Townhouse residents smoulder over mould, leaks
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 | 1:30 PM MT
CBC News
A hole in the ceiling of one of the Queen's Park Village townhouses. Alberta Health Services inspectors have found critical health violations at the housing complex, but AHS is satisfied that the owners are addressing the issues. (Mary-Catherine McIntosh/CBC) Some residents of a large northwest Calgary housing complex say their homes are dangerous and unsanitary.
Townhouses in Queen's Park Village, located at 40th Avenue and Fourth Street N.W., are rife with leaks, mould, cracks, and holes in ceilings and walls.
"We have water coming through the hole in our ceiling, as well as the stove hood vent, our bathroom hood vent, the fan in the ceiling," resident Kelsey Plante told CBC News on a tour of the complex this week.
"So there's water coming in from everywhere."
Resident Ian Turnbull says he's retiled and patched walls himself in his place.
"Huge crack in the bathroom, and they did absolutely nothing about it," said Turnbull.
"I'm at my wit's end."
The complex is owned by Toronto-based Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (CAPREIT).
CAPREIT chief operations officer Mark Kenny told CBC News his company is concerned about the problems and is working hard to fix them.
Lynne Navratil, supervisor of built environments for Alberta Health Services environmental health, said AHS is satisfied the company is addressing the issues.
Navratil also said the needed repair jobs are big and the landlord needs time to get them done.
AHS inspectors have determined the complex has "critical" health violations.
CAPREIT also owns Mayfair Place, the southwest Calgary highrise that was evacuated on Sept. 12 after an electrical surge sparked more than a dozen fires.
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