Chilliwack – The Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation (CEPCO) and the City of Chilliwack announced restoration is now complete on the 96-year-old Skelton Building, a building with a rich history in downtown Chilliwack.
In August 1926, Robert G. Skelton and his son Clifford purchased a wood-frame building on Wellington Avenue near Five Corners and opened a men’s clothing business called R.G. Skelton & Son Men’s Wear. Sadly, on March 15, 1930, a major fire on the north side of Wellington Avenue, between Young Road and Mill Street, wiped out six wood-frame buildings and multiple businesses, including R.G. Skelton & Son Men’s Wear.
After the fire, Robert Skelton announced that he would construct a new building which could withstand a similar fire, and in less than four months, it was completed.
In 1961, two long-time Chilliwack residents, Gordon Wiltshire and Raymond Nelson, purchased the business, and in 1966, they also bought the Skelton Building and soon announced a name change to Gord-Ray Men’s Wear.
As the years progressed, these high-profile buildings on Wellington Avenue fell into disrepair, and in 2021, CEPCO purchased them as a continuation of the revitalization efforts underway in downtown Chilliwack. This important restoration project has been supported by Station One Architects and Gerry Enns Contracting, along with many other trades professionals.
“Over the past 5 years, CEPCO has made painstaking efforts to preserve many of the historic features of the Skelton Building,” said Brian Coombes, CEPCO President. “Original features have been saved, such as a large skylight, exterior leaded glass, an exposed timber ceiling, and, of course, the inlaid Skelton’s floor tile.”
The beautifully restored Skelton Building is now the home of Amato Trattoria, a place designed to create many more wonderful memories as the building approaches a century in downtown Chilliwack.
“We believe our newest restaurant will be a positive addition to the revitalization efforts currently underway downtown,” stated Raffaele Aiello, President of Tiara Food & Beverage Concepts, and Proprietor of Amato Trattoria.
On March 11, staff and invited guests were part of a dry run through of the menu, kitchen and services.
