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OUR VIEW: Loss of a landmark

The Quinsam Hotel is often alluded to as a heritage building in Campbell River

On the heels of one hotel closing comes the announcement that another is opening.

Now, there’s no doubt that it will take a long time for the Comfort Inn to achieve the iconic and legendary status of the Quinsam Hotel – 98 years, in fact –but while the two are not the same thing, time does move on and so does a community.

The Quinsam Hotel is often alluded to as a heritage building in Campbell River, although it doesn’t hold that status in any official sense. It does however, play a big role in the minds of the community. Despite fads and trends, the “Quinnie” continued to roll out live music – usually Country – and beer straight up. The patrons made the place what it is as much as anything and the loss of the building leaves a hole in the community’s cultural landscape. Some would scoff at the idea of the Quinnie being culture but such as it is. It was always real and always there.

Maybe it will continue to be, maybe not.