Shell Canada has now applied for a demolition permit for its property in downtown Hope.
The former gas station on the corner of Water Avenue and Wallace Street has been sitting vacant and gated off for months.
“As soon as that (permit) goes through, the building will be coming down,” said company spokesperson Verity Conrad, adding that Shell Canada is currently in the process of getting the utilities disconnected.
“There’s definitely tangible headway being made with it. There’s so many different processes and procedures that we need to go through to make sure that we’re doing all of the work that we need to do in the most thorough way possible.”
Shell Canada plans to fully decommission the site and complete the required environmental assessment and remediation work in accordance with Ministry of Environment regulations. The type of testing needed is generally determined by the makeup of the site and soil.
“Generally with sites of this age there can be legacy issues,” said Conrad, noting that a gas station has been operating on the property since the 1940s.
“I think it’s in everybody’s best interest to have this situation dealt with quickly. We want to make sure our impact to the community is as minimal as possible.”
The district is working closely with Shell Canada to ensure the decommissioning process moves forward. The initial plan for site demolition was set for 2013.
“We’re very happy if Shell expedites the process because this is a gateway property that we’d like to see form a key part of the attractive facade that Hope wishes to give to the public as it reflects our community,” said John Fortoloczky, chief administrative officer.