You won't believe what's happening to our old hospital
Bonjour from the North — three cities, one corridor, and the stories that don't make it south of Barrie.
You know, for fifteen years, that old General Hospital on Queen Street East, just past the Bushplane Museum, has been sitting there like a ghost. Just a big, empty concrete shell, a reminder of what used to be. Every time I drove by, heading down to the waterfront or over to the bridge, I'd shake my head. *Tabarnak*, it was an eyesore, a monument to… well, to nothing good. But finally, *finally*, the wrecking balls are swinging, and that old place is coming down. It's a long time coming, and for anyone who lives here, it’s about more than just a building.
### It's a New Chapter, Eh?
This isn't just a building getting knocked down; it’s a physical weight being lifted from the city. Think about it: that hospital closed, and the new one, the Sault Area Hospital, opened way out on the other side of town. For over a decade, this old building just sat there, attracting trouble, an empty shell in a prime spot. It’s right there, practically looking over the St. Marys River, close to where everything started for us. Seeing it go means we're finally turning the page. It means maybe, just maybe, that prime piece of land can be something else, something for the community, instead of just a memory of a time that’s passed.
* The demolition started this week. * It's expected to be finished by the fall. * The site is a significant piece of land in the downtown east end.
What this means for Sault Ste. Marie is a chance to breathe. We don't need reminders of derelict buildings or empty promises. We need progress, we need new ideas for our waterfront, for our downtown. Getting rid of that old hospital isn't just construction; it's a statement that the Sault is ready to build something new, literally and figuratively. It's about looking forward, not backwards, and making sure our city's landscape reflects our ambition, not our past challenges.
Marc-André Desjardins, MiTL Sports Desk, Sault Ste. Marie.
You know the crew on the morning show will be talking about this – catch them live at mornings.live.