The Calgary General Hospital Implosion:

When I think of a demolition project, I think of new beginnings. After all, my work shows me all kinds of people in all kinds of situations: people who are developing their homes to welcome a new family member or care for an aging member of family, or empty nesters looking to refresh their home into what they’d always hoped for. Sometimes it’s demolishing one decrepit building in favor of building a space that can house several families.

Beneath the surface, sometimes demolition becomes a labyrinth of hidden hazards that can turn a hopeful project into a health and safety nightmare. From the asbestos silently hiding in old buildings to the horrifying collapse of trusted structures, Canada’s demolition history can’t claim to be as clean as a freshly abated worksite. Today, I’m hyper-fixated on the infamous Canadian demolition project that housed unexpected dangers and proved that demolition isn’t something that should ever be rushed.

The Dramatic Implosion of the Calgary General Hospital

In the mid-90’s, the provincial government of Alberta was tasked with making a difficult decision; do they invest the thousands upon thousands of dollars necessary to repair an aging hospital that had been built nearly a century before? Or do they modernize healthcare for the city of Calgary, demolish the hospital, and rebuild in a new location? While the reason for the decision to demolish the hospital is still sometimes debated, the choice was ultimately made: the government needed to make cuts, and deemed that Calgary simply had too many beds for the population. The controversial choice made Calgary one of the few major cities at that time that didn’t have hospital access within the downtown area. Between 1,700 - 2,300 kg of dynamite later, the seven buildings that made up the Calgary General Hospital collapsed to the ground in a dramatic cloud of dust, smoke, and… asbestos?

While thousands of people gathered to see the implosion happen, little did they know that the spectacle they were watching likely exposed them all to clouds full of asbestos fibers. In October 1998, the people of Calgary knew that asbestos was a danger, but it seems that those who were in power failed to consider that the various buildings of the hospital had been built between 1895 and 1910, with later buildings being added between 1949 and 1953; a prime era of asbestos being used in construction. Insulation, flooring, drywall, duct wraps, and so much more all likely contained plenty of asbestos, and rather than abating these fireproof materials before filling the buildings with dynamite, the city of Calgary likely exposed and contaminated thousands of people and kilometers with asbestos.

The Aftermath

While the government, then run by then-Premier Ralph Klein, claimed that they had removed the asbestos containing materials from the site of the implosion, there was a massive amount of public skepticism surrounding the truth of the matter. From the reports at the time, there was no verified contractor who was able to attest to doing abatement. Transparency about the matter was extremely limited, and from what I can find, it seems that nobody could get real verification of who would have done the abatement and when. When combined with the massive dust clouds that spread across several kilometers of Calgary's residents, air quality concerns soared, with many people concerned not only with the possibility of asbestos, but also silica, lead, and other types of dangerous particulates. Ultimately, there was never a large-scale public health follow-up to confirm that nobody was harmed in the process.

Final Thoughts

The implosion of the Calgary General Hospital remains as one of the most controversial demolition projects in Calgary history. While some looked at the project as a symbol of progression in a developing city, others criticized the short-sighted move made by a politician who didn't think of the long-term consequences. From the lingering concerns of asbestos contamination to the questions about public safety and political transparency, the demolition serves as a long-lasting reminder that demolition is more than just taking down walls; it's about making sure that you're not leaving vulnerable populations at risk in favor of saving money.

With my own work experience, I feel like I would be doing a disservice if I didn't remind Calgarians and those in the Greater Calgary Area that if you're preparing for a demolition, make sure your project doesn't become a cautionary tale like the Calgary General Hospital. Call in the pros, like the guys at Wise Abatement, before you jump into your next project.