Richard Mackie, one of BC’s best historians, recently re-confirmed once again in a letter that may have gone unnoticed, Baybrook is a heritage building. As with the loss of the Lorne Hotel, Comox is fast losing one of the last irreplaceable remnants of its history. Heritage and community history are not disposable, and shouldn’t be demolished just because it stands in anyone’s way.
Yes, it is more convenient to tear down a structure than to repair it and adapt it by creatively putting it to new or modified use. It may be just a structure, just a part of someone’s creative life and contribution, just a part of history, a culture, our social fabric, or just our connectivity to each other through the generations and just a sense of place.
Yes, we who live in close proximity to the park can be a bit inconvenienced by a few more cars parked next to our garages and driveways, a few more people enjoying and children playing and learning in the yet unfamiliar community parks; inconvenienced by needing to walk around a small structure to see the spectacular view, or recognising the true damage being done by letting “invasive exotic nature” take its course.
Yes, it is more convenient to tear down Mack Laing’s home and forget about his generous gift and wash our hands of the intent of his unfulfilled Will to our community and Town of Comox.
And yes, it may be inconvenient to come together and admit our misunderstandings, search for a creative middle ground solution to do what may be the right thing to do for now for our community as a whole, for the future and for the greater good.
So, let us put up with a bit of inconvenience and get together as neighbours, community and organizations. Let us re-start a constructive, positive debate in search of a positive, creative, economical and long-term solution, so we may do the right thing by our heritage and for our greater community and future generations.
Our invitation stands open to all neighbouring and community organizations, neighbours and community leaders to contact us. We can arrange a small group get together for exchange of ideas and constructive discussion.
Let’s talk, we are listening!
The Directors and Members of the
Mack Laing Heritage Society of the Comox Valley
(MLHS of the Comox Valley)
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