Neon sign on Vancouver's Balmoral Hotel removed due to safety risk
The neon sign that hung outside of Vancouver's Balmoral Hotel was removed Sunday but plans to demolish the building itself are still being sorted out, according to the City of Vancouver.
Announcing the plan Friday, a spokesperson for the city said the sign's condition has deteriorated to the point where it poses a "risk of injury to the public."
People were warned to expect minor traffic delays and sidewalk closures along East Hastings Street between Main and Columbia while crews were working.
The building has been empty since 2017, when it was condemned as unsafe for the 150 people who lived there following years of enforcement and legal action by the city due to its derelict conditions and persistent health and safety hazards. It was owned by the Sahota family, landlords infamous for the dangerous state of neglect in their buildings, particularly those housing the most vulnerable tenants.
In 2020, it was expropriated by the city and its demolition was announced earlier this year.
"The decades of underinvestment and mismanagement by the building’s previous owners was irreversible," a statement from the city in February said.
"It became clear that the building has deteriorated to the point that it poses a danger to the public and adjacent buildings."
However, the announcement that the sign is being removed does not contain any further details on the demolition process.
"Staff are continuing to monitor the building’s condition as they plan for the demolition, including hazardous materials abatement and civil site work. Given the age, complexity, and condition of the building, removing the building will take several months to complete," the statement says.
In addition to the technical complexity of tearing down the building, the city spokesperson says the building there is an emotional and historical complexity that has to be considered.
"The city also recognizes that the Balmoral, prior to its closure, was a site of harm and trauma to many and that the demolition of this building will have emotional impact for former residents and their families, friends and community," the statement continues.
Therefore, it says, plans will also include outreach and planning to ensure "respectful, healing and culturally appropriate support and ceremony for community through the actual building demolition and redevelopment process."
The city has promised the site will be redeveloped with affordable housing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.