TRURO - Only one of Truro's former schools will be demolished this year due to the high costs.
The town had hoped to be able to demolish the former Alice Street Elementary School and Truro Junior High School for the $200,000 it set aside in this year's budget.
"As it turns out the contaminated material that exists in these properties is not going to make it possible to remove both buildings," chief administrative officer Jim Langille told council on Monday.
Council approved a motion to remove the Alice Street school and restore the site. It is going to cost about $78,000 to remove the building and $119,000 for removing contaminated material before the demolition.
Langille added it would restore the site to enable it to be redeveloped.
Last fall, tenders for demolition and removal of asbestos and PCBs at Alice Street Elementary School came in more than $100,000 over what the town had budgeted for the project.
At the time, councillors raised concerns about the deteriorating shape of the school that had been vandalized.
The school opened in 1923 but closed following the 2007-08 school year. East-end students now attend Harmony Heights Elementary School in Salmon River.
Mayor Bill Mills said Truro junior high would have to wait another year.
jmalloy@trurodaily.com
