The demolition of some historic downtown Trail buildings is about a month behind schedule and expected to cost more than originally forecast.
Ben Gresley-Jones, the city’s manager of engineering, told council Monday that the budget increase is due to the discovery of more hazardous materials during the pre-demolition phase. Removing them takes time and effort, he said, setting the schedule back.
The old C.S. Williams clinic at 901 Helena Street is now expected to be gone by Sept. 19. The oldest section, which was the city’s first hospital, built in 1896, has already been levelled. Still to be demolished is the multi-storey concrete addition. Work will begin this week.
Meanwhile, the building at 900 Spokane Street, which opened as the Trail Mercantile in 1917 and was later Eaton’s, the Towne Square Mall, and Liquidation World, is expected to be removed by Oct. 17. Hazardous materials abatement is already underway.
Gresley-Jones didn’t say how much more the work might cost. But he added that more temporary road and lane closures will be necessary to maintain safety.
The City of Trail acquired the old clinic in a 2017 tax sale and received the old department store in a 2024 donation. Council awarded a demolition contract for both buildings this past spring worth $1.75 million to Local Industrial from Genelle.
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