Residents along Kenaston claim city owned homes demolished prematurely over neglect

WINNIPEG — Winnipeg home owners along a portion of Kenaston Blvd. are fuming over the demolition of a city owned home they say should still be standing.

“Demolishing homes years before Kenaston needs to be expanded is plain dumb,” said Ken Klassen, who lives on Fulham Ave, across from the home crews demolished Monday. “It makes no sense and the city themselves said they wouldn’t do it, and they’re doing it.”

Klassen says he and neighbours were promised by the city years ago that homes acquired for the Kenaston expansion would be up-kept and rented out until the widening of Route 90.

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The city will need to buy private homes along Kenaston to make room for the expansion eventually. But neighbors who looked out their window to see 65 Fulham Ave. knocked down insist it would have made more financial sense to rent it out until the land was needed.

“The whole neighbourhood is against these houses being demolished like that,” said Ken Reeder, who also lives nearby. “We understand the expansion is necessary, but do what you said you were going to do. Take care of your houses.”

Area City Councillor John Orlikow told Global News Monday 65 Fulham is one of three area homes that are beyond a state of repair and while some residents want them to stay standing, it doesn’t make financial sense.

“There’s mould. There’s one house on the walking tour you could actually smell the mould,” said Orlikow. It actually hurt my nose, I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could.”

Global News asked the city if the residences have ever been rented out, but have not yet received a response.