Gofundme Launched As Historic Comox Home Lives To Serve A New Purpose

After a decade of vacancy and facing imminent demolition a historic Comox home is getting a new lease on life.

Situated in the Mack Laing Nature Park on the edge of the Comox Estuary, the home known as Shakesides, will soon serve a new purpose on the Merville Community Hall Grounds.

Comox Valley naturalist, ornithologist, artist and photographer Hamilton Mack Laing donated in trust his seaside home and property in 1973 to the Town of Comox for the public to enjoy, as long as the land was kept in a natural state and Shakesides was turned into a natural history museum.

The museum never happened and it was looking like the building was set for demolition.

The Merville Community Association has offered to “adopt” the building to its community hall site to sit alongside other previously saved historic buildings, the 1915 Stolen Church and Manse. Once on site, Shakesides would be renovated to become a much-needed caretaker’s residence and natural history museum.

The move itself, by barge and truck, would cost about $160 thousand.

The MCA would pay for the renovations of the building, permits, and hookups for hydro and power.

The Town of Comox would pay for the move. In a release, the Association says the Town has already suggested that it could pay an initial amount of $50 thousand based on the amount of money that it would have to pay to demolish and remove the building.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise money that would go towards site preparation at the Merville Community Association Hall grounds.

The MCA says the plan represents the least disruptive relocation process for the communities between the two sites.

Volunteers and local companies have already put forward their names as willing to help with services, materials and labour.

The Association says moving Shakesides would be a notable environmental win in keeping demolition materials from the landfill, and also a heritage win for the Comox Valley, adding to its  unique history while serving the community with useable venues.