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It is an idea so wasteful, so stupid, you have to hope it’s a daft publicity stunt.

Last week, the Alberta government issued a request for proposals, to demolish or “de-construct” the elegant Royal Alberta Museum building, and turn its site into “green space.”

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That’s right. One of Edmonton’s most beloved public buildings, with its clean lines, its Tyndall stone cladding, its sumptuous marble interior, might soon be nothing more than heap of very expensive rubble.

Alberta Infrastructure isn’t putting out any sort of tender looking for ideas for reusing the building. It hasn’t consulted the Glenora community league or the city. It hasn’t explored a potential land-swap with another order of government or public institution. The province says demolition is only one potential option. But right now, it seems to be the only option under active consideration.

The irony of taking an exquisite work of architecture, specially built to preserve our heritage, and just destroying it, it is so grotesque, it’s hard not to laugh. Or cry.