BENDIGO firm Hopley Demolitions will begin knocking down the Loddon Linen service building in early April, paving the way for the new Bendigo Hospital.
The local company was awarded the demolition contract yesterday, ensuring about 25 Bendigo residents will be employed on the project.
New Bendigo Hospital Project director David Walker said Hopley beat three Melbourne companies in the tender process.
He said the local factor was part of the decision process and that Hopley presented a strong costing proposal.
“It’s good we’re able to use local industry to help build our project and keep money in Bendigo,” Mr Walker said.
“(Hopley) have demonstrated they can offer specialist local knowledge, expertise and resources for the project.”
Hopley director Ken Hopley said the site would be the biggest-scale demolition job ever completed in Bendigo.
“We’ve never done something on this scale before, and certainly for Bendigo it will be the biggest site ever demolished,” he said.
“There’ll be about 20 of us working with a large range of machinery.
“We’re very excited to be part of the project.”
Loddon Linen is set to close at the end of March and the demolition will begin soon after.
The boiler room and tall chimney pose the biggest challenge, as well as asbestos removal, Mr Hopley said.
The project is expected to take six months.
Bricks and other rubble from the site will be recycled at the Hopley company’s recycling centre in East Bendigo.
Construction on the new Bendigo Hospital is due to begin in December.
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