A land exchange agreement has been interrupted, and city council will look at acquiring the former Arrowview Hotel through the Community Charter by declaring it a hazard and a nuisance.
The vacant building was first placed on council’s status report in October of 2016, with direction to proceed with a structural engineering review. In January of 2017, council directed that an agreement be prepared for demolition of the building.
On March 27, a land exchange agreement was arranged for the transfer of four surplus city-owned lots on Alexander Road in exchange for the two parcels that make up the former Arrowview Hotel property, following the demolition of the building. The agreement was contingent upon full environmental abatement and demolition of the building to the city’s satisfaction.
Director of development services Scott Smith confirmed on Tuesday, May 23 that although environmental abatement and demolition did begin, it ceased some time ago.
“The owner has given two verbal indications that it would restart,” he continued. “It has not.”
Smith suggested that the city could proceed under the Community Charter to declare the building a hazard and a nuisance. Through this process, the city would proceed to acquire the property to either fix it to a full building code standard or have it demolished.
Mayor Mike Ruttan said, “In this particular situation, this building is a concern for many people in the community. It feels to me like we’re being pushed aside by the owner of the building and our concerns as a city are not being taken fully into consideration when it comes to dealing with this property.”
When asked how long this process could take, Smith said it might be a couple of months. He explained, “There is a legislative process that we’re required to follow, including giving very formal notice to the property owner and anybody that may have an interest registered against the property.”
He added that the owner will be given an opportunity to make a representation to council.
“This will be a fully public process in front of council,” he said. “The owner will have an opportunity to rectify the situation or to make a comment to council. As long as we follow the legislation we’re on solid ground.”
Smith said that so far environmental abatement—which includes asbestos removal—has been done on the exterior of the building and the basement level. The three or four floors on the inside still remain to be done. This would have to be done prior to any demolition of the structure.
“[The building] has been in a state of deterioration for quite some time now, so I don’t think it’s at imminent risk of failure,” he said. “But it’s certainly something we should proceed with.”