Demolition looms for beachside hamlet below Jordan River dam
Dam at risk of collapse in case of an earthquake off Vancouver Island's West Coast
All but one of the homes in the path of a potential dam failure will soon vanish from a West Coast Vancouver Island community and popular surfing destination.
The hamlet of mostly empty waterfront homes stands below the Jordan River diversion dam.
- BC Hydro buys out properties below Jordan River dam
- BC Hydro offers to buy 11 homes downstream of Jordan River dam
- Dam failure a quake risk for Campbell River
In May 2016, BC Hydro purchased the homes of all but one hold out below the dam.
The area was declared the most seismic-prone area in B.C. and possibly even in Canada in 2014.
BC Hydro spokesman Ted Olynyk said the vacant houses are scheduled for demolition in late March and the area will be reseeded with grass.
"We did a study of all the facilities to see what would happen in a seismic event," Olnyk said.
While Jordan River is one of the strongest dams, he said, "it was built in the wrong location, knowing what we know now."
"Because of the Cascadia (subduction) zone it's proven to be in the worst location possible," Olnyk said. "There's no other dam built so close to such a large earthquake area."
Jordan River resident Wayne Jackaman said while the beachside hamlet will vanish settlement has increased in more recently developed areas outside of the flooding zone.