The IGA is no-more.

In a few short hours, under a bright sun, two large machines pulled the building apart in record time.

Through the dust a poetic image emerged with the Hawley barn standing tall as the modern bricks and mortar of a younger neighbour were picked apart.

Watching a building demolished is really quite interesting and as with all things small-town, it's that much more enjoyable when combined with memories and great story telling.

Jerry Howarth, the original owner, was on-hand for the bitter sweet event and through the morning former employees shared anecdotes.

There were stories of shop boys dancing with seniors in the aisles and there was not one person who did not say that this was the finest grocery store Bancroft had ever known.

Mayor Jenkins and Deputy Mayor Wiggins were elated as the process went along without incident. And rightly so. They, along with their team, took care of the fine details.

The demolition is an important step for this council. They believe the property has been an albatross around their necks and now, with the land opened-up, the view might just change.

Think what you will about the purchase, there is now a huge piece of prime real estate for sale in the heart of Bancroft. With the demolition done, a vision and a sale should be easier.

Since the council wants the property sold- this should help them reach their goal.

And while reaching goals is always something to be proud of- the actions involved in getting there are also worth taking some time to be proud of.

Town staff on-hand for the event were taking care of every detail and in partnership with the fire fighters, they made the event the safe and enjoyable experience it was.

The small details of directing traffic through a line-up of amateur photographers is no easy task- but staff handled it beautifully.

There was food available, a portable toilet and seating in the shade for those who needed it. That's just good planning.

There were photo ops and many kind, encouraging, forward-thinking words shared for what might happen next with this dynamic piece of property.

And from my perspective, trying to get the perfect shot was made so much easier thanks to Chris Ray and his super-quick key-finding skills.

I appreciate the access I was given to shoot this piece of history and for those who were not able to spend the morning thinking about the past and getting excited about the future- the pictures are all on-line.