Kensington to demolish 'unsightly' home

After years of complaints from neighbours, the Town of Kensington, P.E.I., is planning to demolish and remove an abandoned home that has fallen into disrepair and become a safety hazard.

Nobody has lived in the house, located at 105 Victoria St. West near The Frosty Treat, for about 12 years, said Kensington Mayor Rowan Caseley.

"It's been open and there's windows broken and doors open and full of garbage and the place is starting to basically fall into the ground."

Council voted to demolish the building under the dangerous and unsightly property bylaw. 

Caseley said over the years the town has given the owner of the property several opportunities to clean it up and repair it to acceptable community standards. The owner, who is currently working out west, was notified the property has been deemed by council as "dangerous and unsightly," and plans are underway to demolish it, Caseley said.

"We've been getting complaints since I've come on council 11 years ago," he said. "It just hasn't been getting any better, it's been just getting worse. So finally we reached the point where we had to deal with it."

According to a report by the engineering firm WSP, the building has deteriorated to the point where any attempts to rehabilitate it would be "impractical."

"Without intervention, the main structural components including the roof and floor system, will continue to deteriorate and become a further safety risk," the report says.

Caseley said the building will be demolished as soon as they can find a contractor to do the work.

CBC tried to reach the owner of the home, but hasn't received a response.

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