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Town of Golden seeking assurances from B.C. government after courthouse fire

The town is asking that all provincial services formerly housed in the courthouse be re-established
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What is left of the Golden courthouse after a fire ripped through the building on March 13. Photo taken Monday March 20. (Image/ Laura Larose)

In the early hours of March 13, the Golden Courthouse was destroyed by a fire which interrupted many local and provincial services and left one firefighter injured.

Since then, many of the services that once took place in the courthouse including the court’s hearings have been taking place at the Ramada Hotel on 12th Street North off Highway 1.

The use of the hotel is, of course, only a temporary solution. However, until the courthouse is rebuilt by the town, many of the province’s services will remain without a permanent home.

This uncertainty has prompted councillors from the Town of Golden to seek guarantees from the provincial government that the province will not abandon Golden and will keep its agencies in the town.

On April 4, councillors for the Town of Golden voted unanimously to support a motion proposed by Mayor Ron Oszust to obtain these assurances “through dialogue and correspondence.”

The motion reads that the town will ask that “all former government agency services … provided in the former [courthouse] building will be re-established in their traditional form and function in Golden.”

The motion does not make any requests for financial support from the province, nor does it ask the province to commit to restoring these services within any particular timeframe.

READ MORE: Hearings moved to Ramada after Golden courthouse fire


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sami.islam@blackpress.ca

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