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City plans to tackle demolition by neglect Laura Mueller
laura.mueller@metroland.com
EMC news - Even before an engineers report revealed a former girls’ school on Cumberland Street was at imminent risk of collapse, Coun. Mathieu Fleury and the mayor’s office were working to prevent similar hazards. The vacant heritage building at the corner of Murray and Cumberland streets stands as a monument of something local heritage advocates have long railed against: demolition by neglect. Poster-covered hoarding around the building obscure the graffiti and paint-covered walls. Right in the downtown core, where property values and condo development have reached a fever pitch, the site remained suspended in time, slowing fading and becoming more derelict. It’s one of an estimated 100 properties in a similar state across the city. About 15 of them are considered “problematic,” several of which are located in Fleury’s Rideau-Vanier ward. It’s a sore spot for Lowertown residents, so Fleury reached out the Groupe Claude Lauzon, which counts the school at 287 Cumberland St. in its portfolio of properties. For months, Fleury and Mayor Jim Watson have been
discussing options for Lauzon’s vacant properties, including 287 Cumberland St. There was finally a glimmer of willingness to address the derelict state of the school, but then, on Feb. 1, an engineering report commissioned by Lauzon revealed the building was at imminent risk of collapse. That set off the latest chapter in the troubled relationship between Groupe Claude Lauzon and the city. The city ordered barricades be put up to keep pedestrians and traffic away from the building in case it fell down. A press release was issued and emphasized that Groupe Claude Lauzon would be charged for the cost associated with the barricades – a couple thousand dollars at an absolute minimum – and that the company would have to follow the proper process to get the necessary permit to demolish a designated heritage building. Days later, Lauzon issued a press release through the company’s lawyer. “According to (law firm) Vincent Dagenais Gibson, since 1981, Groupe Claude Lauzon Ltée has been dealing with the city to restore the school, but has faced unfair obstacles at each step,” the statement reads. The Lauzon family canceled an interview with the
EMC scheduled before the collapse and did not return subsequent phone calls. The press release outlines the back-and-forth: Lauzon requested a building permit in 1996 to restore the school, but the city denied the request. The company was locked in a legal battle with the city for six years City planning manager John Smit said the city issued a building permit for the 1996 application, but it was rescinded when Lauzon’s contractor did exterior work beyond what was allowed. The permit was re-issued after the court settlement but the company never picked it up. By the time a settlement was reached, the roof and floor framing had collapsed. Lauzon asked the city for permission to tear it down. It’s no excuse, Fleury said. It is not exactly a surprise that property owners such as the Lauzons would want to demolish a building after leaving it to crumble with no upkeep for decades, he said. “If they’re not interested to upkeep the properties, don’t buy heritage property,” Fleury said. These situations could be prevented if the city strengthened and enforced its bylaw outlining the level of upkeep necessary for vacant buildings, Fleury said.
PET OF THE WEEK
“That’s not the city we want to build,” he added. Finally, that’s in the works. City staff are drafting a proposal that would have tighter wording, allowing the city to enforce property standards above the very minimum. Staff is looking to places like Hamilton, Kingston and Toronto for direction particularly regarding upkeep of vacant heritage buildings, which make up half the approximately 100 vacant properties
wind of the proposed changes to property standards, he sent an excited email to Action Sandy Hill members. “The city has historically refused to enforce its own bylaws on vacant and derelict properties, resulting in a sanctioned double standard that has allowed vacant and run-down properties to fester between well-cared for properties,” Collmorgen wrote. “It appears that the City of Ottawa is finally recognizing that
If they’re not interested to upkeep the properties, don’t buy heritage property Mathieu Fleury
in Ottawa. A proposal will come forward in the coming weeks or months, Fleury said. “We don’t understand why elsewhere in the province, you can go into cities and you can see the site is vacant, but it doesn’t appear to be as vacant as it does here in Ottawa,” Fleury said. It’s a big issue for residents in Sandy Hill, so when community association Christopher Collmorgen caught
it has an obligation to enforce the property standards bylaw on vacant properties!” Enforcement has been a tricky thing in Ottawa. The wording of the bylaw has led to bylaw officers enforcing only the bare minimum, Fleury said. “To be honest, we haven’t done our job there,” he said. “We’re going to clamp down and modify property standards and expect staff to really clamp down.”
The city doesn’t want to see any properties in the core vacant, Fleury said, but if they are vacant, they must be kept to a good standard. “A lot of these properties don’t have roofs, don’t have windows. People access in and out and do drugs in there,” he said. “They are not just eyesores. They become an area for crime.” When it comes to encouraging redevelopment of vacant sites, Fleury said everyone involved needs to come to the table. “There won’t be one element that will solve all issues,” he said. “It’s a combination of multiple angles that will bring the owners to the table, bring the community to the table and actually talk about solutions.” All sites have restrictions, whether it’s a heritage designation or simply zoning rules. It shouldn’t matter whether the blame should rest with the city because its rules are too restrictive, or with the property owner because they are unwilling to work within the parameters of the site they bought, Fleury said. There needs to be a proposal on the table to open a dialog between the city and the developer. “Put a proposal together and let’s have a discussion,” Fleury said.
Pet Adoptions
LOLO D#A151616
Lolo is a spayed, female white Dutch rabbit. The shelter staff think I am about 9 months old. I have been at the shelter since Nov 28, 2012 when she was surrendered by her owner. She is excellent with children and can be adopted at our PAL partner: the PetSmart located in the Centrum Plaza in Kanata. February is adopt a shelter Rabbit Month. Rabbits are intelligent, social animals. When given plenty of attention, they make affectionate and rewarding family pets. They can be trained to use a litter box and are more enjoyable, responsive pets when living indoors as house rabbits. Given appropriate care, a rabbit can live up to ten years.
For more information about these or other animals available for adoption, please call the Adoption Centre at 613-725-3166 ext. 258 or visit www.ottawahumane.ca.
Mrs. Wiggles
Do you think your pet is cute enough to be “THE PET OF THE WEEK”? Submit a picture and short biography of your pet to find out! Simply email to: cfoster@thenewsemc.ca attention “Pet of the Week”
Time to make a grooming appointment
Before adopting a pet rabbit, consider the following:
• Rabbits need daily exercise and play. • Rabbits need nutritious food, fresh water and a clean habitat. • Everyone in your household should understand how to hold and play with a rabbit, and be eager to welcome a rabbit into the family! • Rabbits can be destructive. They like to chew on books and wooden furniture and electrical cords, and will need to be monitored and confined. Spay it forward: prevent a litter and save several lives. Help the Ottawa Humane Society find a new loving home for Lolo and more animals like her. Please note: The Ottawa Humane Society has many other companion animals available for adoption. Featured animals are adopted quickly! To learn more about adopting an animal from the Ottawa Humane Society please contact us: Website: www.ottawahumane.ca Email: Adoptions@ottawahumane.ca Telephone: (613) 725-3166 x258 Orléans EMC - Thursday, February 14, 2013
0214.R0011912736
12-5303 Canotek Rd.(613) 745-5808 WWW.TLC4DOGS.COM
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This is Mrs. Wiggles, the singing pug of centretown. She can be seen walking in her favourite spot, Dundonald Park, with her distinctive tongue that is always hanging out: a bit in the winter, a lot in the summer. It’s not that she’s sticking it out; it’s more that she can’t really pull it in. When you ask her in a high-pitched voice “Where’s my pug?” She will howl for you. Her favourite music is mambo and her favourite movie is Crocodile Dundee. .
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