Fort Smith (Aug 21/06) - The end of Fort Smith's Pinecrest Hotel - ordered demolished by the NWT fire marshal in April - now appears to be just a matter of money.

The Town of Fort Smith has agreed to oversee the project at the request of the fire marshal's office.

"Of course, the Town of Fort Smith doesn't have the money to do a project like that," said Mayor Peter Martselos last week. The mayor said the town is asking the territorial Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) to come up with funding.

Martselos estimated the demolition project will cost roughly $750,000, although he noted that depends on the amount of contaminants, such as asbestos, that may or may not be in the building.

"There has to be an environmental study to determine the cost," he added.

There has been no reply from MACA to the town's funding request.

Fire Marshal Bernie Van Tighem confirmed the town will take on the project.

"We've authorized them to do it and they've agreed to do it," he said.

Van Tighem noted there has been no real assessment of the cost. "It's just guesses right now."

The fire marshal said MACA will approach the Department of Finance to see if funding is available.

Van Tighem hasn't heard from the owners of the building since he issued his demolition order.

"We're moving on and just carrying through with the order that's outstanding," he said.

As for the amount of time it is taking to get the demolition project moving, Van Tighem said it's a significant undertaking. "It's certainly not going to happen overnight. He hoped the demolition might begin this fall.

Martselos hoped the Pinecrest doesn't become another St. Anne's Hospital, which was boarded up for about 15 years before it was demolished several years ago.

The fire marshal ordered the Pinecrest closed in early December and ordered the owners to make a number of upgrades.

When that did not take place by April, he ordered the owners to demolish the building within a month. The fire marshal also had the building boarded up.

The 50-year-old building was being run by three partners in Fort Smith, while they were in the process of buying the building from its owner, Gordon Schacher of Alberta. Schacher could not be reached for comment.

When the hotel was closed in December, about 30 long-time residents were forced to find other accommodations.

The fire marshal closed the building over concerns about the alarm and sprinkler systems, missing stairs and blocked exits, and improper storage of combustible materials.