The Ottawa City Council approved the demolition of and asbestos abatement at the former Illinois Valley PADS homeless shelter during its meeting Tuesday night, clearing the way for construction of a new facility funded by a $2 million state grant.

The council voted to accept quotes for both demolition and abatement work at 1120 Canal St. in Ottawa, where the longtime PADS shelter once operated.

This project is expected to be one of the final steps in transitioning to a new shelter site supported by an Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant.

Ottawa’s approvals allow the North Central Illinois Council of Governments to help administer the grant on behalf of Illinois Valley PADS.

The new shelter, once completed, will replace the Canal Street facility and expand services for individuals experiencing homelessness.

A timeline on the new facility still is unknown, with IV PADS Executive Director Carol Alcorn noting that a formal announcement about the shelter’s opening will be made soon as construction advances.