A Rubik鈥檚 Cube?
A Lego creation?
Those are a couple of musings expressed about the brightly painted former home of the school board office in the 100 block of Shuswap Street.
Red, yellow, green and orange blocks of paint radiate from the formerly beige exterior walls.
Owner Bill Laird told the Observer his colourful plan was simple.
鈥淭hat building is a square box. So I wanted to do something different that would make it stand out and add a bit of colour to town. I think it鈥檚 good for the town to have a few buildings that are a little bit different.鈥�
He says he鈥檚 not at liberty to say publicly yet which businesses will be making the building home, but the colour is unrelated.
Regarding the choice of hue, he says:
鈥淭here are lots of cities in the world that have bright colours on buildings... Much of Salmon Arm has been beige for years, so I guess I thought it was an opportunity to have a bright spot and a landmark in town.鈥�
Laird is chair of the city鈥檚 design review panel, which advises city council on the design merits of development permit applications filed with the city.
The panel鈥檚 guidelines come from the official community plan. One of those guidelines 鈥渋s the use of local materials and earth-tone colours to reflect Salmon Arm鈥檚 natural setting.鈥� Another makes reference to corner sites, stating: 鈥溾�ocate the principal building at the corner, and design as a reference point or landmark.鈥�
While Laird鈥檚 building may not reflect the most common earth tones, it will likely become a landmark.
Existing buildings can be painted and have their windows replaced without a building permit, so the design review panel has not been involved. Laird notes that the panel doesn鈥檛 look at colours but more at features such as parking, access and landscaping.
鈥淚t鈥檚 feedback for the council, they just want to make sure some local folks have looked at it and have given them comment.鈥�
Kevin Pearson, the city鈥檚 director of development services, notes there is no requirement for consistent themes or colours in the city and says there are many. He calls the design guidelines only 鈥渆ncouraging statements.鈥�
Laird said the building was in need of a face lift and major overhaul. Along with replacing the windows and painting it, he will be installing an elevator and a handicapped washroom to make it accessible to all.
He adds that he鈥檚 not finished with the outside yet.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to do one other thing, but I鈥檒l leave it as a surprise,鈥� Laird says.
鈥淲e have to keep moving our little town forward.鈥�
