Drumheller resident Bert Hoy stands near recent vandalism at the former Drumheller hospital building. Recent vandals also set fire to materials in the building.
As a result of Drumheller Emergency Services responding to a fire and other vandalism on the site of Drumheller’s former hospital on Riverside Drive last week, there has been renewed talk about the condition and fate of the building and the site.
“I think by definition under the Community Standards Bylaw it would meet the criteria of a derelict building, and yes, it is on Council’s radar,” said Mayor Terry Yemen.
“I know that every current Councillor, and even past Councillors, have all had a number of complaints about it.”
Council wouldn’t need to make a motion to move the matter forward, Yemen explains, rather they would agree the Community Standards Bylaw be applied to the old hospital building, and refer the matter to Town administration to move it forward.
Bert and Margaret Hoy have lived in a house facing the back of the 43 year old building for about ten years. The Hoys haven’t complained about the state of the building, although Bert said they’ve considered it.
The Hoys said one previous owner stored cars in the building, but whatever plans owners have had for the site over the years since the hospital moved out, have never been fulfilled.
“We’ve always wondered what’s going to happen to it,” Bert said.
“Nobody seems to know much about it.”
Bert adds it’s a shame the owners never did anything with the building, given the nice brick work, and the relatively young age of the building.
“There are buildings three times as old operating downtown.”
Hoy said if there hasn’t been heat to the building, especially since the building closed, drywall, materials and conditions inside would have deteriorated over time.
Michelle Doyle also has a home near the old hospital site.
“It’s kind of an eyesore,” she said. “It just sits.”
Doyle said she’s noticed the old building seems to be a magnet for vandalism - “There’s always broken windows.”
Another neighbour said her and her husband walk past the site regularly, and it usually looks pretty bad, especially when the weeds get growing.
She said it seems to take a complaint to get weed removal and caretaking done on the old hospital site.
She said it’s not such a bad looking building, if it stayed there she wouldn’t mind, as long as it didn’t stay unused and quiet.
Residents near the site say the one consistent thing they’ve seen over the years, in addition to the vandalism, is people trying to get into the old hospital. Drumheller’s new hospital, The Drumheller Health Centre, along Highway 838 to the Royal Tyrrell Museum, opened in 2002.
