CLARINGTON -- The rebuilding of the area of downtown Bowmanville gutted by fire in April is beginning.
With help from the Municipality, the owners of most of the affected buildings are working together and have hired one architect to take on the project.
"Obviously, it makes senses to keep the bodies involved to a minimum," said Richard Lange, who owns the building which housed on the main floor, Lange's Photo, a business he had owned until selling a few years ago.
The Municipality's planning department has taken on the role of facilitator, bringing the business owners together and making some suggestions on how to rebuild. Out of that came the idea of working with one architect.
Working together this way is expected to help speed construction for a number of reasons, said Clarington planner Faye Langmaid. It will also save money.
"They most likely will be able to hire one contractor, too, which means one set-up, no arguing between contractors," Ms. Langmaid said.
As well, the Municipality is working on extending the existing Bowmanville Community Improvement Plan to allow for $10,000 grants to the business owners who have been burned out.
A public meeting on the issue will be held at the Sept. 8 meeting of Clarington's General Purpose and Administration Committee.
Other grants are also available, through the CIP, Ms. Langmaid said. In all, should council approve the additional $10,000, each building owner could qualify for up to $31,000 in municipal funds to help rebuild.
The fire, which did about $3.1 million in damage, began in the early morning hours of April 29. Firefighters were called at about 8:30 a.m., and by mid-morning it appeared the fire had been contained to Lange's.
But high winds hampered firefighting efforts and the fire spread east to Second Chance and Leisure Lady. Extensive damage was also done to Cafe Vienna, to the immediate west of Lange's. Most of the businesses are in the process of reopening at various, in most cases, temporary locations.
The fire was traced to a fault in an electrical panel at Lange's.
Mr. Lange hopes to see construction on the new buildings start as soon as possible.
"We're on the cusp of hearing back from the architect," Mr. Lange said. "That will give us a closer idea on the costs and time involved" to rebuild.
The building owners will work to "try to make it fit in with the rest of the historical downtown," he said.
It would have been a confusing process when it comes to rebuilding but it's been more easily navigated as a result of help from the Municipality, Mr. Lange said.
"We're very impressed with the help the Town is giving us," he said. "If it weren't for Faye, we'd be totally lost."
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