Former Continental Hotel meets the wrecking ball

Time has run out for the former Continental Hotel in downtown Saskatoon.

On Thursday, demolition ramped up one of the city’s oldest buildings on Second Avenue South.

The @SaskatoonFire and demolition crews are taking down the old Continental Hotel in downtown Saskatoon this morning. @CKOMNews @CJMENews #yxe pic.twitter.com/Sav4QVg2X9

— Lara Fominoff (@LaraFominoff) April 28, 2022

The Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) condemned the building in February and the owner was ordered to have it demolished by April 15, saying the structure had become unsafe.

“The structure is not being maintained and it constitutes an immediate risk to the life and safety of people in the neighbourhood as well as safety of nearby property. Further, the property owner has failed to remedy this risk over multiple years,” Assistant Chief Yvonne Raymer said in a media release.

In 2018, a firefighter nearly fell into the basement through a hole on the main floor, while in 2020 a cyclist was nearly hit by loose bricks falling from third floor of the building.

The SFD first became involved with the building in 2002 when a fire inspector identified significant structural issues. Over the years, attempts failed to have the owner make repairs to stabilize the structure.

“We respect the owner’s wishes of wanting to preserve remnants of the building, but it is also our duty to ensure public safety,” Raymer said. “The building is beyond repair. It is currently at risk of a partial or full collapse, which is a significant safety risk.

The SFD said it is aware of past discoveries of historical items, but the property is not on the Saskatoon Register of Historic Places.

The cost of the demolition will be charged back to the property taxes.