A delay in getting special bags to store contaminated waste is holding up the final tear down of the Downtown Manor on Athol Street.
Fire chief Tim Pley announced the development at Monday’s city council meeting.
An early morning fire gutted the building last year and left 56 people homeless. A subsequent inspection revealed that the structure was contaminated with asbestos and required special removal.
A portion of the building was taken down, placed inside specially lined bags and buried at the landfill, Pley said.
But company doing the takedown ran out of the bags and can’t remove the rest of the debris until the back-ordered bags arrive from New York, he added.
“The contractor assured the adjuster that they’ll be here at the end of the week,” Pley said. “There will be financial consequences if it’s not done.”
The property is owned by an out of town landlord. The consultant working on the property is from Nanaimo, city planner Scott Smith said.
There are no firm plans for the property yet after the tear down. “They are looking at a time to rebuild and looking at what their options are,” Smith said.
reporter@albrernivalleynews.com