridge" building at 90 5th Street?
- What area is at greatest risk?
- Is there risk to properties across Anderton Avenue?
- Is there risk to the Fifth Street Bridge?
- Why is the movement of the wall a concern?
- What might a partial or total failure of the wall look like?
- What are signs of failure?
- Are there risks to the Riverside Fit Park and new equipment there?
- Who should I contact if I notice signs of failure?
Answers
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Why has the City bought the Anderton Arms building?
The City recently acquired the Anderton Arms building to address the safety risk. The design and location of the Anderton Arms Apartment Building make it vulnerable to movement of the retaining wall. The Anderton Arms Apartment Building is showing several signs of structural distress that indicate it is already shifting toward the river.
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How much did the City pay for the Anderton Arms?
The City purchased the Anderton Arms property for $1.55 million. This was determined through appraisal to be fair market value for the property.
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What will happen to the tenants of the building?
Tenants will be required to relocate, and the City will offer support to help tenants find housing. To support tenants, the City is offering: compensation based on length of tenancy, financial assistance to help with moving costs, and the support of the M’akola Housing Society to assist with relocation.
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What will happen to the Anderton Arms building?
The City will demolish the building.
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What will happen to the Anderton Wall?
After much analysis, the City concluded that further repairs to the Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall are not feasible. The Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall will need to be removed, and the shore will be naturalized.
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What's happening with the former Cona Hostel building?
After unsuccessful negotiation efforts with the owners, the City is pursuing expropriation of 440 Anderton Avenue (the former Cona Hostel). This property is also at risk in the event of a failure of the Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall. Demolition of the former Cona Hostel will be required to remove the retaining wall, and naturalize the shore.
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What is happening with "The Bridge" building at 90 5th Street?
The City owns "The Bridge" building at 90 5th Street, on the south-west side of the 5th Street Bridge. This building will be removed at a future date.
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What area is at greatest risk?
The area behind the sheet pile section of the retaining wall is at greatest risk. Impacted residents and building owners have been notified directly.
The risk of failure is much lower behind the concrete section of the Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall. Impacts to Riverside Park, the Riverside Fit Park, and the Anderton Sanitary Lift Station are not expected.
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Is there risk to properties across Anderton Avenue?
Impacts to Anderton Avenue, and properties on the west side of Anderton Avenue, including: the Filberg Centre, 355 Anderton Avenue, and 255 Anderton Avenue are highly unlikely. Impacts to Lewis Park, located across the river are also highly unlikely.
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Is there risk to the Fifth Street Bridge?
The foundation of the 5th Street Bridge is not at risk; however, debris may damage the bridge, if a rapid collapse were to occur.
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Why is the movement of the wall a concern?
The Anderton Avenue Retaining Wall armours land from river flows while supporting backfill for properties along the river. The backfill behind the wall has been sinking and slumping toward the river. This is a concern, because buildings can only withstand a certain amount of movement before they become unsafe to occupy.
Replenishing the backfill has extended the service life of the wall, but the Courtenay River continues to wash away soil from behind the structure. Replacing the backfill does not stabilize the wall in the event of a flood or seismic event.
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What might a partial or total failure of the wall look like?
Failure may be a gradual slide toward the river; or a rapid collapse, caused by a flood or seismic event.
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What are signs of failure?
Signs of failure around the wall may include:
- Soil collapse, where sinkholes form in the soil around the wall
- Bulging, where a noticeable outward bowing occurs
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Tilting, where sections lean outward
Signs of failure in the buildings may include cracks along walls, misaligned doors and/or cupboards, sudden breaks in windows or new cracks in supporting walls.
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Are there risks to the Riverside Fit Park and new equipment there?
The Riverside Fit Park is currently outside of the area of greatest risk, which means impacts to the park are highly unlikely. Equipment could be moved if necessary.
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Who should I contact if I notice signs of failure?
Please contact the City of Courtenay immediately at 250-703-4838 if you notice, or suspect, any signs of failure.