Broken furniture, debris and deteriorating walls are seen inside 1402 -- 100th Street in North Battleford. (photo/ City of North Battleford)
DEMOLITION ORDER

Decision looming on fate of crumbling downtown building in North Battleford

Jun 23, 2025 | 2:31 PM

A demolish order for a century-old downtown building is headling to a vote at North Battleford city council Monday night, as the city cites safety concerns while the longtime property owner is calling for more time and support to redevelop the site.

The two-storey brick building at 1402 – 100th Street has sat largely vacant for years and was flagged by the fire department in September 2023 following multiple fires and signs of drug use inside. A follow-up report to council notes the structure remains unsecured and poses a public safety risk.

Despite receiving a remediation timeline from the owner earlier this year, administration says no significant progress has been made and recommends council proceed with demolition.

“This building has remained vacant for a number of years, during this period little to no maintenance has been done to remedy any conditions that are present,” said Lindsay Holm, the city’s director of protective services, in the report.

“During the fire department’s inspection there is evidence of drug use and three areas where a fire has occurred. This presents a significant public safety risk for the community and our firefighters, should they have to attend a fire due to the building being unsecured.”

Scorch marks are seen inside the vacant building at 1402 – 100th Street in North Battleford. (photo/ City of North Battlefor)
Drug paraphernalia is visible inside the vacant building. (photo/ City of North Battleford)

But property owner Harry Zamonsky, a retired insurance advisor, is urging the city to consider his family’s history in North Battleford and his long-term redevelopment plans for the site.

In a written proposal submitted to the city, Zamonsky outlined four options under consideration, including a full demolition and redevelopment into a 20-unit rental project with townhouses. His preferred plan would preserve key heritage features for reuse and showcase the building’s legacy under the name “Clinton Court II.”

“To accomplish this feat would require the cooperation of several bodies,” he wrote, adding that a formal needs assessment and some financial considerations — including tax deferrals and waived dump fees — would be necessary to move forward.

The building. (screenshot/ Google Maps)

Zamonsky estimates it would take six months to a year to carefully dismantle and salvage valuable architectural pieces, and he emphasized that the building has remained intact to allow this possibility.

City administration maintains that no permits or site work have been completed, and if the order is upheld, the cost of demolition would be billed to the property owner and added to the tax roll if unpaid.

Zamonsky is expected to appear as a delegation at Monday night’s meeting before council makes its decision. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Don Ross Centre Chamber.

Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

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