Flooding damage closes Telus World of Science for months, 68% of staff laid off

Much of the staff at the space and science centre in northwest Edmonton are now out of work while repairs are underway to clean up what is, essentially, a biohazard site.

Numerous properties have been flooded during what is shaping up to be a soggy summer and at the TELUS World of Science Edmonton (TWOSE), the damage is so extensive it will be closed for the next four months. As a result, much of the staff at the space and science centre in northwest Edmonton are now out of work while repairs are underway to clean up what is, essentially, a biohazard site. On Wednesday afternoon, two little ones and their moms could be seen trying to check out TWOSE, but instead had to settle for playing outside and will for the next while.

“As we got here, we saw the sign, and now my little guy’s disappointed,” said Natasha Barriffe. They learned the centre will now be closed until late into the fall, at the earliest. The facility initially announced a temporary closure on Saturday, after it was hit hard by a powerful storm on Friday evening.

Constance Scarlett, TWOSE’s president and CEO, said water backed up through sewers, sinks and even water fountains. “Very quickly, our main floor was completely covered in water. Anyone’s that visited the science centre will know we have a very big building, so to say that within 20-30 minutes the entire main floor was filled with water is pretty astounding,” said Scarlett.

When restoration teams went in to clean up the water and survey the impact, they found as they kept searching and opening up walls, more damage kept turning up. That ranged from the lobby, displays and exhibits to the ceilings, walls and elevator shafts. Get weekly health news Based on how the water entered the building and the design of the facility’s piping systems, the affected areas are being treated as having Category 3 water contamination.

Category 3 water damage, also known as black water, involves highly contaminated water containing hazardous agents like raw sewage, toxic chemicals, and disease-causing bacteria. Because it poses severe health risks, TWOSE said access is restricted to authorized remediation workers wearing the personal protective equipment (PPE) who know how to follow the proper safety protocols. TWOSE says the level of contamination will require flooring, cabinetry, drywall, and other building materials to be removed and replaced, so mold and other issues don’t appear.

“We should expect the science centre to be closed until November of this year. We are working with those teams to see if we can accelerate that process at all,” said Scarlett. While the current planning estimate extends into November, TWOSE said it is also looking into ways it could partially reopening earlier in the fall.

However, no reopening date has been confirmed. - ‘Proven treatment’: B.C. boy’s family pleads with province to fund international care - New Brunswick vows improvements to virtual care after criticism of new provider - Should Canadians avoid American produce amid cyclosporiasis spread? - Ontario city needs maximum temperature bylaws as extreme heat settles in: advocates The closure means that nearly 150 of the centre’s staff will be temporarily laid off.

“If we can’t be open to the public, then we ultimately have no revenue coming into our organization. As a result of that, we have made the very difficult decision to lay off 68 per cent of our workforce,” Scarlett said. The facility said its working with Civic Service Union 52 on a letter of understanding to establish a clear process for the temporary layoffs and future recall of employees as operations resume.

“This is the most difficult decision we have faced during an already devastating week,” Scarlett said. “The temporary layoffs are not a reflection of the extraordinary people affected. They are a direct result of the building closure and the interruption of most of our onsite programs and operations.”

For those who already booked something at the centre this summer, TWOSE says they will be contacted about cancellations, rebookings and refunds. These families say they’ll make do, but it will be difficult to replace the fun they have at TELUS World of Science. “It’s really disappointing, especially for my little guy because he loves science and there’s not much outlets to explore those things,” said Barriffe.