North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring has put his house in Chemainus up for sale.
But he will be staying in the area until October to complete his current term.
Siebring announced during late January that he won’t be running for re-election as mayor in the municipal elections in October. Selling his house is part of the process that will lead him to retire and relocate to Alberta.
Related story: Al Siebring won’t run for re-election as North Cowichan mayor
Wife Anne will be making the move to Lacombe, Alberta, north of Red Deer, in June and Siebring said he has secured a short-term rental to fill the gap until he joins her there in November.
“The long-term plan was always to retire to Alberta,” Siebring said.
The couple has one daughter living in the Lacombe region and another relocating there from Ontario. The Siebrings have 11 grandchildren, the oldest being 14, that ensures there won’t be a dull moment spending time with them.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Siebring conceded.
The Siebrings’ house on Henry Road that also faces Fuller Lake is listed at $825,000, but the market has continually been dictating prices above asking. There have already been more than 20 expressions of interest from buyers in just a few days since the house went up for sale on Friday.
“It’s nice to be on the selling end,” Siebring acknowledged. “That’s the market right now. We hope to have that finalized by next week.”
Siebring has been on North Cowichan council for 13 years. He’s in the final seven months of his four-year-term as mayor after winning the 2018 election by a narrow margin over incumbent Jon Lefebure.
It’s obviously early, but no candidates have stepped forward to announce they’re running for mayor yet.