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http://www.thewesternstar.com/index....d=198221&sc=23

State of vacant building concerns residents print this article

CORNER BROOK
GARY KEAN
The Western Star

This photo shows the roof top of the old W.I. Hann Building on Caribou Road that is partially covered with plastic that’s coming loose and blowing off, and an area of the building’s sunken roof. — Star Photo by Geraldine Brophy
This photo shows the roof top of the old W.I. Hann Building on Caribou Road that is partially covered with plastic that’s coming loose and blowing off, and an area of the building’s sunken roof. — Star Photo by Geraldine Brophy

It looks like residents concerned about the state of the former W.I. Hann Building on Caribou Road may get their wish, eventually.

A couple of area residents contacted The Western Star recently about the vacant building, which was built in 1946 but has fallen into disrepair in recent years.

Gloria Hurley, who lives right next door to the building, was actually the subject of a story The Western Star ran back in April 2005 when a vicious windstorm tore parts of the building’s roof off and caused damages to her property. The damages cost the Hurleys about $30,000 in replaced windows, doors, roof and siding.

When the wind howls now, Hurley is still on edge. She said scraps of tarred paper and plastic, not to mention the strapping holding the plastic down, become airborne from the roof when it gets gusty and she said it can be more of a problem than just a mess in her yard.

“My grandchildren were here last winter and it’s not very nice for them to be out there in our yard playing when it gets windy, let alone ourselves being out there,” said Hurley.

Her neighbour Jean Peddle agrees. In fact, she called the police and the radio station on one particularly windy day, urging people to beware of walking through the neighbourhood.

“It (roofing material) comes off in great big chunks and, if it ever hit anybody, it could kill them,” said Peddle.

Peddle’s back deck up the hill on Poplar Road offers a good vantage point to see the condition of the building’s sunken roof. She said a strong wind blowing through the tattered roof can be quite a racket.

“It sounds like a jet plane taking off,” she said.

Hurley, meanwhile, said it’s hard for her to enjoy her back deck, especially on warm days, because of an odour of mould and mildew emanating from the building. Water dripping from the ceiling is evident from peeping through one of the ground level windows.

With the roof and leaks, Hurley is afraid the structural integrity of the building may already be compromised.

“It needs to be condemned,” said Hurley, who noted she has complained about the building to the City of Corner Brook several times but nothing has ever been done with it.

Mayor Charles Pender said the issue has never come to his attention, but sent a City official to check the building out last week after being contacted by The Western Star. On Thursday, the mayor said a preliminary external check of the building did not reveal any imminent hazard and that the City would be contacting the building’s owners so a more thorough inspection of the structure can be done.

The owners of the building, Keith and Joy Doyle of Little Rapids, told The Western Star Saturday of their plans for the building.

“The building is not being used right now and we do have plans to get a demolition permit from the City and to tear that building down, but we don’t have any committed timeframe for that,” said Joy Doyle. “It probably won’t be for another couple of years. It all depends on our plans for the property.”

It is another eyesore in the city that has to go.