Town of Drumheller council awarded a project tender for the demolition of the former Drumheller Health Centre and a property purchased for flood mitigation during the regular Monday, July 18 council meeting.
There are also three other properties slated for demolition which did not require council approval, the old Consortium, a property in Nacmine, and a residential property in Lehigh.
“Based on the tender that was sent out, we were able to award to different contractors,” Director of Infrastructure Services Dave Brett shared during the council meeting.
It was recommended for council to award the contract for the hospital and residential property, located at 25 Roper Road, to McColman and Sons Demolition Ltd. The cost to demolish the old hospital was bid at $689,743 with the Roper Road property projected at $61,607, for a total bid of $751,350, excluding GST.
Mr. Brett noted the costs for demolition were reviewed with Colliers Project Management and it was identified the values are “in line of current market values” for both demolition and final asbestos and hazardous materials abatement.
As the other projects do not require council approval, they were awarded by Mr. Brett and Chief Administrative Officer Darryl Drohomerski.
Demolition of the old consortium, located near the intersection of 6 Avenue and 5 Street, was awarded to Zeuss Demo Recycling for a total bid of $66,972.18; demolition of a property in Nacmine and a residential property in Lehigh were awarded to Titan Contracting Demolition for $86,300 and $61,250 respectively.
The cost of demolition for the properties purchased for flood mitigation can be reimbursed to the Town through the $5 million municipal portion of the flood mitigation.

A young couple is grateful for the support of the Standard community after their home was struck by lightning.
Abe Jensen and Kelsey Ives live about three kilometres south of the village and had a new modular home purchased a couple of years ago. On June 28, shortly before 9 p.m., Abe was at his window watching the rain pour down resigning himself to the fact he wouldn’t be spraying that night.
“The whole house shook, I was looking out the window and you could see the whole yard light up. You could tell it was extremely close,” said Abe.
He joked with Kelsey saying he thought the house was struck by lightning. He called his father immediately, but they could smell a metallic smell lingering in the air. He stuck his head out the door.
“You could see smoke rolling out from the soffit,” he said.
They immediately called 911, exited the house and began spraying water on the roof.
“Within four or five minutes you couldn’t even get into the house. We were lucky and shuttled a couple of things out like the computer and passports,” said Abe.
He said they were lucky the Standard Fire Department was actually meeting in town and they were able to arrive within 15 minutes.
In all, four departments responded to the blaze, and while the house didn’t completely burn, the smoke, fire and water damage made it uninhabitable and unfixable.
He said it is a manufactured home and the blaze happened within the airspace between the vaulted ceiling and roof.
“The whole roof burnt up, but the walls are fine the whole roof collapsed in and everything was water damaged. They were blasting water in there for three straight hours.”
“If we weren’t home our house would have burned right to the ground, and our two dogs would be gone.”
The couple has since taken up residence in a rental property in the Village of Standard while they wait to rebuild. They are looking at bringing in the same model of modular home to their yard.
“With materials and workforce it is going to be at least eight months from the day we put the order in compared to four months when we got our house two years ago,” said Abe.
He and Ives are grateful for the fire departments that were able to come in and do their best to save their home and belongings. He has also since learned the members of the community have organized a fundraiser for the couple.
“There was a bunch of neighbours and people from the town who came immediately to see if everything was okay. Our friends made sandwiches and had coffee for all the firefighters.”
A collection is being taken at Christensen’s Clover Farm Grocery store in Standard.
“People who I haven’t even talked to in a while are reaching out offering their help which is pretty awesome,” said Abe.
He said funds will help them keep afloat as their insurance is sorted.