heritage by David Mornoch Paine Hardware: What the Future Holds Interior of Paine and McMillan Store, circa Hardware 1913. ^ v t the North Vancouver Museum and Archives, assistant archivist June Thompson opens a brown file folder containing newspaper articles that tell the colourful story of what has undoubtedly been the city's most recognized and best-loved heritage building--Paine Hardware at 90 Lonsdale Avenue. At the top of the pile are recent clippings detailing the terrible New Year's Eve 1997 fire which forced the closure of one of the longest continuously operating businesses in the province. Today, virtually nothing remains of the once grand interior of Paine Hardware in Aberdeen Block in Lower Lonsdale as Barclay Restoration crews work to clear the charred debris, tossing it in a nearby dumpster. Co-owner Andy Home says very little was salvaged from the fire. Compounding the extensive damage from the fire itself, says Home, was the resulting torrent of water that poured into the store's charred shell when frozen pipes thawed and subsequently burst. Passersby still stop in disbelief as they come upon the damaged 88year-old building. Not only was Paine Hardware effectively out of business, but a dozen tenants who lived in upstairs suites were left homeless by the blaze. Many have since found temporary housing at Kiwanis Lodge, while several others are staying at Hotels or with relatives, or have simply moved elsewhere. As for the future of the business. Home and partner Tim Holt have every intention of greeting customers once again in what they anticipate will be a fully restored Paine Hardware. As for exactly when or how thai will happen. Home says thai at this stage, he "he doesn't know." The next step was the subject of a meeting between the Paine Hardware owners and local officials at North Photo courtesy of North Museum and Andy Vancouver and Archives Home. Vancouver City Hall during the last week of January. Heritage planner Karen Russell later told Arts Alive that the city is very upset about losing such a significant heritage resource. She acknowledged Paine Hardware is very important to North Vancouver residents who care about its tradition. Russell describes the damage to the interior of the store as "a tragic loss" and says the city fully supports the owners in their interest to rebuild. As for funding, Russell expects that once the fire investigation is complete, there may be a: difference between how much of the restoration will be covered by insurance and how much the work will actually cost. At that point, she says, the city may be able to assist in some way. She also agrees that there is a "groundswell of [public] concern" about the Paine Hardware fire and that residents might be willing to contribute to a restoration fund. Russell says the likelihood of applying for funding under the province's Heritage Trust program is not great because its guidelines are not applicable to privately held heritage resources. However, she plans to pursue other avenues of potential government funding. Home says that when it comes time to begin the restoration project, a list of technical considerations will have to be resolved with the city and, in some cases, compromises will have to be reached. Home says city engineers recommend that the Aberdeen Block undergo a seismic upgrade to bring it up to current earthquake standards. Other improvements may include better tire separation between floors, a system of fire alarms and sprinklers, and other structural changes, all of which could be enormously expensive. Home will meet with insurance adjusters in the coming weeks and hopes to then have a better sense of how long the restoration project might take and how much it will cost. He says different estimates have been given, but he believes that the prediction that Paine Hardware would be back in business by the summer is premature. Home says he has very little experience in dealing with such a disaster and finds it difficult to know where and how to proceed next. He is awaiting the results of the fire investigation. The cause remains officially unknown, but Home speculates it may have started in an electrical box and quickly spread to paints, solvents.