"Total demolition" is how NDP MLA Steve Cardiff wanted Whitehorse's transitional foster care home dealt with more than a year ago.

"There's are concerns about mould, there's no sprinkler system ... it's not a safe building," Cardiff told the Star back in November 2007 after touring the 5080 Fifth Ave. facility.

"Total demolition is what is needed."

Last Friday, Social Services Minister Glenn Hart announced $1 million "has been set aside ... subject to legislative approval," to construct a "super green" replacement for the aging building.

"We have been working closely with Public Works and Yukon Housing to build a safe, healthy facility that meets the needs of the residents and staff of the home," Hart relayed in a press release.

Called the Children's Receiving Home, the facility is described in the release as "a temporary home for children and youth aged 12 to 18 who have been removed from their families because of child abuse or neglect."

But according to Cardiff, the residence has since become a defacto group home.

"The building is supposed to be where children go on their way to a more premanent placement in foster care ... that's what it's intended to be," Cardiff said this morning.

"Unfortunately, it's been used as a temporary home for children who would be in group homes."

And lacking any plans, site selection or construction date, Cardiff said, he can't get too excited over the government's "super green" construction pledge.

"There's no location and they haven't even identified a piece of property yet," Cardiff said. "If they want to break ground, they need an engineered drawing."

While Cardiff is right on the second count, he's out of the loop on the first.

According to Hart, the current receiving home is to be demolished this week and the 5080 Fifth Ave. address will remain for the replacement.

"It's in the demolition stage right now, and we'll be building on the same footprint," Hart told the Star early this afternoon.

The government plans to solicit proposals this spring, and "action (on construction) is commencing this summer," Hart added.

The final price tag is estimated at $1.3 million but building to "super green" specs should keep operations and maintenance expenses low, said Hart.

Children in the receiving home's care have been relocated until the replacement is complete, expected by year's end.