Stuck with the bill

The mayor of Harbour Grace is concerned a dilapidated building in his town could end up costing taxpayers an arm and a leg to tear down.

Don Coombs fears the demolition fee may run as high as $68,000 and the town may get stuck with the bill.

The building, the former Kyle's Landing Hotel, located at the corner of Water and Victoria Streets is at least 50 years old.

Coombs considers it to be a significant safety hazard.

"Over the past two years some kids and people have been accessing it and tearing it up," he said. "It is a real death trap and council is concerned someone is going to get hurt, killed, or start a fire."

Coombs says up until about 15 years ago, the building was used as a hotel, formerly known as Pike's Hotel.

"It had a great reputation and was known all over the island. It was like the Newfoundland Hotel is today, many dignities attended functions there," he says. "In its day it was something else!"

The building was sold a number of times and for the past 10 to 15 years has been used as a tavern.

Around two and a half years ago government approached the town council and requested they close the business.

Coombs admits the building was run down, but says council had been monitoring the situation and was working with the owner to clean the place up.

"I told them (government representatives) that we're not in the business of closing down businesses," he says. "I mean we knew the place needed some work, but some effort was being made and I didn't feel council had the right to just go in and put the locks on the building."

However in 2008 representatives from four government departments took the matter into their own hands and closed the building.

"A few people strolled into the building, closed it down and walked right out again and that was it!" says Coombs. "I doubt if they even bothered to check to see if the door closed behind them as they left."

Eyesore

The building quickly became an eyesore.

According to Coombs the condition deteriorated to the point where the town, under the Municipalities Act, was forced to issue a clean up order to the owner.

"We didn't have any other choice, the building was being destroyed," says Coombs. "We were either going to have a fire on our hands or it was going to fall down on someone."

When the owner didn't make any effort to clean up the property, the town assumed the responsibility.

The government closed down the business, therefore I'm guessing the owner just didn't have the money to clean it up," says Coombs.

The town went looking for someone to hire to clean the site up.

"We advertised twice before we got a company willing to take it on," says Coombs.

Stop work order

Demolition began this past fall, however within a few weeks Occupational Health and Safety issued a stop work order against the town of Harbour Grace.

"I can't figure that one out at all," says Coombs. "The town of Harbour Grace wasn't doing the work, this other company was so they're the ones that should have gotten the stop work order, not the town. Anyway there were a lot of concerns about the workers not having the proper safety equipment in place or wearing the proper clothing and I can understand that, I have no problem with that. The safety of the workers is of utmost importance."

Structural engineer

Just as Coombs thought the situation couldn't get any worse, Occupational Health and Safety requested a structural engineer assess the building.

Apparently this request was much easier said than done.

"We contacted a structural engineer and he was willing to assess the building, but he wanted the asbestos removed first," says Coombs. "However government told us before we were allowed to remove the asbestos the structural engineer had to go in and do his work. It made no sense at all and was beyond confusing."

As of last week the situation was still in limbo and Coombs says he feels like he has been hitting his head off a brick wall.

"I'm not one bit happy with how this has all turned out. I'm totally frustrated," he said.

Government should pay

Coombs says the situation could cost the town about $68,000 to address and he wants government to pony up.

"I don't think the taxpayers in Harbour Grace should have to fork out one red cent for any of this," he says. "Look, four government departments came here and closed this business down and as far as I am concerned they walked away and left council holding the bag. They had to have known this would come back on council. In my opinion they started this and they should have to come up with the money to cover it. The money to pay for the building being torn down should come from those four government departments."

In the meantime Coombs says they are doing what they can to secure the building.

"It's an eyesore, but worse than that it's a death trap. We're worried about a fire being started or someone getting hurt or killed," he says.

Lesson

The mayor wants other town councils from across the province to take heed of the situation in his town.

"There's a lesson to be learned in all of this," he says. "Government can say a building needs to be closed down, walk in, close it down and then just walk away. After that the town can get stuck with a big headache and a huge bill."