THUNDER BAY — The demolition of Victoriaville is now nearly halfway finished.
Kelvin Jankowski, the city’s manager of capital facility construction, said progress is moving along, though slightly behind schedule.
“They’re looking at about five to six more weeks until the demolition is fully complete,” Jankowski said. “For the most part, it’s been going well.”
He explained that the subcontractor leading the project is highly experienced, using specialized equipment to safely bring the structure down. Instead of cranes, the crew is using ground-based machines to break apart the steel, cut it to size on-site, and haul it away for recycling.
Jankowski noted that the work has been moving quickly because Victoriaville’s street portion was mainly a roof and supporting structure. With utilities already disconnected, it didn’t take long to begin tearing it down. Once demolition wraps up, roadwork is expected to start in spring 2026.
For local businesses, the impact has been limited. Scotia Kauppi, owner of Sweet Cherry Spa, said the noise is noticeable at times but manageable.
“It actually hasn’t really affected my business at all,” she said. “It just gets a little loud sometimes, but it’s not constant.”
The city even provided noise-cancelling headphones for spa staff and clients.
“They let us still talk to each other or listen to music if it gets really loud, but so far it’s only been short bursts,” Kauppi said.
She added that the demolition crews have been polite, professional, and good about sharing updates with nearby businesses.
“At first, it was big and scary because we didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “But once businesses got access through their back and side doors, it became much easier.”
Kauppi said she’s excited about what comes next once the space is opened up.
“I’m very happy and excited to see the daylight outside, to have garden boxes, and to watch people walking by,” she said. “Maybe I won’t need as many vitamin D pills in the winter.”
