The sale of 93 new lots in Britannia Beach caught me off guard when I came back from my vacation on Sunday.
The headline in The Chief left me feeling sheepish because when I spoke earlier this month with Mary Ann Clark and Jerry Bordian of Britannia Bay Properties (BBP) about the property, they were confident the land would sell quickly.
I, with my lifetime of local knowledge, dismissed their optimism and told them it would take many months for the land to sell.
Apparently, they knew something I didn't.
Britannia has become a hot topic with the pace of change now moving very quickly. The news last week was a real contrast to earlier this summer when it was learned that the trailers near the Mining Museum will be removed and residents have a year to vacate their rented lots.
It is never nice when people are forced to move. The Britannia residents who are now looking for a new place to live do not have unlimited financial resources. Recognizing that, anyone who rents space at a trailer park has to know that the landowner has the right to change the way the land is used.
Moving isn't easy in any set of circumstances and when people on a fixed income are forced to find a new home, the task can seem an impossibility.
Bordian and Clark reassured me that those facing eviction from the museum lands have a very real chance of finding affordable accommodation in Britannia. The pair insisted that even the most financially challenged residents can get into a home in Britannia. They said last month that some of the people facing evictions are not interested in hearing about the opportunity that might exist through BBP.
I'm confident that, in the end, the residents facing eviction will find suitable housing. It will happen if the residents look at as many potential options as possible and analyze those options carefully to determine which is best.
There is major money flowing through Britannia now. The sale of BBP's bare land generated nearly $24 million and the developer will see more income once the existing residents start signing on the dotted line.
The development company looks to be achieving success in Britannia and Bordian said he wants to help the existing residents who wish to stay in Britannia. And, BBP is offering to sell to the existing residents as much as 25 per cent below the appraised value with assistance in putting together a down payment.
Any existing resident who chooses not to speak with Bordian or Clark is making the choice to leave the old mining town.
