Backyard hockey rink dismantled after neighbour complaint can be rebuilt
Neighbour's complaint means Jean-Christophe Bossé will have to rebuild elsewhere on his property
Jean-Christophe Bossé's backyard hockey rink in Sherbrooke, Que., will live again — as long as it's on another part of his property so as not to disturb his neighbour.
Bossé's backyard rink had become the bane of neighbour Normand Grenier's existence, with the loud sounds of pucks hitting the boards and the bright lights shining into his dining room.
Grenier said the rink caused him "visual harm," so he made a complaint.
Bossé was subsequently told to dismantle the rink or face a fine for breaking zoning rules.
According to the city, Bossé needed a permit to build a rink with boards, although its website doesn’t specify that detail.
After CBC/Radio-Canada reported the story, Bossé got a call from the city telling him he could rebuild the rink as long as it's far enough away from Grenier's property.
Despite the publicity, though, Sherbrooke Mayor Bernard Sévigny said he has no plans to introduce a municipal bylaw for rinks on residential property.
Sévigny said the city can’t predict what kinds of rinks people might want to build, especially not one like Bossé's.