Residents of a new 11-storey building on Claude Road in Langford are being strongly encouraged by municipal officials to move out immediately because of 鈥渢here is a life safety concern for tenants in the building.鈥�
The building, called Danbrook One, has 90 one- and two-bedroom units, 86 of which are rented.
The advice from the city follows a final engineering report on the structural integrity of the building, built by Design Build Services and completed this year.
The city has temporarily revoked the occupancy permit for the building.
Langford Mayor Stew Young said residents can鈥檛 be forced to leave. 鈥淎ll we can is say is that there are some structural issues that we have had verified,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ome of the issues were resolved in the last two days but there鈥檚 not enough information.鈥�
He said the engineering firm WSP, which is working for Langford, has found issues with beams on the first and second floors.
The situation first came to light when the Engineering and Geoscientists of B.C. received a professional-conduct complaint in connection with the building and informed the city in April, then reported Dec. 3 there was enough evidence to start a probe..
鈥淲e investigated it, found from WSP that there are obviously some issues,鈥� Young said. 鈥淪o now we are, as a city, obligated to tell people this is an issue, we鈥檒l put you up in a hotel, we鈥檒l find you a permanent location somewhere else if you choose.鈥�
鈥淗opefully we鈥檒l get more information about how they鈥檙e going to retrofit it,鈥� Young said. 鈥淭here might be a short timeline, but there might be a long timeline.鈥�
He said that if people don鈥檛 want to move during Christmas, they will be moved after if they wish.
A reception centre to assist residents has been set up close to Danbrook One at 780 Goldstream Ave.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to work long hours,鈥� he said.
Members of the public are already stepping forward to offer assistance, Young said. 鈥淚鈥檓 getting a lot calls from people saying 鈥楬ey, how can I help?鈥� 鈥�
He said people with moving vans available for use are being asked to come forward.
A letter from WSP to the city says that it found 鈥渁 lower than code stipulated factor and where the likely failure mechanism can occur with very little warning.鈥� It recommends immediate installation of temporary supports.
Earlier in the week, the city had recommended that tenants move out and offered help to do so, but many of them said they wanted to stay. On Friday, residents were told that the WSP review has found that their 鈥渂uilding is not in compliance with the B.C. Building Code and raises several safety concerns.鈥�
The city said it is working with building owner Centurion Property Associates to make immediate repairs.
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