Athabasca fire: Loss of town’s iconic hotel ‘shocking’ [Video]

The Grand Union Hotel in Athabasca was more than just a place for visitors to stay when visiting the central Alberta town.

Although in recent years it had become a derelict property, the 110-year-old landmark served as a community hub, said town archivist Margaret Anderson.

“It was a place where our history was kept in a sense because of the comings and goings for so many years,” Anderson told CTV News Edmonton.

“There was a huge community in terms of the coffee culture there in the cafe, and live bands and music and that sort of thing in the bar, even going for breakfast in the cafe.”

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

The hotel is no more. 

The structure caught fire just after dawn on July 23, with several emergency crews fighting the blaze and keeping it from spreading to adjacent buildings. By mid-morning, the …