Page 4 - Ha-Shilth-Sa -May 21, 2009
FIRE DESTROYS ATHLETIC HALL By Debora Steel Ha-Shilth-Sa Reporter
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3. 1. A single firefighter balances above the fire to direct water on the fire’s hot spots, the flames still visible even four hours after crews first arrived at the scene of the blaze at 4 a.m. on Wednesday May 13. 2. This was once the main entrance to the Athletic Hall, which was a community icon and important facility to Nuu-chah-nulth who had held potlatches, weddings and sporting events over the years, including the recent Junior All Native Basketball Championships held in March. The last function of the hall was as a voting place for the provincial election held May 12.
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Port Alberni—Up in smoke and flames is a place where memories were made over the course of a half century. The Alberni Athletic Hall is no more, gutted by a blaze that started in the early hours of May 13. The call went out that the old wooden structure was on fire at 4 a.m., but firefighters soon decided that the building could not be saved and they concentrated on minimizing the risk to other structures in the area, including the Greenport hotel across the street. The members of the Athletic Hall Association gathered on the lawn of the hotel, watching as firefighters doused the hotspots of the charred ruins well into the morning. Wally Samuel was sad at the sight; so many sporting events had been held there. So many cultural events— weddings, potlatches, celebrations. He hoped his fellow board members would decide to rebuild. The building was insured and after an emergency meeting, the board announced it will start anew. The building was just too important in the community not to replace it. 3. The volunteer board of directors The Alberni Athletic Hall of Athletic Hall were on sight as was last used as a voting firefighters attempted to extinguish place for the BC election on the fire. Board member Wally May 12. The building was Samuel (far right) said the hall was vacated that night at about 11 booked into winter. p.m., so investigators knew 4. A Port Alberni firefighter tends that the fire began in the few to the hoses near the back of the hours after that. Though it is burning building. The Cherry unknown how the fire started, Creek Fire Deparment also arson is attended the scene. believed not 5. Nothing is left of Athletic to be Hall but the memories of a half-century of service to the community of Port Alberni and surrounding area. Photos by Debora Steel
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