BARRHEAD - Barrhead and District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) have moved temporarily into a new home until renovations to their building are complete.
Regrettably, the renovations were not due to planned improvements.
"There is asbestos in the building," FCSS executive director Karen Gariepy told County of Barrhead councillors during their April 20 meeting.
She added that currently, they are operating out of a mobile trailer in the FCSS parking lot. Gariepy and seniors programming coordinator Debbie White were at the council meeting to give their quarterly report.
"The abatement team went in there yesterday morning and are assessing the situation as we speak," Gariepy said, adding the asbestos is in the ceiling.
(Editor's note: Children's World Child Care Daycare, which shares the same building, was inspected and declared safe).
Asbestos is the name for six minerals made of fibres. These minerals were once used in construction and manufacturing, mainly because of their resistance to heat, fire, chemicals, and electricity. As a result, they've been used in everything from home and business construction materials, automotive parts, and even textiles.
Unfortunately, the fibres that form asbestos separate easily into tiny pieces when they're handled or damaged. Because they are too small to see, and they're easy to breathe in.
Although the potential health risks of inhaling these fibres have long been known (including increased risk of lung diseases and cancer), Canada did not issue a complete ban until Dec. 2018, despite asbestos being designated as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization 30 years prior.
It is also worth mentioning the ban contained a few exceptions, most notably for the military, nuclear facilities and Chlor-alkali plants, which were allowed to slowly phase out the use of asbestos.
Gariepy said they are not sure how long the problem has existed.
"What is happening is (the asbestos) is coming down through the cracks in the walls in every office," she said, adding the asbestos takes the form of dust, which some staff have been cleaning.
"Then it dawned on someone that the dust could be asbestos and should have it tested," Gariepy said, thanking Barrhead Regional Fire Services chief Gary Hove for arranging the test.
She noted they collected dust samples, taken Friday, April 8, from both the walls and the floor. On April 9, they received word that the samples had tested positive for the substance and on April 11, the FCSS offices were officially closed.
Gariepy said she made frequent visits to the building to prepare for the abatement team and move into their temporary offices, which arrived Easter Sunday. A few days after that, on April 19, they reopened using their temporary facility. FCSS hopes to be back in their regular digs on 45th Street in early May.
The disruption could not have come at a more inconvenient time as much of FCSS' programming is resuming after the relaxation of the majority of COVID public health restrictions.
She noted that Food Bank usage continues to be high and that in the last month, their advocacy coordinator is seeing a higher-than-average demand for her services. FCSS community development and volunteer coordinator Rae Whiting is also busy coordinating the community's volunteer appreciation event slated for April 30 after a year-long hiatus.
White said they continue to get requests from area seniors looking for home support. The program helps seniors stay in their homes by providing light housekeeping.
She added that FCSS has also resumed hosting their monthly seniors' dinners, along with their weekly pie and coffee time and senior fitness sessions.
White added that recently they have also started a new program, teaching residents aged 60-plus how to prepare tasty and healthy meals. However, due to being temporarily forced out of their building, not all of the programs will be able to resume until the abatement work is complete.
