The powers-that-be at the legislature tentatively unveiled a seismic mitigation concept this week that involves tearing down the armoury building on the grounds and replacing it with a facility that could be used as a backup legislature, if the real one collapses.
This plan should be rolled back up and put on a very high shelf.
CBC Victoria鈥檚 On the Island host Gregor Craigie discussed the seismic situation this week with the clerk, sergeant-at-arms and Speaker. A number of worthwhile steps have been taken in the past few years and more are in the works. Rescue and recovery apparatus are now on hand, modest seismic upgrades are being included in maintenance upgrades and there鈥檚 even a phone app coming that will alert people if the dome starts to quiver.
But they鈥檙e pushing well past common sense with a hazy notion that came to light during the interview. It鈥檚 the idea of replicating Parliament Buildings architect Francis Rattenbury鈥檚 work on a smaller scale on the site of the adjacent brick armory, after tearing that old ruin down.
The mini-legislature could be used as a backup if the real one tumbled down. Or possibly used while retrofitting carries on in the big house. But it sounds like an astronomically expensive contingency plan that goes far beyond what鈥檚 necessary.
In the event of the Big One, continuity of government is crucial. But continuity doesn鈥檛 require an ornate recreation of what stood before. MLAs will have enough on their plates by that point that they could meet in a tent in the parking lot and scarcely notice the downsizing.
A full-scale seismic upgrade of the legislature is pegged at $700 million to $900 million. That鈥檚 simply not going to happen. The armoury fix would be cheaper, but still far too expensive, given the number of schools in sa国际传媒 that need seismic work done.
The crumbling armoury will eventually have to be addressed. But if they want to do something constructive in the precinct, they should tear down the hideous post-war bunker that was slapped up on the Government Street side. It鈥檚 an architectural atrocity that disfigures the entire frontage on that block.
Bulldozing it would create as good a place as any to pitch a tent.
