Clear of mould, homes seek residents

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Clear of mould, homes seek residents; Occupants left townhouses for

five months during required renovations

The Kingston Whig-Standard - Kingston,Ontario,Canada

http://www.thewhig.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?

contentid=518208 & catname=Local+News & classif=

Just over half of the townhouses at an Amherstview complex now have

people living in them, after the owner completed extensive

renovations that required tenants to leave their homes for five

months while mould problems were dealt with.

The homes on Manitou Crescent have slowly found occupants, but 27 of

the 58 townhouses in the complex are still without residents.

Until the homes are filled, Brock-King Properties plans to host open

houses every weekend.

" It's going to take a little bit of time and I think people are a

little bit afraid, " said property manager Kim Elliott.

She said people need assurances that problems with mould are no

longer an issue in the townhouses.

" That's what I'm trying to do, " Elliott said yesterday.

Last June, residents at the complex in central Amherstview were told

they would have to move out by Oct.

31 so Brock-King could repair problems with the buildings.

Mould was at the top of the list.

At a meeting in June, residents voiced concerns about the length of

time they would be out of their homes. There was also concern that

work wouldn't include new insulation and vapour barriers.

Yesterday, Elliott said it was always part of the plan.

" The vapour barrier and the insulation was certainly something that

was planned, " she said.

Crews came in and gutted the homes. Interior and exterior drywall

was replaced. Workers also replaced insulation, some of which had

become infested with mould.

Vapour barriers were installed to prevent moisture from seeping

between the walls of the houses and to stop the mould from

reappearing.

Hot-water tanks that once stood free in the corner of kitchens were

enclosed in a closet.

Each home also received a new paint job.

Engineers from Brock-King's corporate owner in Toronto, Westdale

Properties, conducted air-quality and construction inspections after

each stage of work. Elliott said tests didn't turn up any problems

with work or air quality.

Those who decided to return to the complex had the choice of moving

into their old home or starting over in a different spot, Elliott

said.

Some have not returned; they have either found a new home or been

moved to another property owned by Brock-King, she said.

Tommy Zinck and his family returned to the complex after spending

more than five months away. The 30-year-old said the home he now

occupies looks brand new: new cupboards, kitchen counters, paint and

insulation.

" These are really nice, " he said, giving a tour of his new

home. " None of this was here. "

Zinck said he understood that he needed to leave the townhouse in

order to have it ready for people to live in.

" It seemed like a long time to wait, " he said yesterday. " It wasn't

a lot of work, but it was sufficient.

" What they did put in, they put in well. "

McRae moved into a new townhouse down the roadway from his

old home at Unit 20.

He said moving out for five months wasn't easy, but moving back in

has helped, especially because his new townhouse has a basement and

more room than he and his wife needed.

" You move everything out, you move it back in and we're here. It's

nice to have a home, " he said.