Unfinished Canmore condo project worries neighbours

Some neighbours of an unfinished condo project in Canmore say it's time to either finish it or knock it down.

The former Bighorn Mountain Resort started construction five years ago. After a series of stops and starts, and a rebranding, work on the project stalled about two years ago.

Now called the Innoka Resort development, some condos have only been framed in bare plywood with ripped plastic covering the openings, while balconies on other units are falling down.

Maureen Steinbach lives across the street.

"It's ugly, no question, we live facing it and so it's sort of eyes up every day — look at the mountains, don't look at that," she said.

Steven Kopke is on the condo board across the street.

"We see vagrants coming into the building, which is a concern because of a fire hazard," he said. "There appears also to be no security on the premises as well, again a fire hazard, and I've always said prevention is better than cure."

Alain Latulippe is the manager of Windtower Properties, a condo and hotel project across the street. He said they have lost some business because of the project’s current appearance.

Gary Buxton, manager of planning for the Town of Canmore, sent a letter to the condo developer earlier this month.

"We have been in touch with them to ask them to secure the site, secure the buildings and monitor the site so that we minimize those risks," he said.

The current group of investors say there have been financial problems, but they have a conditional buyer and are working to clean up the site and get building again.