It will be demolished, but they don't know when just yet.
The move from the old Humboldt District Hospital building, circa 1955, into the new Humboldt District Health Complex is now complete. And last week, the contractors hired to tear down the old building - Double R Demolition - constructed security fencing around its perimeter.
However, the building will not be falling to the ground within the next short while.
According to Kelvin Fisher of the Saskatoon Health Region, there are steps that still need to occur before they set a date for demolition.
First, they have to do a full environmental assessment of the building. This will ensure that any environmental hazards that should not be released into the air, such as asbestos, is removed properly prior to the final demolition day.
"There is asbestos in the building," Fisher noted.
The contractor also has certain salvage rights to the building, he noted, so things like the solid wood doors in the building will be taken out before demolition.
Once those two things take place, demolition will occur.
However, an exact date for the demolition has yet to be settled.
Fisher said they are still waiting for a meeting between the contractors and Saskatoon Health Region officials in order to set up the demolition schedule. They are hoping to meet sometime this week.
Though the fence is up, the demolition is not imminent yet, Fisher stressed, though the Saskatoon Health Region is anxious to move on it.
The old hospital building has to be demolished before the land on which it sits is returned to the Sisters of St. Elizabeth. That is part of an agreement struck between the Sisters and the Saskatoon Health Region - that the Sisters retained ownership of the land, while the building belonged to the Region.
