As the new building for Centre Culturel La Ronde continues taking shape, the former French Catholic school that housed it up until September is being demolished to make way for Centre de sante communautaire de Timmins’ new location.
The project manager for the demolition, Erika Bazuik, said the old Ecole catholique St-Charles building was deemed too large at more than 30,000 square feet and too expensive to renovate and bring up to current provincial standards.
"For example, there was hazardous material in the roof. It’s a 17,000 square foot roof that needs to be removed," Bazuik said.
"So, in regards to renovating this building, it wasn’t an option anymore."
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The demolition came as a disappointment for some who felt it should be converted for other uses.
However, the health centre’s executive director, Michelle Stevens, said the $10 million provincially-funded building will be a place where the francophone community can feel welcome and cared for with expanded health services.
"There will be a physiotherapist, a doctor, nurse practitioners, nurses, to be able to cover (all) of the health care needs of the client," said Stevens.
She added the new centre will also offer mental health services and childhood education.
By February, the school building is to be levelled by Toronto company Priestly Demolition, known for the TV show "Salvage Kings."
Health services are still being offered at Centre de sante’s Timmins Square location, to make for a smoother transition, as it aims to have the new building open by early 2025.
Meanwhile, across the hall in the mall, La Ronde’s interim executive director, Stephanie Forget, said construction on its new community centre is on schedule.
Crews are expecting to close-in the structure within the next few weeks, she said.
However, Forget said construction costs are continuing to rise and the team will need another $400,000 to ensure it opens fully-furnished by early summer next year.
"We will be doing some more fundraising, hopefully starting in January, so we can kind of finish up the inside of the building," Forget said.
As the two projects progress, she and Stevens said anticipation in the francophone community is building.
"It’s going to be amazing," Forget said.
"The multipurpose room is going to be awesome, all the events that we have planned."
"The community is quite excited because it actually feels like it’s something tangible," said Stevens.
"It’s actually happening."
