The old Bell building in a parking lot on Argyle Street in Simcoe was demolished on Monday.
Demolition of the building became necessary after the roof collapsed almost a year ago. A failed roof drain led to an accumulation of water on the roof causing it to fail and making the building unsafe.
Jess Morris Trucking and Excavating of Simcoe began demolishing the building on Monday morning and work, including the clean up, was expected to be completed by Monday afternoon.
“It was built in the 1940s and had been repurposed over the years and was most recently called the Alligator tug storage building,” Michael Simoes, the county’s director of facilities, said.
Simoes said items related to the Alligator tug being stored in the building have been moved to another county-owned facility.
The building, which did not have a heritage designation, was at one time used by Bell Canada. It has been used as storage for decades, Simoes said.
The Alligator Tug was invented and then manufactured in Simcoe between the 1880s and 1930s. The tugs were used in Northern Ontario logging camps to help transport felled trees.
Before the Alligator, loggers floated felled trees down the river, pulling them with a raft that was winched to shore with the help of horses. It was described as a slow and labour-intensive process.
Upon hearing of the problem, John C. West of the West and Peachey Foundry in Simcoe, came up with an amphibious steam-powered boat – the Alligator Tug – small enough to pull a boom of logs.
Melissa Collver, the county’s director of heritage and culture, said Norfolk County owns an Alligator Tug, which is currently being restored so it can be returned to the water.
The county-owned tug is one of two county officials know to be in existence. The other is in Algonquin Park as a static display, Collver said.
The items related to the Alligator Tug that were formerly being stored in the now-demolished building include the original engine from the tug, which is no longer used. Other items include some gears and tools that can be used when the Alligator is operational including a rowboat, paddles and life jackets.
twitter.com/EXPVBall