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Calgary history buffs can own a piece of the demolished Cecil Hotel

Click to play video: 'Calgary crew salvage ‘treasures’ from Cecil Hotel'
Calgary crew salvage ‘treasures’ from Cecil Hotel
The infamous Cecil Hotel has been demolished, but thanks to an architectural salvage company, pieces of the building will be reincarnated as furniture and more. Mia Sosiak explains – Jan 5, 2016

CALGARY – Salvaged pieces of the infamous Cecil Hotel, which is now in the final stages of demolition – will get a new life.

In July, Kelly Kask’s company, Reclaimed Trading Company, started removing brick, old-growth fir beams, joists and shiplap, and tiles and porcelain fixtures from the hotel. The idea was to divert those materials from the landfill.

This past weekend, architectural salvage materials from the building went on sale to the public.

The company will use them to build new fireplace mantles, furniture or feature walls for homeowners, restaurants and other commercial owners.

“We throw [the materials] out to [our carpentry] staff and say, ‘Is it a mantle?  Is it going to be part of a table?’” Kask said.  “They explode with ideas.”
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“We’re pretty excited to work with it,” he added.

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The company also re-sells the materials raw.

READ MORE: Notorious Cecil Hotel slated for demolition but sign to be saved 

Kask’s favourite rescue is the hand-pressed tin numbers that were on the doors of rooms on the lower floors.

He was also surprised to find 100-year old tin ceiling tiles hidden above a drop ceiling.

The Cecil Hotel opened in 1914.  Demolition began at the end of 2015. The owner, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation, found it was too damaged by a fire and the flood to restore.

Kask is donating 10% of the proceeds from the sale of the materials to the Calgary Heritage Authority, to help save other historic buildings.

 

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