File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Katlyn Eriksen

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Kamloops population is surging — keeping under-pressure older properties clean and habitable

Sep 13, 2022 | 10:26 AM

Quiet Kamloops is seeing a surge in population and housebuilding. People from a range of demographics are being supported in new, high-quality housing, including the newly developed Katherine’s Place, which will be built at 560 Tranquille Road. Businesses are booming, new residents are filtering in and there’s a real buzz about Kamloops. However, for all the new homes, there are a high number of older, less well maintained dwellings. Keeping them maintained is the challenge for new residents. What’s going to be the solution?

Keeping it clean

Older properties will tend to take more to clean. According to Live Science, one Canadian study found that older properties have higher dust levels, and that the dust itself had higher levels of harmful materials such as lead and volatile organic compounds. Accordingly, it can be difficult to keep such properties clean. Increasingly, Canadians are turning to domestic cleaners to fulfil that role. With working from home becoming more common, there’s simply more time spent in the home, contributing to the dirt. If looking to take on a cleaner, just remember some of the basic etiquette involved in hiring domestic cleaners — especially if you’re going to be staying in the home.

Undertaking maintenance

With these older properties it’s often important to undertake regular maintenance. That’s true whether it’s more in-depth external tasks, such as repairing facades, or through regular cleaning of antiquated wood floors and heritage wallpapers. Furthermore, the registry of Heritage Buildings maintained by the City of Kamloops reveals a glut of residential properties that are protected by certain rules and regulations that can make proper maintenance more difficult — both in terms of maintenance, and in terms of ensuring that heritage features are sensitively maintained and then restored. Do your research if you’re in such a property; it’ll save you tough conversations with conservators at a later date and help to preserve the sense of character about the property.

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Dealing with the flood

Kamloops is threatened every single year by floods, according to CTV News. This is an ever-present risk with each rainier season, and in between those periods, too. There isn’t much that homeowners can ever do to totally protect older properties from flood damage, but there are steps that can be taken to ensure that damage isn’t lasting. Stocking up on some minor flood defences, such as sandbags, is a good idea. Ensuring that belongings are kept on the top floors, too, can help to prevent damage. Flooding won’t destroy every property come the season in Kamloops, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on and ensure you are prepared for.

Kamloops was in need of some new blood, and it’s got it with the latest surge of new residents into the area. As new developments fly up, there is still a lot of older housing stock that isn’t quite up to the same standard. Residents will face a task in keeping these properties up to scratch, but it’s entirely doable.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.