The iconic Smiths Falls Memorial Community Center, in Smiths Falls, Canada, faces its extinction this month. The arena could be completely demolished by mid-March, and work to remove usable materials and memorabilia from within has already begun.
Thus far the demolition has run smoothly, as have future plans for the grounds on which the arena currently sits. A public park appears to be long term goal. However, for this plan to come to fruition asbestos must first be removed.
Asbestos is a highly toxic, naturally occurring mineral fiber that can cause such fatal diseases as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the protective lining of the lungs. Although now banned from use in the United States, asbestos was commonly used in the manufacture of building materials throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
If not dealt with, the demolition could cause airborne asbestos fibers to be released. GIM claims to be taking every precaution possible to prevent airborne asbestos, which could present a serious threat to all those living in the Smiths Falls. Once inhaled these microscopic fibers lodge in the lungs causing damage over several decades. On average, mesothelioma takes 40 years to develop and spread from the lungs to other parts of the body. By the time it becomes symptomatic, mesothelioma prognosis is grim, with six-month survival rates being rare.
Glenview Iron & Metal (GIM), the company overseeing the demolition of the arena, is taking this matter very seriously and is putting forth a manual removal effod any injuries and asbestos related incidents.