Some of the bricks from the former Saskatchewan Hospital are available for sale. (Facebook/City of North Battleford)

By Angela Brown

Demolition in progress

Some of the former Saskatchewan Hospital bricks still available for sale

May 27, 2021 | 10:10 AM

The City of North Battleford is selling some of the bricks from the former Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford being demolished, if people are looking to own a little piece of history.

As posted on the city’s Facebook Page, the bricks from the demo are for sale at the waste management facility at $125 per metric tonne or about 10 to 25 cents per brick, depending on the size and weight, with a minimum charge of $6.

City waste management facility supervisor David Prescesky said people have been purchasing the bricks but they have been moving slowly.

“People are more interested in the red bricks,” he said. “We just haven’t had a lot of the red bricks come in yet. We have some of the chimney bricks that have [been received] which are starting to move a little bit, but mostly the red.”

Prescesky added interest is starting to pick up as more people hear about the sale.

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The province previously confirmed a number of artifacts are being preserved from the former Saskatchewan Hospital site, including the decorative brick portion at the top of the smoke stack.

The Battlefords North West Historical Society will use the preserved items for future use for a commemorative project.

Coun. Len Taylor enquired about the uptake from the public at council’s meeting this week. He also asked about what kind of financial agreement the city has with the firm demolishing the building to dispose of materials at the city’s waste management facility.

Prescesky said there is a considerable amount of non-recyclable material coming into the facility, which is being charged accordingly. Some of the material is being used as an alternative cover for the landfill.

“It is saving us on using dirt,” Prescesky said. “So we’ll cover with it, every other day… It is helping stretch out the dirt we are having to add to the facility.”

City Operations director Stewart Schafer said the concrete received is being stored at the waste facility until it can be recycled as crushed concrete.

The debris moving to the pit is being charged a rate of $125 per metric tonne.

The city is monitoring the financial implications of the loads received at the waste facility from the demolition.

“If it’s substantial, we will be bringing [the matter] back to council to determine what to do with the additional dollars,” city manager Randy Patrick said. “They weren’t budgeted for this year. We don’t want to necessarily put them into general revenues.”

Patrick added administration may wish to discuss with council the option of putting some of that money aside for rebuilding the landfill, for example. Administration plans to provide a report to council later about the full details related to the demolition.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow