The co-owner of Obladee Wine Bar is voicing his frustration two years after scaffolding was put up around his downtown Halifax business.
Christian Rankin is calling on Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) to step in and fix the building’s crumbling exterior, saying the future of his business is at stake.
Not only is the scaffolding unsightly, he said, but it’s prevented the bar — located at the busy corner of Barrington and Sackville streets — from installing a patio during the all-important summer season.
“We lose customers every single day because of this,” he said.
“We’ve been without our patio for the last two seasons, and in a couple short months, looks like we’ll be without it again. We can’t survive that.”
The scaffolding was put up in July 2023 by order of the municipality after an incident.
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“On July 24, 2023, the Halifax Regional Municipality issued an order to the property owner of 1600 Barrington Street to install scaffolding and a covered walkway as a safety measure to protect pedestrians from potential falling debris, due to concerns regarding the condition of the building’s façade,” HRM spokesperson Brynn Budden told Global News.
“This action followed an incident in late June 2023 in which a piece of debris injured a passerby.”
Budden said staff from the municipality have had “regular communication” with the property owner about the building repairs. Most recently, the municipality’s Planning & Development team issued an order in February requesting an update on the structural engineer’s report, which was mandated by HRM.
“The scaffolding will remain in place until further notice to ensure the safety of residents. Currently, no additional information is available regarding the matter,” Budden said.
The building’s owner is currently undergoing insolvency proceedings, and Rankin said he believes there is an alternative option.
“My understanding from talking to HRM, through this process, is that they absolutely have the power to step in, do the work themselves, and put a lien against the building,” he said.
“This is very basic tool of compliance. So, they can do that. I’ve spoken to contractors who do this kind of work who say this is a four-week job for four people to do. This is going on for 21 months.”
Natasha Chestnut with the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia said any loss of business can have a devastating impact on restaurants.
“It’s been hit so hard since 2020. They’re really trying hard to recover and move forward. They operate with really small profit margins and they’re doing that with increased costs across the board as it is,” Chestnut said.
Obladee has received support online since Rankin spoke out on social media. Hundreds of comments and messages have come pouring in within hours of making an Instagram post.
If nothing changes, Rankin said he will continue to lose business and go another year without outdoor seating during peak tourism season.
“We just need action now from HRM,” he said.
Global News reached out to the property owner, Annapolis Management, but did not receive responses by 5 p.m. Monday.
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