Contaminants must be removed from Glace Bay building

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality is hoping there might be something extra under the Christmas tree from the federal government this year.

The municipality purchased the former Glace Bay post office for $1 from the federal government with the intention of building a new east division police station.

Now according to Dist. 10 Coun. Darren Bruckschwaiger there’s issues with contaminants in the structure and the ground that could be costly to remove.

“(The project is) still going to move ahead, we’re just hoping maybe to get a little more help,” he said. “We’re hoping the feds might be in the giving mood, have a little extra gift for Christmas.”

Mayor Cecil Clarke said there are some environmental con- cerns and a physical assessment is being conducted on the structure.

Clarke said the municipality must deal with the containments that include asbestos.

“Obviously the contaminants have to be removed before the building is taken down,” he said. “It changes what you have to do in the demolition of the building.”

Clarke said technically it might change the timeline somewhat however right now there are no concerns.

Earlier in the summer the CBRM confirmed the building was identified as the preferred location for the new Cape Breton Regional Police station, noting that the different entrance and exit points were among the location’s important features.

The estimated cost of the police building is $2 million to $2.5 million.

Bruckschwaiger said there are also plans for a town