Demolition day for the Whitecourt Community Lunchbox brings a dream to life for the society

An empty home that once stood beside the Whitecourt Community Lunchbox Society (CLB) office is now gone. A team of community partners teamed up to make the demolition happen, and Community Lunchbox Society Chair Tara Baker said they are grateful. “Today was possible because of the kindness and generosity of a few local companies stepping up and offering to help us. Roszko Construction, JT Enterprises and TriJet Services went above and beyond.”

Baker said they’d owned the land beside their main office for six years. “It takes a lot of work and planning to demolish buildings. We spent last year doing all the proper inspections and making sure there was no asbestos. We made sure it was safe. Removing old buildings is a lot more in-depth than we first realized.”

Baker said one phone call was all it took to get the ball rolling. “One of the coolest things is that our board member, Christina, reached out, and they (TriJet Services, JT Enterprises, and Roszko Construction) all started to work together because their understanding of this process is a lot more than ours. Once Christina made the call, it was done and organized within just a few days. We are really thankful.”

She said community partners make all the difference. “Millar Western, right before they became Canfor, donated money to this project, and Chevron recently donated to it too. It’s because of these community partners that this is happening. Last year, Dave Green removed a tree for us. That’s another great community supporter.”

As Baker spoke to the Whitecourt Press, the demolition was actively taking place before her. When asked what it felt like to be watching it happen, finally, Baker was almost without words. “Oh. It’s super awesome to watch this house go down,” she paused, thinking momentarily. “It’s such a blessing for us. We’ve had big hopes and dreams for the lot next door since we bought it. Doing things will be easier once the structure isn’t there.”

Having the empty house removed also came down to safety, which Baker said was a big concern. “That’s why it sat empty for quite a few years, but in the last year, safety became a concern which is why we knew we had to take it down this spring.” Baker said all the utilities were removed during the process, leaving them with a fresh piece of land, which she called “exciting.”

One of the original plans for the property was to build a community kitchen. “We did the research, and we applied for funding and were successful, but when it came down to it, we identified that it wasn’t necessarily the direction we wanted to go.” Baker said one of the strengths of the CLB team is their ability to pivot as necessary. “We are allowed to dream, and ultimately, we will make the most responsible decision.”

With the kitchen out of the plans, Baker said they are excited to move forward. “Our immediate plan is to sod the property and then take it back to our group of CLB members. Many have mentioned that they would like a green space to do some gardening and connect as a group. So, we will be looking at different green space options.”

Whatever they create on the property, Baker said it would be made intentionally accessible. “It will be a useable, accessible green space for the benefit of the society, our members, and the whole community.” She added that the CLB team is focused on expanding the meaningful part-time employment they offer. The accessible grounds will mean that someone approaching them to be included in the organization won’t be held back because of an accessibility barrier.

Baker said they would start creating the space this summer. “Our members want to spend a little more time together when the weather is nice and do something collectively, learn, and have something to show for it. We asked our team what they would want, and it’s to grow stronger.”

The demolition began at 9 am on Thursday last week, and by 10 am, the house was already halfway gone. By lunchtime, the Roszko excavator was rolling on top of where the house used to stand, crumpling the debris into smaller pieces, and depositing them into the JT Enterprises dump truck. “This is amazing,” said Baker as she watched.

Local businesses that want to partner with or sponsor the accessible green space project are encouraged to reach out. Baker said the CLB is always open and grateful to receive support. She said they are also saving for a newer truck to replace their van. “The van doesn’t allow more than two people inside at a time. It’s been awesome for us and served its purpose, but we need something that allows more volunteers to ride along.”

Baker said she hopes residents appreciate the effort to beautify the area and increase safety now that the empty house is no longer an issue. “We spoke to our neighbours in the area. It already looks so much better. I can see into the downtown now!”