Destroying the neighborhood to save it

Vancouver's urban renewal continues apace.

The historic Woodwards building in Gastown is the latest casualty in the city's transformation into an uber modern model of urban design. The landmark building had long since served its usefulness; Woodwards' department store closed over a decade ago.

People from all over the city came to watch the old building come down in a controlled implosion triggered by explosives. While controlled implosion is often what the general public thinks of when someone mentions demolition, it is a last-resort method owing to the danger of flying debris and other problems.

That said, the event was impressive. Thanks to MetroBlogging Vancouver's Miss 604 for the link to the video shown above.

Tags: Woodwards building, Gastown, controlled implosion, urban renewal