This week marks a significant step forward in the replacement of the main building of the Kimberley Transfer Station, which was destroyed in a fire in July 2018.

“The new building components have arrived and are on site,” said Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Environmental Services Manager Kevin Paterson. “Our priority is getting the main building rebuilt as quickly as possible so that we can return to the full-use of the site.”

The Transfer Station was partially re-opened three days after the fire; however, the temporary bins are only able to accept small loads. Anyone with larger loads, including the city’s municipal trucks, have had to use the Cranbrook Transfer Station or Central Landfill.

“We appreciate that this has been a long road for regular users of the transfer station as we’ve worked through the process with the insurance company and are eager to see construction completed. This is a big step toward that goal,” Paterson said.

Once the main building construction is complete, work will continue on an adjacent portion of the building that houses facilities for on-site staff.

The RDEK hopes the full construction will be complete later this year. While it was initially hoped the steel structure could be saved, a detailed analysis by the structural engineers determined the building was unsalvageable and had to be replaced.

Lead image: A file shot of last year’s fire at the Kimberley Transfer Station. RDEK photo

RDEK

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