Province set to demolish vacant buildings

The province has decided to move ahead with the demolition of two old vacant buildings that were used for seniors' housing.

One is in the community of Kinkora andthe other in Wellington, P.E.I. Both are being described as buildings that weren't used and in poor condition.

The Kinkora building containssix apartments and a common room and is part of a group of buildings. The Wellington is a smaller apartment unit.

Communities glad to see demolition

Robert Duffy, the owner of the construction company that won the tender to remove the Kinkorabuilding, said one building contained asbestos and the other was riddled with mould.

He said people in the community will be happy to see it torn down.

"It's very important that the building is being demolished, the building was condemned many years ago," said Duffy, who is also aKinkoracommunitycouncillor.

The province saiddemolition for the Kinkorabuilding will cost $147,500.

Duffy said the town hopes there will be more seniors'housing built in another part of town, eitherthrough a private developer or through government.

Kinkora building heated

Jamie Fox, the local MLAand acting leader of the Opposition, had been critical in the past of government paying to heat the building, which has been vacant since 2001.

Government officials said unique circumstances required that it remain heated as the boiler and heating system for other nearby units were all contained in the vacant building. Part of the tender requires that the boiler/heating sytemissue be addressed by constructing a boiler room.

Wellington building not needed

The smaller Wellington buildinghas been vacant since 2003.

Wellington Community councillor, Irene MacCaulldescribed it as one separate apartment unit that won't be missed.

"It's just too far beyond repair, it's not financially feasible to repair it, it would be better to just take it down," she said. MacCaull.

The councillor said the community has some new modern seniors' housing that is much better.

"It would be more cost effective to take that unit down,", said MacCaull. "It's better that it's down and it's not going to cause a problem."

MacCaull wasn't sure if the building was heated.

Government says demolitioncosts for the Wellington building will be $57,600.

The province said bothbuildings will be torn down by February 2017.