Almost three months after learning they would need to find a new storage space, Prince Rupert Special Events Society has learned they can relocate some of their supplies to the lower level of the Northern Savings Credit Union building on Third Avenue.
“I felt like celebrating the day we got that sorted out. We had been going round and round in circles trying to find a spot,” said Special Events Coordinator Joy Sundin.
For the last decade the society has used the old CN engine machine shop on the waterfront to store everything from trailers, 200 barricades, 400 signs and stands, to go-cart ramps and portable basketball hoops.
In November the group heard from the City of Prince Rupert that CN had given 90-days’ notice they were cancelling the lease on the building and wanted the building emptied by the end of December.
Since then, however, CN has continued to let Special Events used the machine shop past that deadline.
“CN will be using a portion of the space in addition to providing a portion to the Special Events Society on a month-to-month basis,” confirmed CN media relations officer Kelli Svendson.
There have been rumours circulating that the building is going to be demolished in early February, but Svendson said that has not been confirmed.
What’s for certain, however, is that Special Events wasn’t paying to use the old machine shop and won’t be paying rent for the new space either.
According to Northern Savings Credit Union’s Facilities and Officer Rosa Miller the space they’ve offered the group was the former warehouse used by United Buy And Sell Furniture when it was located there.
Credit Union staff use the carpeted area closer to the front of the building for a rec room, but the rest of the lower level isn’t being utilized.
“We thought the space might as well be put to good use and told Special Events to store as much as they can in there. Basically, Northern Savings does what it can to assist the local communities in which we are located and allowing the Special Events Society to store their items in our facility is just a small part in how we can help and give back,” said Miller.
Special Events, however, will still need to find a spot for its four flatbed trailers and the basketball hoops.
“Two of the trailers need to go inside and our poor old broadcast trailer is hanging in there with a wing and a prayer. The basketball hoops have to be loaded in with a forklift so we need to find a space that will let us do that. The City’s still looking. Everyone has been trying to help,” said Sundin.
The society hasn’t picked a moving day yet, but Sundin hopes they can wait until it warms up. In the meantime, the Fellowship Baptist Church has offered to get a group of helpers and others have said they’ll be there moving day too.