A few more from the archives… These photos were shot, July 2002. This big old place is sadly, no long with us. Located at the n.w. corner of Church and Vera, the home was last used as a rooming house.
Despite some bad renovations, and exterior staircases, it was still a grand old home. Sadly a fire brought her down, I can’t remember if it was an accident from one of the tenants, or one that was deliberately set.
Either way, all that remains today is a vacant lot with a fence around it.
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I believe it was an accident with one of the renters. This one had real potential. I had seen the inside and many of the original woodwork was still intact, albeit painted over. The owners had put up dividing walls all over the place. They even took out all of the original stained glass in about 2000.
I guess we can also look at the numerous rooming houses between Park and Wyandotte on Bruce and Janette that have caught fire in the lasdt 3 years. My count so far is 4!
Perhaps Percy Hatfield and some other councillors can now realize that rooming houses are a true detriment to neighbourhoods and to the safety of the those who live in them (also agreed by the WFD); yet they still allow them to exist. Heck, we even have a new councillor that owns rooming houses.
How do we change a neighbourhood for the better if the city contiues to allow them to exist?
Sad. Is it ok to say at least it wasn’t ripped down for an empty lot?
Thanks Andrew.
There was 2 more crack houses kitty-corner to that one that burned down around that time too. They were just north of some oriental grocery store which I think is still closed.
i guess you all know about the boarding house that coucillor postma owns it burned down last year surpisingly they have worked on it but stopped all of a sudden …ran out of money maybe?
That’s usually the case. There’s another one in the 500 block of Janette on the east side that caught fire and the thing still has holes in the roof.