Say the words Truswell Road and wood-framed condo and local residents get nervous.
Understandably so after the Water’s Edge North at 529 Truswell Road became a towering inferno in July of 2017.
The entire structure burned to the ground while it was under construction, taking with it part of the neighbouring Water’s Edge condominium.
A year later, residents of all 65 units are still out of their homes. Reconstruction isn’t expected to be complete until sometime next year.
Meanwhile, next door, an Alberta-based builder has purchased the 529 Truswell Road property and has recently started rebuilding on it.
Many Waters Edge residents were hoping the new building would go up further away from their homes — in order to prevent another catastrophic fire spreading from next door.
However, the new builders are using the same footprint as the previous owners.
Still, residents seemed pleased with their new neighbours. That’s because the new development called Essence Condos will be extremely fire safe.
“We use a product called BarrierTEK and it’s a fire-retardent product specifically for wood construction,” said Carrington Homes general manager Nanette Charest.
BarrierTEK will be used on all lumber in the construction of new Truswell condo. In terms of building code here in B.C., it’s above and beyond the call of duty
George Mapson is one of dozens of Water’s Edge residents waiting for the day they can return home. He’s comforted to know that.
“It’s going to be the safest fire-treated buidling in B.C.”