This demolition just goes to show
that my concern that I could arrive
home one day to find my house demolished,
(as well as dead pets), isn't far fetched.
Fortunately the building demolished wasn't
someone's home and the building was vacant.
Read the article below.
History erased, city hall blamed
Doug Williamson, Windsor Star
Published: Friday, April 11, 2008
The chairman of Windsor's heritage committee says the city's building department "dropped the ball" when it approved the demolition this week of a former fire engine factory on Walker Road.
The Seagrave Building was on a heritage inventory list that was supposed to give it a 60-day grace period before a permit is issued, so the building could be evaluated for its historical significance and possibly protected.
The demolition permit application for the brick structure at 933 Walker Rd. should have been forwarded to the heritage committee before being approved, said Greg Heil.
"It was a very significant industrial building that we had hoped to designate (give it official historical designation) someday," Heil said Thursday. Such designation would hav
"The building department dropped the ball," Heil said of the approval to demolish the structure.
"The building has gone through multiple uses since, but it was a fine example of brick architecture," Heil said. "It could have had a very nice adaptive reuse and restoration had the right opportunity presented itself. In recent years it has been quite dilapidated."
Recently the building housed a carpentry business and auto body shop, but was empty at the time of demolition. In the last year there was a fire on the second floor, Weeks said.
Heil said buildings on the heritage inventory list are routinely referred to the heritage committee when demolition permits are applied for. "There was no referral to the heritage committee ... so we know that the process broke down somewhere along the way."
Bill Jean, manager of permits for the city, was not available for comment Thursday. But Ashok Sood, the building's owner, said he was unaware that it was on the heritage inventory list.
He said the building had been vacant for more than year, and was for sale or rent with no takers.
"I wish I knew, because we would have pursued it that way. I would have worked with people," Sood said. "It was too costly to renovate and I couldn't find anybody to go in." He owned the building for three years and plans to leave the property vacant for the time being.
He said he decided to tear it down because of vandalism and other problems. "I bought the building because I loved it, but I couldn't find anybody to do anything; there was no grants available, there was nothing."
Sood said he was told a few months ago by someone that the building had historical significance and gave the person his business card, but he was never contacted again.
"It was an eyesore, there was a lot of vandalism and it was looking pretty ugly."
Tony Gallippi, who owns a restaurant next door, said the demolition process slowed Walker Road traffic Wednesday and disrupted his normal luncheon business because vehicles blocked his parking lot.
"In this city we're too quick to tear things down," Gallippi said Thursday.
Heil said there are about 700 buildings on the city's heritage inventory, plus about 100 buildings that are historically designated. He said about two years ago a similar situation occurred and assurances were given by the city that it wouldn't happen again.
"We're not in the business of trying to designate every single building on the inventory. I would classify this one though as one of the more prominent and important buildings on the inventory, and we very, very much regret seeing it lost," Heil said.
The heritage committee, which met Wednesday evening and discussed the demolition, will ask the city's planning department to review the matter with the building department "and report back to us in terms of how this mistake was made and give us some assurance that it won't happen again."
Coun. Ron Jones, who along with Coun. Dave Brister sits on the heritage committee, said he was very disturbed that the demolition was allowed to proceed.
"I'm certainly appalled at the fact that somehow, some way, this fell through the cracks," said Jones, a retired firefighter. "This was on the list to be designated. The history of that building was so rich."
He said the city should step up efforts to protect historically significant buildings. "We have a list of buildings that we hope to designate, and we're just going to have to fast track some of these things. It doesn't bring this building back, but we certainly have to be conscientious as to handing out permits."
Weeks bemoaned the building's loss.
"It adds to the long list of buildings torn down in this city," she said. "I think it really is part and parcel of the concern of how the city thinks of itself."
A group calling itself scaledown.ca was angered by the demolition. It held a candlelight vigil, attended by about a dozen people, to mourn the loss of the building on Thursday night.
"It's incomprehensible, in this day and age, that something like this could be allowed to happed," said James Coulter in a news release. "Protecting the history and heritage of our city is critical to its identity -- past, present and future."
BUILT FIRST FIRE TRUCK
According to history buff Elaine Weeks, the factory was built in the early 1900s and housed the Canadian subsidiary of the Seagrave Fire Apparatus Company of Ohio. It was the first company to produce a motorized fire engine in Canada, according to Weeks' publication, The Walkerville Times. It operated from 1907 to 1923.
© The Windsor Star 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Getting Drunk Not Good For the Common Good
So here we go again. There's the
car parked in my driveway again.
By the way I don't drive. So
there shouldn't be any vehicles
parked on my property unless they
are my guests. This vehicle is
from the kid living in the house
behind me. He and his friends use
to park in front of the house the
kid lives in and along the street.
But AECON employees have hogged
up every parking spot on the street
including in front where the kid
lives. I can see that the street
is empty of vehicles and Our
Lady of the Rosary Church (AECON)
parking lot is empty too.
There's parking in front of the house.
I'm annoyed because I spoke to
him about this before, only about
week and half ago. And here was his
car again, parked in my driveway,
when there is parking in front
of his house and the entire street.
I speak to the kid again. He says,
he's sorry, again. My response was,
"No you're not." He admits that he
is trespassing, but then goes on to
say that he was told he could park
on the property. I asked him who told
him that. He says, "The construction guys."
Translation - AECON guys.
The kid knows he's trespassing, but
parks his vehicle on my property
anyway. Neither the kid or
his friends would have parked on
my property before the big corporations
moved in. And would have asked
before parking on my property.
When I think of this kid and some of my
other neighbours (and a particular
Habitat for Humanity employee)
a saying comes to mind, " A drunken man's
words is a sober man's thoughts."
The kid knowingly trespassing on my property
is his 'drunken man's words' his lack
of respect is his 'sober man's thoughts"
The 'sober man's thoughts" were there
before the corporation, but since the
corporations have moved in, some people
feel secure in drinking until they're
drunk.
car parked in my driveway again.
By the way I don't drive. So
there shouldn't be any vehicles
parked on my property unless they
are my guests. This vehicle is
from the kid living in the house
behind me. He and his friends use
to park in front of the house the
kid lives in and along the street.
But AECON employees have hogged
up every parking spot on the street
including in front where the kid
lives. I can see that the street
is empty of vehicles and Our
Lady of the Rosary Church (AECON)
parking lot is empty too.
There's parking in front of the house.
I'm annoyed because I spoke to
him about this before, only about
week and half ago. And here was his
car again, parked in my driveway,
when there is parking in front
of his house and the entire street.
I speak to the kid again. He says,
he's sorry, again. My response was,
"No you're not." He admits that he
is trespassing, but then goes on to
say that he was told he could park
on the property. I asked him who told
him that. He says, "The construction guys."
Translation - AECON guys.
The kid knows he's trespassing, but
parks his vehicle on my property
anyway. Neither the kid or
his friends would have parked on
my property before the big corporations
moved in. And would have asked
before parking on my property.
When I think of this kid and some of my
other neighbours (and a particular
Habitat for Humanity employee)
a saying comes to mind, " A drunken man's
words is a sober man's thoughts."
The kid knowingly trespassing on my property
is his 'drunken man's words' his lack
of respect is his 'sober man's thoughts"
The 'sober man's thoughts" were there
before the corporation, but since the
corporations have moved in, some people
feel secure in drinking until they're
drunk.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Last Homeowner
Well it looks like I am the only
homeowner whose property EWCP
has not bought. I hope
EWCP is not of the mind
that when it bought the semi-
next door, 2929 Riverside Drive
East, that it was a 2 for 1 sale.
You know, buy 1 get the other one
free or rather buy half a building
and get the other half free.
EWCC/EWCP knew the building had
two owners and should have
negotiated the sale of the building
with both owners together, myself
and Debbie Revels who were at the
time joint owners of the building
(I'm sure you can see the obvious
problems with the confidentiality
clause). Particularly since EWCC/
EWCP wants to demolish the building.
Since I'm still here, the Revels
should still be next door.
Instead a deal was made with
only one of the building owners, Debbie
Revels. Her husband was not named on
the title. She owned the house before
she met him. Though,you wouldn't
know it if you spoke to him. The
key here is how EWCC/EWCP
interprets the deal.
I was thinking, I have two house cats.
One is almost nine years old, the
other will be eighteen years old
this year. They wouldn't dare hurt
my pets would they?
Cameras or no cameras, I am afraid,
literally,that one day I am going
to come home to find my house demolished
and my pets dead. You can best believe
that if that were to happen to me
that it will happen to others who
a corporation has an irrational
prejudice against. It's just a
matter of means, and opportunity.
One More Thing. Two weeks ago, I
spoke to the owner who owned the
house behind me. It's rental property.
At that time, he told me that he had
not heard from EWCP, although his nephew
had told me just the week prior they were
talking. Today, the nephew told me that
his uncle sold the house. He said that he
thinks that his uncle got $200.000. It's
possible. I know when I spoke to
him a couple weeks ago he said he
made an offer of $230.000.
homeowner whose property EWCP
has not bought. I hope
EWCP is not of the mind
that when it bought the semi-
next door, 2929 Riverside Drive
East, that it was a 2 for 1 sale.
You know, buy 1 get the other one
free or rather buy half a building
and get the other half free.
EWCC/EWCP knew the building had
two owners and should have
negotiated the sale of the building
with both owners together, myself
and Debbie Revels who were at the
time joint owners of the building
(I'm sure you can see the obvious
problems with the confidentiality
clause). Particularly since EWCC/
EWCP wants to demolish the building.
Since I'm still here, the Revels
should still be next door.
Instead a deal was made with
only one of the building owners, Debbie
Revels. Her husband was not named on
the title. She owned the house before
she met him. Though,you wouldn't
know it if you spoke to him. The
key here is how EWCC/EWCP
interprets the deal.
I was thinking, I have two house cats.
One is almost nine years old, the
other will be eighteen years old
this year. They wouldn't dare hurt
my pets would they?
Cameras or no cameras, I am afraid,
literally,that one day I am going
to come home to find my house demolished
and my pets dead. You can best believe
that if that were to happen to me
that it will happen to others who
a corporation has an irrational
prejudice against. It's just a
matter of means, and opportunity.
One More Thing. Two weeks ago, I
spoke to the owner who owned the
house behind me. It's rental property.
At that time, he told me that he had
not heard from EWCP, although his nephew
had told me just the week prior they were
talking. Today, the nephew told me that
his uncle sold the house. He said that he
thinks that his uncle got $200.000. It's
possible. I know when I spoke to
him a couple weeks ago he said he
made an offer of $230.000.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Home Security Cameras
Last week I had home surveillance
cameras installed on my house.
What I like the most about the
system I purchase is that it
provided software that allows me
to view my property over
a computer from anywhere in the
world. It also records 24/7.
I was thinking to myself, "If I
posted my IP address I could
have more than just myself keeping
an eye on my property." It's
something I am considering doing.
We'll see.
cameras installed on my house.
What I like the most about the
system I purchase is that it
provided software that allows me
to view my property over
a computer from anywhere in the
world. It also records 24/7.
I was thinking to myself, "If I
posted my IP address I could
have more than just myself keeping
an eye on my property." It's
something I am considering doing.
We'll see.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Still No News
All's quiet. I haven't heard
from anyone.
As it turns out I am not the
only homeowner that has not
settled as yet. There is one
other homeowner that has not,
possibly two.
I wonder what the game plan is
going to be once I'm the only
homeowner left, surrounded
by sharks - I mean my new corporate
neighbours.
On my way to work on Tuesday, I
noticed three police vehicles parked
on Cadillac Street. I noted that
the first vehicle was parked in
front of Brian Rizok's old house.
Brian Rizok is the gentlemen that
the Windsor Star interviewed back
in April 2007, "Power plant project
irks resident", complaining that
he was being treated unfairly
by EWCC. Obviously everything
worked out for him because the
house is empty and he's gone.
I asked an Aecon worker if the police
were doing training. She answered,
"Yes." This time there was no
sign on the sidewalk advertising
the police were training. If I had
remained at home, I wouldn't have known
the police was even around. That's
how quiet they were, at least while
I was home. I never saw an officer,
just the three vehicles.
When I see the police being provided
with the empty houses to do their training,
I think to myself it's a good thing that
EWCC/EWCP didn't manage to get a
demolition permit from the city. I'd be
screwed. I wouldn't have a chance with
the police. Maybe I'm wrong and I hope
I'm wrong, but that's what I think.
Corporations are not generous by nature.
If they are being generous it's because
they expect something in return.
I've noticed that people that are enamored
with a corporation tend to take on the
corporation's Jekyll/Hyde personality.
And I still don't think I'll be
getting anything in writing from the
permit manager.
from anyone.
As it turns out I am not the
only homeowner that has not
settled as yet. There is one
other homeowner that has not,
possibly two.
I wonder what the game plan is
going to be once I'm the only
homeowner left, surrounded
by sharks - I mean my new corporate
neighbours.
On my way to work on Tuesday, I
noticed three police vehicles parked
on Cadillac Street. I noted that
the first vehicle was parked in
front of Brian Rizok's old house.
Brian Rizok is the gentlemen that
the Windsor Star interviewed back
in April 2007, "Power plant project
irks resident", complaining that
he was being treated unfairly
by EWCC. Obviously everything
worked out for him because the
house is empty and he's gone.
I asked an Aecon worker if the police
were doing training. She answered,
"Yes." This time there was no
sign on the sidewalk advertising
the police were training. If I had
remained at home, I wouldn't have known
the police was even around. That's
how quiet they were, at least while
I was home. I never saw an officer,
just the three vehicles.
When I see the police being provided
with the empty houses to do their training,
I think to myself it's a good thing that
EWCC/EWCP didn't manage to get a
demolition permit from the city. I'd be
screwed. I wouldn't have a chance with
the police. Maybe I'm wrong and I hope
I'm wrong, but that's what I think.
Corporations are not generous by nature.
If they are being generous it's because
they expect something in return.
I've noticed that people that are enamored
with a corporation tend to take on the
corporation's Jekyll/Hyde personality.
And I still don't think I'll be
getting anything in writing from the
permit manager.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Enwin Utilities - Power On
My power is on. It was turned
on by Enwin within an hour of being
turned off at 9:30 a.m. yesterday.
SO everything is hunky dory on that
front.
Not long ago I heard a loud BOOM! and
my house shook like something hit it.
Scared the pjesus out of me. I looked
out my windows and only saw a Fedex
delivery truck parked out front of
Aecon (Our Lady Rosary Church - Cadillac
Street view). The delivery person was
unloading boxes on to a trolly. Nothing
unsual there. I open my front door and step
outside. I look next door, no damage,
it's still attached. Then it occurred to
me that maybe it's the Police Service doing
training again at one of the empty houses
on Cadillac Street. So I poked head
around the side of my house. I didn't
see a sign on the sidewalk advertising
the Police Services presence. So I
don't know what the cause was.
The last time this happened I had
visions of a giant wrecking ball
hitting my house. It was Tuesday
February 5, 2008. Scared the crap
out of me. It took a couple of minutes
for me to peel myself off my ceiling
to venture outside to see what kind
of damage I would find. I found none.
What I did see was a sign sitting
on the sidewalk in front of what looked
like the second or third house on
Cadillac Street, advertising the Police
Training Services. I presumed the
source came from there.
I thought maybe they were doing training
in handling bombs, which I thought at the
time, if they were, ironic or maybe a better
word a coincidence, maybe both, given my
post of the day before (February 4th, 2008).
Anyways all seems to be well - for now.
on by Enwin within an hour of being
turned off at 9:30 a.m. yesterday.
SO everything is hunky dory on that
front.
Not long ago I heard a loud BOOM! and
my house shook like something hit it.
Scared the pjesus out of me. I looked
out my windows and only saw a Fedex
delivery truck parked out front of
Aecon (Our Lady Rosary Church - Cadillac
Street view). The delivery person was
unloading boxes on to a trolly. Nothing
unsual there. I open my front door and step
outside. I look next door, no damage,
it's still attached. Then it occurred to
me that maybe it's the Police Service doing
training again at one of the empty houses
on Cadillac Street. So I poked head
around the side of my house. I didn't
see a sign on the sidewalk advertising
the Police Services presence. So I
don't know what the cause was.
The last time this happened I had
visions of a giant wrecking ball
hitting my house. It was Tuesday
February 5, 2008. Scared the crap
out of me. It took a couple of minutes
for me to peel myself off my ceiling
to venture outside to see what kind
of damage I would find. I found none.
What I did see was a sign sitting
on the sidewalk in front of what looked
like the second or third house on
Cadillac Street, advertising the Police
Training Services. I presumed the
source came from there.
I thought maybe they were doing training
in handling bombs, which I thought at the
time, if they were, ironic or maybe a better
word a coincidence, maybe both, given my
post of the day before (February 4th, 2008).
Anyways all seems to be well - for now.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Enwin Utilites
I got a automated telephone message
from Enwin Utilites yesterday. A male
voice said that the power will be off
from 9:00 a.m to 10:00 a.m for the 200
block of Cadillac Street and 2900
block of Riverside Drive East. Ordinarily
I wouldn't give Enwin turning off my
power a second thought, but that was
before EWCC/EWCP.
I haven't received a written response
from the city's permit manager. It
doesn't look like I'm going to.
If you haven't already, check out my
earlier posts.
Edit In
I just got a knock on my door
from an Enwin worker. He told
me that the power will be going
out at 9:30 a.m. for an hour.
I appreciated that. It means
everything is ok. Nothing to
worry about. I'm off now to
have my second morning cup
of tea.
Have a good day everyone.
from Enwin Utilites yesterday. A male
voice said that the power will be off
from 9:00 a.m to 10:00 a.m for the 200
block of Cadillac Street and 2900
block of Riverside Drive East. Ordinarily
I wouldn't give Enwin turning off my
power a second thought, but that was
before EWCC/EWCP.
I haven't received a written response
from the city's permit manager. It
doesn't look like I'm going to.
If you haven't already, check out my
earlier posts.
Edit In
I just got a knock on my door
from an Enwin worker. He told
me that the power will be going
out at 9:30 a.m. for an hour.
I appreciated that. It means
everything is ok. Nothing to
worry about. I'm off now to
have my second morning cup
of tea.
Have a good day everyone.
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