It is a melancholy time for longtime supporters of the old Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford as demolition work now shifts focus to the main structure itself.
This week work started on dismantling the smokestack, with a large crane seen at the structure.
According to Dan Sankey, building manager for the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement, the work on the smokestack is under way. The first priority is to remove the decorative brick at the top of the chimney so it can be preserved.
“The top, about 16 feet of decorative brick is being taken out as we speak,” he said Thursday afternoon.
He said that brick “will be repurposed in some fashion,” with the Battlefords North West Historical Society and perhaps others involved in reconstructing it in some fashion. The bricks will be stored in their compound in North Battleford in the meantime.
Other preservation efforts have already taken place at the site in the past year, said Sankey. About five different styles of brick were out there and there is a pallet of each style being preserved. As well, ten pallets of red brick from the main building has been preserved as requested by the historical society, and those are stored as well.
Other items have been preserved at the compound as well, including the coat of arms with the year from the front of the building, as well as two complete inside and outside main doors from the hospital. One or two keystones were taken down as well.
Silverado Demolition has been the contractor for the demolition work, which began in January. It is expected the demolition of the chimney and main building will be done by the end of July but Sankey said if things go well it could be done sooner.
The demolition firm has been busy taking down some other portions of the site, starting with the cottages in January. A gym that was added in 1986 to the building has also been demolished and the carpentry shop is being taken down right now.
All the structures on the old Sask. Hospital site are now gone except the main structure, the powerhouse and the chimney, said Sankey.
As has been agreed to, the chapel will be the only structure staying up. Sankey said they had their first meeting a month ago with a number of players to “get a start on what should happen with the chapel.”
The issues to be sorted out include such things as who would run the chapel, who would look after the bookings there, and so on, but the building will remain. Another meeting is coming up in the second week of April regarding the chapel.
Also staying is the cenotaph, which has been turned over to the city of North Battleford. The city has also taken over the reservoir there.
