Georgina council to debate raising ClearWater barn from ashes next week

YorkRegion.com
Jan. 12, 2017
Heidi Riedner

Raising the ClearWater Farm barn from its ashes is up for debate next week at council.

The barn, which burned to the ground Oct. 8,  is covered under the town’s insurance polices since the town leases the property to the Ontario Water Centre’s ClearWater Farm initiative on Lake Drive in Willow Beach.

Despite the fact the former Reed barn on the property was more than 100 years old, it is not a heritage structure according to the town’s insurance adjustor.

That means insurance will only cover a replacement value of $286,876.87, according to the staff report being tabled at council Jan. 18.

While that estimate includes construction costs, it does not cover rebuilding the earthen mound or ramp to the main double doors of the original barn as the previous earthen mound was not in use.

Potential associated permit and design costs are also not included in the amount.

The Water Centre, however, is interested in partnering with the town to rebuild the barn.

The Centre's barn raising campaign initiated prior to the October fire was originally intended to renovate the structure.

It has seen been adjusted to a total rebuild of the barn, which, once completed, would operate as a multi-functional facility for ClearWater Farm events and programming.

Visions for a rebuilt barn’s future, garnered by youth teams and presented at the Georgina Arts Centre & Gallery Nov. 26, are also being presented to council by the OWC’s Annabel Slaight Jan. 18.

Those most likely will be taken into consideration when council weighs its options for moving forward.

According to the staff report, that includes receipt of an insurance cheque for the replacement value of the structure (minus construction costs and a $10,000 deductible); identification of a project manager to procure the services of a contractor to rebuild the structure; or appointing a project manager to work with the OWC and insurance companies to develop a collaborative rebuild of the barn.