LETTER

Open Letter to Councillor Bégin: abandoned house

 

I want to draw your attention to an abandoned house on chemin d'Aylmer. I do not know the civic address (no number appears). But it is the first house east of ours, across from the rainwater retention pond. The house has been vacant for several years. Although the windows are boarded up, as anyone can see (from the street) a door is open giving access to the house to squatters and/or vermin.   

To avoid a repeat of the situation with the abandoned Saudi Arabian embassy residence across the street (which was torched by an arsonist in March 2016), Gatineau would be well advised to board up -- or tear down - this fire hazard before it too late. Residents of Gatineau who don't pay their municipal taxes have their houses auctioned off. If no one is paying property taxes on it, why is this house still standing? Could the city expropriate the land and property?

Robert Albota
Aylmer

Councillor replies

Mr Albota, thank you for bringing this to my attention.  You know how the preservation and enhancement of Aylmer Road is important to me…

I’ll see what can be done by the city in this respect, given it’s a private property.

Richard M. Bégin
Councillor, District of Deschênes
Aylmer