Monumental building destroyed by fire in downtown Athabasca, Alta.
A historic building was destroyed by a fire in Athabasca, Alta., Tuesday.
The Grand Union Hotel, a landmark of the town of Athabasca, was cherished by community members for its rich history.
According to the town’s archivist, Margaret Anderson, the original Grand Union Hotel was built in 1903 and then rebuilt in 1913 after a devastating fire. She says the building is a repository of the town’s collective memories.
“It’s really hard to see it go up in flames,” said Anderson. “The building was 110 years old. It’s really hard to lose something like that collectively as a town. It’s been reduced to a pile of rubble.”
Fire crews responded to the structure fire at around 6 a.m. Despite the efforts of the fire crews, the intensity of the flames made it nearly impossible to contain. Fire rescue services from surrounding counties also joined to fight the fire. By the time it was brought under control, the majority of the Grand Union Hotel had been damaged.
Residents expressed shock and sadness, knowing that the century-old building beloved to their community is now gone. “It’s unfortunate that we lose one of the most iconic buildings,” said Athabasca Mayor Robert Balay. “Losing such an iconic landmark, it’s gonna take some time to get over that.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. No injuries were reported and the firefighters managed to keep the residents and nearby structures safe.
Rachel Ramey, chief administrative officer for the Town of Athabasca, gives credit to the first responders, who kept the community safe.
“The site was cleaned up and all of the debris that was out on the road has been pushed back onto the site. They’re working on fencing it off and the road has been reopened now,” she said.
The town issued a water restriction, to save water reservoirs from getting low, but it has since been lifted.
As the town deals with the loss of a historic pillar, the community aims to preserve the heritage and memories of the building, Balay said.
“The way I’m choosing to look at it is it’s an opportunity for us to maybe do something that a hundred years from now, what we replace it with will be considered iconic as well,” he said.
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