Photo by Vince Fedoroff
SCHOOL’S DAYS ARE NUMBERED – The demolition of the original F.H. Collins Secondary School, which opened in 1963, is imminent. Right: PETER O'BLENES
School’s demolition will be a major project
The city is ready to receive several hundreds of truck loads of demolition waste from the old F.H. Collins Secondary School, city council heard Monday.
The city is ready to receive several hundreds of truck loads of demolition waste from the old F.H. Collins Secondary School, city council heard Monday.
Peter O’Blenes is the city’s director of infrastructure and operations.
In response to questions from Coun. Samson Hartland, O’Blenes told council the landfill is also capable and ready to handle the hazardous waste coming from the demolition.
O’Blenes said the Yukon government has not yet told the city when demolition will begin and when completion is expected.
Nor has the government provided any estimate on the amount of material, both hazardous and non-hazardous, the city can expect to handle, he pointed out.
O’Blenes said the city’s own informed estimates put the total amount of demolition waste at approximately 4,800 tonnes, though how much of that will be hazardous material like asbestos is not clear.
There is a section of the landfill where asbestos is placed and covered, he said.
He noted the danger of asbestos is associated with airborne particles, hence the requirement to provide a cover.
O’Blenes said the city is hearing the project is likely to begin in the middle of August.
The Yukon government will be required to pay the standard tipping fee of $97 a tonne for standard large waste and $160 a tonne for hazardous waste, he confirmed.
The director of operations said if you were to use a rough average of $100 per tonne for 4,800 tonnes, tipping fees will approach half a million dollars.
The territorial Department of Highways and Public Works was unable to provide any information this morning regarding the project, such as whether the demolition contract has been awarded and for how much.
The department was also unable to provide estimates of the total amount of waste material, hazardous material.
Nor could the department say when the work is scheduled to begin and when demolition is set to end.
High school students attending the new F.H. Collins located across the way are scheduled to return to classes Aug. 30.
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Comments (9)
Up 1 Down 2
Contractor on Aug 9, 2016 at 2:58 pm
I've done a lot of work in that building the last 15 years and that place is full of asbestos. You don't want to reuse/recycle/re-purpose ANYTHING from there.
Up 7 Down 0
Parent on Aug 9, 2016 at 9:57 am
Why are they planning on starting this in August? They won't be done by September and I don't want my kid going back to school next to the dust and debris that goes along with a demolition!
Up 2 Down 1
Mark Sanders on Aug 8, 2016 at 10:27 pm
Recycle many parts of it by allowing people to take it for reuse.
The mountain bikers need lots of wood for all those jumps that suddenly appear on trails.
Low income people can use wood and windows for greenhouses etc.
Give a little back to lower income people please.
Up 1 Down 0
Erik Nielsen on Aug 8, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Gee, it's too bad this school wasn't being demolished in either Grande Prairie or Kelowna where demolition tipping fees are $10/tonne. Someone is sure killing it.
Up 22 Down 3
Okay can I ask a simple question on Aug 7, 2016 at 10:05 am
Why are we destroying a perfectly good structure that was built 53 years ago and has had numerous upgrades and enhancement over the years since then? When I drive through many cities in the south I see schools dating from the early part of the last century still in use.
Up 24 Down 3
Guncache on Aug 5, 2016 at 10:02 am
The proper thing to do would be to let people salvage some of the building material (within reason). There is a major amount of lumber there, insulation, windows, doors, plumbing etc. There are a lot of people who would be happy to have some of that. We are supposed to be in a recycling, re-use era. The city, COW used to let people salvage at the dump but they put a stop to that. The COW has no interest in recycling.
Up 23 Down 4
Terry Rufiange-Holway on Aug 4, 2016 at 6:21 am
Tonnes of demolition waste could be diverted from the landfill if the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate had a ReStore: Habitat for Humanity ReStores are building supply stores that accept and resell quality new and used building materials to the public at a fraction of the retail price. Shopping at a ReStore is a socially conscious decision, as funds generated are used to fund Habitat affordable home building projects. As well, shopping at a ReStore is an environmentally conscious decision, as much of what is sold is product that is new, gently used (or salvaged building materials) or customer returns that would otherwise end up in a landfill. See more here: http://www.habitat.ca/findarestorep4235.php
Up 31 Down 2
yukonmom on Aug 3, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Certainly makes me feel like my household recycling efforts are in vain! Going back to residential being 10% of the waste so maybe it is a waste of time to focus on residential and start working on the big boys. Thousands of tonnes.. that is a lot of glass jars.
Also difficult to understand how the city can be "ready" when they don't know when it will begin or when it will end or how much hazardous and non hazardous will be. Good to know they have it all under control??
Up 29 Down 3
JC on Aug 3, 2016 at 6:40 pm
Government required to pay the tipping fee. What a joke. Taxpayers money goes from one pot to the other. Then, the budget goes up next year.