Rolla community unites to build tiny home for owner of 100-year-old pub

ROLLA, B.C. — A community is coming together to ensure the owner of the 100-year-old Rolla Pub has a safe, stable place to live.

Kehly MacDuff, a friend of Rolla Pub owner Patricia Martin, is hoping to raise money and find volunteers to help build Martin a tiny home.

In 2020, the pub had to be shut down to comply with pandemic restrictions.

MacDuff said residents held an online fundraising auction to keep the pub running for when it was allowed to reopen.

“She ultimately had to shut down because a drunk driver hit her building, and it shifted the whole building,”  MacDuff said.

The damage from the hit was too much for Martin to take on financially, in addition to the already aging building.

Despite the pub closing down and the building beginning to fall apart, Martin is still staying in the pub’s living quarters.

“With her being 66 years old, trying to take buckets of water out where there’s watering coming in from the roof, and just the weather kind of taking over the building, it’s just not safe for her to be in the building anymore,” MacDuff said.

To raise funds to build a tiny home for Martin, there will be a sale of some of the “antiques, collectibles and knickknacks” in the pub next month.

The sale will take place on Friday, October 6th, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, October 7th, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rolla Pub at 5187 Rolla Road, in Rolla B.C.

MacDuff says the Rolla Pub was originally built and established in 1920 and was known as the Columbia Hotel. 

Known as a “watering hole” for soldiers who were building the Alaska Highway, MacDuff says Martin’s parents took over the pub in the mid-60’s, and has been run by Martin for the past 20 years. 

Those who wish to help build the tiny home can visit the Facebook group created for the Rolla Pub, and monetary donations can be e-transferred to Martin at Patriciaannmartin1956@gmail.com.