Not everyone in the demolition industry gets to tear down their old high school.
But CSS grad Chris Duffy, who is also project superintendent with Clearview Grinding, got to do just that early Monday morning.
He was in the large excavator outside the Chilliwack secondary gym, ready to take the first swipe at the gym section of the old building at about 8 a.m., as phase 2 of the new CSS project starts.
“When I found out we got the bid, it was, ‘Right on, I’m doing my school!'” said Duffy. “It’s not every kid who gets to knock down his old school.”
Duffy, 37, still lives in Chilliwack two decades after attending CSS.
“I’m very excited,” he told The Progress on Friday. “For me it’s a big thing. It means I get to work just a few minutes from my home. Usually we’re in Burnaby or Vancouver.”
Clearview general manager Brad Morrison said he also recently had the privilege of tearing down his own high school, and Duffy’s son was given the chance to deliver the first hit his school, the old Rosedale middle a few years ago.
This time coincidentally, it was Duffy’s turn, as the demolition contract came up for his old high school, Chilliwack senior.
The new school’s first phase of construction was complete earlier this summer. Phase 2 starts with the demolition of the existing school.
It’s environmentally conscientious the way Clearview conducts the demolition process.
Most of the materials are reduced in size, chopped into smaller pieces using a type of chipper, sorted and recycled.
In fact 90 per cent of the waste product is recycled from a Clearview demolition site, said Morrison, and they have end users who are interested in the recycled materials.
jfeinberg@theprogress.com
Twitter.com/chwkjourno
