The Royal Hotel's last morning (photos)

At 8 a.m. today, about a dozen onlookers watched an excavator remove the old metal Royal Hotel sign from the roof of a disappearing landmark at 2 Queen Street East.

Bystanders stood quietly on the Queen Street sidewalk at Gore Street on what is expected to be the final day of demolition of the former Royal Hotel.

After starting work at 7:30, a four-man crew from Copper Cliff Metals and Wrecking Corp. had the big metal Royal Hotel sign off the roof within a half-hour.

Next, the O'Aces sign came down at the front around 9.

Workers then cut off the front fire escapes and started on the walls.

By 9:30, the crowd had thinned considerably to less than half a dozen observers and a few passers-by who stopped and shot photos with cell phones.

Those present included Ward 2 City Councillor Terry Sheehan.

One friendly fellow who stayed and snapped plenty of shots said he was taking pictures because the hotel was where he and his wife had their wedding reception more years ago than he cared to say.

He added that the reception took place in the old Red Lion Steak House, which went through several incarnations before assuming its final form as the O'Aces Bar and Cafe.

"The hotel lasted longer than my marriage did," the man laughed, as workers loaded the O'Aces sign on a lifter and rolled it to the back of the building.

Yesterday, the City of Sault Ste. Marie notified the public that one lane of the intersection of Queen and Gore Streets would be blocked from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. today to allow for demolition of the former Royal Hotel.

The City advised people to avoid the intersection if possible.

More photos will be added later today and keep watching SooToday.com for video of the demolition as well.