92-year-old Calmar Hotel torn down

It’s been a fixture in a community southwest of Edmonton for nearly a century but on Thursday, the Calmar Hotel was torn down.

The demolition of the 92-year-old structure started just before 9:30 a.m. when an excavator began tearing down the walls.

“It’s a day filled with mixed emotions, as the hotel has been a big part of Calmar since it was built in 1924 by Mr. Garbe and his son Fred,” Calmar Town Manager Kathy Rodberg said.

Built in 1924, the hotel has changed hands over the years. It was renovated in 1951 and again in 1977. In 1981, a liquor store was added to the hotel before it was eventually shut down in 2004.

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In October 2013, the hotel was condemned by the Health Board and Calmar Fire Department. The hotel has sat vacant since asbestos abatement was completed in 2014.

Once the site is cleaned up, construction will begin on the Calmar Professional Centre. The building is expected to be complete within a year or so, and will be home to mainly medical services.