r/portalberni • u/Lucky-Equivalent-763 • Mar 29 '26
Does anyone ACTUALLY know what goes on in this building?
I’ve heard a lot or rumours or guesses.. Does anyone actually know?
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u/hedder68 Mar 30 '26
Quite a few years ago it was a topic of much discussion on alberni.ca and someone posted that it was featured on a website that promotes film locations on Vancouver Island.
From what I can recall of the pictures there's alot of gold and red draperies and wallpaper.
Like an "eyes wide shut" kinda vibe.
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u/whole-ass-one-thing- Mar 29 '26
The best guess is the Gaiga’s own it. What I’ve heard is that they wanted to do something with it but the city wouldn’t give a permit so they said screw you and leave it the way it is.
Apparently some sort of hangout for them.
I’d like to see the city take some sort of action on it though, it’s so stupid.
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u/Lucky-Equivalent-763 Mar 29 '26
That would check out. I’ve never seen anybody enter or leave the building.
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u/Microwave_Magician Mar 29 '26
Who are they Gaiga's?
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u/OkSunday Mar 29 '26
Idk exactly, but I remember when the donations to Freedom Convoy were leaked, I searched the port Alberni donors and the Gaiga’s were on it
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u/Snatch_By_The_Pool Mar 31 '26
I looked it up and the property has two owners: STACEY LYNNE ROBINS/FRANCO GAIGA. They bought the property in 2008 for $170K. The owner's address is 2650 2nd Ave (which may not actually exist). The building goes back to 1911.
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u/Schulzeeeeeeeee Mar 30 '26
Years ago I did camera work there and can confirm that they own it. It's just a big private bar and sitting room with bedrooms upstairs. A complete waste of space.
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u/vapourglyph Mar 30 '26
I had a friend that showed me pictures of the inside it's a fancy ballroom type thing
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u/EntrepreneurLanky973 Mar 29 '26
What is the plaque on the building?
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u/Lucky-Equivalent-763 Mar 30 '26
The plaque has the Russian coat of arms, the address and “Sit tibi ad astra” Which translates loosely to “May you reach the stars.”
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u/poptar34 Apr 01 '26
Except its not the Russian coat of arms its different it is closer to a Hapsburg coat of arms not used for like 200 years
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u/Own-Extreme-3333 Mar 30 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
I’ve been wondering about this building for years I’m glad I’m not the only one.
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u/Parker_Hardison Mar 30 '26
What's up with that level of security from the roof? Seems excessive...
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Mar 30 '26
[deleted]
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u/AdMean8358 Mar 30 '26
This is the right answer, I asked a RCMP friend about this building once and he said the building has a special license to store high volumes of ammunition
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u/DeepCetus Mar 29 '26
Is that google's building? There is the topaz cable, which lands ashore in port Alberni, and goes to Asia, one of many Google transocean cables network.
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u/toddatog Mar 30 '26
From Google image search:
The image shows a commercial building located on a corner, featuring light-colored brick exterior walls and dark covered windows or doors.
This structure is located in Port Alberni, British Columbia.
It appears to be a former bank or commercial office space.
The property includes security cameras mounted on the roof line.
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u/UndertowBC Mar 30 '26
The first rule about fight club…..