Rebuild Starts on the North Shuswap
First home rebuilt in Scotch Creek (Kicker photo)
By Melissa Bloxham
Scotch Creek residents Joanne and Lyndon Heppner are filled with excitement and profound gratitude as they find themselves once more embraced by the comfort of a home. This remarkable milestone follows the devastating loss of their previous residence and belongings in last year's fire. “It just feels so good to have a roof over our heads and a bed to sleep in after the last 7 months of being without our own house”, Joanne says, “the experience reminded us of what is most important.” Her gratitude for her newly built space felt in each of her words.
Joanne and Lyndon Heppner at their new home in Scotch Creek (Kicker photo)
The couple left Scotch Creek on August 11 to visit their cousins in Saskatchewan, not expecting that the fire would come towards their property. Once they got news of the fire, they returned to BC to stay with their son in Langley. They remained there for the 7 months it took to rebuild. And in some ways, it was a blessing in disguise to spend so much time with family. “It was a welcomed extended visit, we haven’t had this much time with our family, so that was a positive”, she shares.
When the evacuation order was lifted and property owners who lost homes were allowed to come back, they returned for the first time on September 5, 2023 to assess the damage.
2 gnome garden ornaments made it through the fire.
Everything had burned. Home, shop, 2 vehicles (one, a restored ‘54 Chev Car), motorhome and even their garden boxes. They lost all their pictures, antiques, handmade items, and hand-selected decor from their travels. To say they were gutted is an understatement.
All that remained were some garden ornaments (2 gnomes they call Smokey and Fire - who go with them everywhere now), mounds of soil from their gardens and 2 iron sun decorations hanging on their gates. The plants near the front of their property sustained some burns but are now returning in full bloom as spring arrives.
Lyndon's cousin owns an insurance agency out of Langley and recommended Travelers Insurance. Many years ago, his cousin advised him to always have as much insurance as possible, plus more. Lyndon took this advice and it proved well worth it. The Sunday after the fire, the insurance company contacted them, walking them through the next steps. They even hired a drone to fly over to assess the damage within a couple days.
The Heppner's family connections kept on bearing fruits as they contacted their nephew, Jeff Lewis, who owns an excavating company out of Anglemont and Sicamous. He recommended Ken Kelleway of Ridgetop Contracting to help with the rebuild. With the guidance and leadership Ken provided, Joanne and Lyndon are in their brand new home after a quick 7 months. “Ken is the solution to every problem we had,” Joanne quipped. “He has been a life saver and I recommend him to everyone. Even the insurance adjuster said he was a pleasure to work with. We really followed his lead, his calm and solution-oriented demeanor was comforting during the stressful time.”
The permit application for the reconstruction of their home, was the second permit application the CSRD received, for homes destroyed on the north side. “I think it makes people realize there is a light at the end of the tunnel with the issues and headaches they are dealing with,” Ken Kelleway commented and shared some advice for others.
“I've been asked by people who are frustrated how I got the permits through as quickly as I did. And it's strictly due to experience. After working as a builder for over 32 years and making hundreds of applications you know what is expected. When you see the requirements for your Building Permit application, you have to realize it is only a guideline, more items will be asked for.”
The new home is an almost exact replica of their original home. It's a beautiful, clean and bright space, adorned with brand new and used furniture. Joanne's hairdresser, Sharen Trouton, kindly offered a truckload of items to choose from when she heard of their loss. The Heppners have replaced many household items over the last 7 months, and their appreciation is palpable.
“It was quite the process of lining up the furniture and the timing of when the house would be built for the stuff to be delivered. Piece by piece we are getting back to having the items we lost, I don't care about having all the new, fancy stuff, I'm a thrifter. But I can never get back my pictures and the memorabilia we collected along the way. My daughter in law started a needlepoint picture within days of the fire to replace the one that she had previously made us. I'm just waiting on my chest of drawers to arrive so I can hang it above it,” She laughs.
One part that was very important to the couple, Lyndon says, was that local people were supported and if possible, asked Ken to contract to local companies. They are proud to say that the home was completely built using local supplies and tradespeople, thanks to Ken’s diligence.
Their family was an incredible wealth of support and recommendations. Ken and his company worked swiftly and lined up all the necessary trades people required to finish the job and do it right. He coordinated with both the CSRD and the insurance company along the way, maintaining communication and staying on top of all the details and permits required.
The couple are happier than ever to be in a shelter despite no pictures on the wall or the furniture they once had. Joanne recalls it took her 2 months to stop crying from the word FIRE, and eventually got to a point where they could talk about it and even laugh with friends and family again.
