Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not?
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
The clock is ticking on a Briarwood home slated for demolition.
The home on Beechdale Crescent was given a stay of execution when a judge this week granted the foreign owner 10 days to come up with an argument to save it.
The city said the house has sat vacant for over three years and has fallen into disrepair with extensive water damage and mould.
When city orders to make repairs went unanswered , the decision to demolish was made.
Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Rodgers told 650 CKOM’s Brent Loucks on Thursday that demolition is their last option when owners refuse to fix up properties that have become a health and safety hazard.
“We don’t own the property. We have limited applications once we issue an order to remedy,” he said. “In order to satisfy the condition of the property, to remove the contravention, the demolition has been our methodology.”
Rodgers said the city has carried out 37 demolition orders in the past two-and-a-half years.
The Briarwood case is unique because they were unable to make contact with the owner.
“There were no appeals launched to challenge the remedies we were looking for. In most cases we have that contact.”
“We can’t do this willy nilly. We have certain steps we have to abide by, the legislation the province has put down so we’re pretty confident.”
Should the demolition end up going ahead, the cost will fall to the owner of the house, according to a release put out by the city.
