EDMONTON -- One of Old Strathcona’s signature historic buildings was torn down by demolition crews Monday.
A single piece of heavy equipment could be seen busting and pulling apart the wood and brick structure of the Minchau Blacksmith Shop on 101 Street and 81 Avenue around 5 p.m.
“The A. Minchau Blacksmith Shop in the historic district of Ritchie holds a legacy of the city’s boomtown past. Adolf Minchau settled here with his wife Bertha in the late 1800s and built the blacksmith shop in 1925,” the City of Edmonton website read.
It’s not clear what the owner intends to do with the property, but city zoning in 2018 allowed for a residential unit up to 12 storeys.
“Without official historic designation in place, demolition is still imminent. However, citizens with an interest in the city’s history understand that this building is integral to the character of the area, and have been lobbying for its preservation,” edmonton.ca said of the site.
The city had been in talks with the owner to preserve at least part of the building in 2018, but Mayor Don Iveson said then that the governments options were limited unless the city bought the property.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Dan Grummett
