The old Nurse's Residence building next to the Portage District General Hospital is slated for demolition. Vice-President of Finance and Planning for Southern Health-Santé Sud Ken Klassen tells us why.

Mold is prevalent throughout the building. (Photo by Mike Blume)"Last year at the Portage Hospital Nurse's Residence, there were concerns about the air quality in the building," says Klassen. "We had it checked into and we found that there was significant mold in the building. The mold was throughout the whole building as well as the asbestos. The cost of restoring the building was prohibitive, so we made the decision to demolish the building."

Klassen says it wasn't their first choice of what to do with the structure but it is necessary. The building is over 100-years old.

"It's always difficult," notes Klassen. "Sometimes these old buildings become part of the fabric of the community. But when they are no longer safe to inhabit and cost prohibitive to be restored, sometimes tearing them down is the only option."

Klassen says he doesn't know exactly when the demolition will take place but adds they originally wanted it done sooner. While nothing is planned yet for the area, Klassen does note they're consistently short of parking. So, another lot is a possibility.