Tumbleweed Hotel in the aftermath of the May, 2023 flooding/via Mark Richardson, Globe and Mail

The Mayor of Cache Creek is suggesting there could be a replacement coming for the flood-ravaged Tumbleweed Motel along the TransCanada.

Mayor John Ranta says while the building itself is no longer useful, he argues the foundation is solid and can be repurposed.

“There’s been some discussion of possibly turning it into a seniors residence or something like that in the future,” revealed Ranta in an interview with Radio NL.  “So we’ll see what happens there. We’ll see if Ministry of Housing wants to pursue that.”

He notes BC Housing is already active in the Village.

“They already own the Catholic Shine up the hill in Cache Creek,” pointed out Ranta.  “We’ll be speaking with them at UBCM about getting moving with possibly some seniors housing up there, and some affordable housing as well.”

Ranta notes the site — as it stands now — isn’t likely to be revived as a motel.

“The buildings are surrounded with the debris that came down the river,” noted Ranta.  “There’s rocks the size of two fists that are piled up against the wall of the motel.”

Section of the now-defunct Tumbleweed Motel in Cache Creek surrounded by flood debris/via Remax

The Tumbleweed Motel has been permanently closed since last year’s flooding, prompting the owner to put it up for sale.

“There may be potential for experienced restoration contractors to resurrect the motel, otherwise it is a commercial lot,” noted the realtor listing.  “It will need to be demolished and several feet of gravel removed and likely need flood prevention work to prevent flooding in the future.”

The Motel was one of several buildings along Quartz Road and the TransCanada which were hammered by the flooding of the actual Cache Creek in the spring of last year.