housing complex

The corporation has told a security firm to deny all access to the site. “What is most alarming is that much of the failure in the concrete crawl space walls has occurred after residents were evacuated,” said Penner. “The stability of the concrete structures will deteriorate dramatically, as the spring thaw commences.” Fencing was put in place around seven condominium buildings and warning signs were prepared. About 300 people were evacuated from the 168-unit complex March 11, after a structural engineering report detailed problems with the foundation.

Residents were given 10 minutes to gather belongings before they had to leave. A remediation team of engineering and construction experts was appointed by the condo board to examine the extent of the building’s structural problems and determine if the building could be fixed. The team’s report said parts of the buildings could shift and cause a gas line break, leading to a fire. It also found evidence of roofs starting to fail, as well as significant code violations regarding fire safety and geo-technical problems. It’s unclear if the company will tear the buildings down or if the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) will order them to be demolished. The remediation team included eight specialists, including Terry Hodgson (project manager), Koralta Construction (construction manager), Peter Senez (fire safety and code review), SCL Engineering Ltd. (mechanical engineering), Shelby Engineering Ltd. (geotechnical) and Wade Engineering Ltd. (building envelope and roofing), as well as a an electrician, hydrologist and structural engineer. A report by Gord Hunter of Shelby Engineering Ltd. found the fill materials used were substandard and all foundations, both interior and exterior, need extensive remediation. According to Penner, this was due to the building inspector waiving the certification required by a professional geo-technical engineer. After signing liability waivers, residents were given time on March 16 to retrieve their personal belongings. Regional officials made contact with 320 affected residents to determine if they require short-term assistance. Of the 168 affected units, 115 were occupied by tenants and 52 were occupied by owners. Some of the apartment owners are facing bankruptcy as they continue to make mortgage payments for homes they can’t live in.