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WATCH: Old Nanaimo hospital being demolished

Demolition underway at the former Malaspina Gardens building on Machleary Street
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An old Nanaimo hospital has reached the end of its life.

Demolition was underway Thursday, Oct. 26 at the Malaspina Gardens seniors residence on Machleary Street, formerly a hospital built between 1925-1942.

The building was decommissioned as a hospital in 1962 when the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital opened.

Sharon Henderson, spokeswoman for property owner Chartwell Retirement Residences, said this past spring that the site was “not considered safe for an extended period of time on its own” and so it would be demolished. City heritage planner Chris Sholberg said that while the building was on the community heritage register, it didn’t have protected status.

Chartwell Malaspina Care Residence held a grand opening in August celebrating the construction of a new 136-bed, $27.4-million care facility on Eleventh Street.

-files from Tamara Cunningham/The News Bulletin