The future is uncertain for the residents of a Kelowna motel whose homes were gutted this weekend by fire.

害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know where they害羞草研究所檒l go 害羞草研究所� they害羞草研究所檒l never get anything like that again,害羞草研究所� said Guylaine Bolen over a coffee at the Denny害羞草研究所檚, which is adjacent to the hotel where many of the long-term residents of the Walnut Grove Motel have been staying since fire ripped through their suites.

害羞草研究所淚t has been the only place for people who can害羞草研究所檛 afford $2,000-a-month-rent.害羞草研究所�

Walnut Grove Motel is a bit of a throwback to simpler times in that neighbourhood. It害羞草研究所檚 been around since the 害羞草研究所�50s and owned by the same family since 1980. Some residents have had their rent frozen for decades, while others who found their way there in recent years are still finding it affordable.

Bolen害羞草研究所檚 home of seven years was spared from the worst of the fire though, for the time being, she害羞草研究所檚 locked out and that害羞草研究所檚 not been easy either.

害羞草研究所淚t hit me this morning,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 homeless.害羞草研究所�

Her breakfast companion, Teresa A., has been a neighbour for the last four years and said she害羞草研究所檚 been trying to stay calm while navigating the rough waters of her newfound situation. She害羞草研究所檚 already contending with a series of health issues that made the motel the most viable option for living in the Okanagan in the first place.

害羞草研究所淣o kidding,害羞草研究所� she said to Bolen, in response to her realization. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very homeless.害羞草研究所�

Teresa害羞草研究所檚 unit was razed by fire. The only possessions saved from the flames were her truck and, she said with a laugh, a barbecue.

害羞草研究所淚 was looking at pictures of the fire and I saw it was saved. The fire fighters must have moved it because of the propane tank, but it害羞草研究所檚 funny that it survived,害羞草研究所� she said, noting that humour, is about the only salve for an otherwise traumatic situation.

害羞草研究所淢ore than 40 years of memories are gone害羞草研究所� A saddle my dad made me when I was two-years-old, is gone. I was five-years-old when he died and I害羞草研究所檝e kept it with me since害羞草研究所�

This is not on a movie set but the real thing!

害羞草研究所� Michael Vangsgaard (@mvangsgaard)

She was in her unit when the fire broke out next door, but it didn害羞草研究所檛 take long for it to spread and that害羞草研究所檚 part of the reason why she wasn害羞草研究所檛 able to save anything herself, other than the wallet she had in her hand.

害羞草研究所淚 was just watching TV on my new sofa 害羞草研究所� the first sofa I害羞草研究所檝e had in years 害羞草研究所� and I heard a loud bang and saw a bunch of people standing out front of my house.害羞草研究所�

The Waters Edge North building on Truswell Road was attended by firefighters within minutes, though they didn害羞草研究所檛 access the fire in time to stop its spread.

害羞草研究所淚n a matter of 20 minutes both (condo) buildings were up in flames,害羞草研究所� she said.

Unoccupied and unfinished, the Waters Edge North building was destroyed in the fire. All that remains is soot, charred wood and the concrete remnants of an elevator shaft.

It and its neighbouring structure may be damaged beyond repair. Of its 65 units, seven are completely destroyed and currently an estimated 130 residents are out of home. Between the floods that plagued put them on an evacuation list, and this fire it害羞草研究所檚 been a difficult period.

Much of the conversation about the fire has focused on those residents, said Stephen Shortt, and he is confused about why so little attention has been paid to the motel. He害羞草研究所檚 been especially bothered by some commentary that its end would be good for the neighbourhood.

He and his roommate had been residents of the motel for three years and he was at work when the fire broke out, setting off what he describes as one of the more surreal incidents of his life.

害羞草研究所淢y roommate, Ronda Anderson, left several messages and when I called her back she said 害羞草研究所榦ur house is on fire,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Shortt.

害羞草研究所淚 jumped in my car and started driving and right away I saw the smoke. It was super scary. I didn害羞草研究所檛 think it was real.害羞草研究所�

He met Anderson at her work and together with their dogs they walked down to their home, which was on fire.

害羞草研究所淭he other building fell on top of ours,害羞草研究所� he said, while bringing up a picture of its remains on his cellphone.

There害羞草研究所檚 little left of the suite that he called home. He害羞草研究所檚 happy Anderson saved their two dogs 害羞草研究所� a husky and a border collie害羞草研究所� but a snake and a hamster perished in the blaze, like just about everything else.

害羞草研究所淚 lost everything I own except my work uniform and a cellphone,害羞草研究所� he said.

Shortt, Anderson and Teresa have all said they didn害羞草研究所檛 have rental insurance. The same is true for others they害羞草研究所檝e spoken to as well.

Some have said it害羞草研究所檚 simply been a matter of cost. They didn害羞草研究所檛 have the money.

害羞草研究所淲e literally have to start from scratch,害羞草研究所� Shortt said. 害羞草研究所滱nd it害羞草研究所檚 not going to be easy.害羞草研究所�

Whether they害羞草研究所檒l ever return to Walnut Grove remains to be seen.

Dennis Kovacic and his brother were bequeathed the property from their father and have been running it as a long-term rental for years.

Each of the displaced residents spoken to this week say he害羞草研究所檚 been more than fair, keeping their rent reasonable over the years rather than turning over the property to a developer for a mint.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 a saint,害羞草研究所� said Shortt, pointing out that perceptions about the residents of Walnut Grove are usually negative and it害羞草研究所檚 unfair. Its residents, he said, are varied, but usually of lesser means and supplemented by disability payments, and the like.

Kovacic said he害羞草研究所檚 aware of the perceptions, but doesn害羞草研究所檛 pay them much mind.

害羞草研究所淏eing situated on the creek here, it害羞草研究所檚 a wonderful area,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭he people here are great. I pick and choose my tenants very carefully and I害羞草研究所檝e created a community of good people. The place doesn害羞草研究所檛 look great, but the people are.害羞草研究所�

Kovacic said he doesn害羞草研究所檛 have full access to the property yet, and he害羞草研究所檚 not sure what害羞草研究所檚 going to happen going forward.

害羞草研究所淚 would love to rebuild it, if possible. The entire complex is not all gone, so much of it I can run, as is.害羞草研究所�

Fire officials have said that there will be an investigation into the fire, though most believe it to have been a byproduct of a construction incident. Many of those spoken to have said they saw the roofer, a young man who had burns from attempting to put the blaze out, wandering around shortly after the fire started, though officials aren害羞草研究所檛 confirming anything.