There’s a growing frustration among homeowners living in the West Island. Many have been forced to look at neighbouring homes that have been boarded up for months after being badly damaged by fire.
That’s the case in Pointe-Claire and Dollard-des-Ormeax.
Two separate fires badly damaged each house; the latter one has sat abandoned and covered in plywood for months.
Overgrown grass and shrubs surround the split level at 84 Sunshine Street.
Global News has learned the home has been sold and the new owner is in the process of submitting permit requests to demolish and rebuild.
“It’s been already five months and I thought it would be maybe two or three months but it’s taken longer than that,” Cecile Inestroza, a neighbour, said.
The other home, at 76 Queen Avenue in Pointe-Claire, suffered fire damage after flames ripped through the structure on Oct. 12.
It’s unclear how long it will remain boarded up. For now, it’s surrounded by police tape.
The mayor said he’s keeping an eye on the structure to make sure it’s not a fire hazard for neighbouring homes.
“If we see that nothing is happening with the house in a reasonable delay, the city will intervene… A reasonable delay is usually about six months,” Morris Trudeau said.
Often, homes can remain boarded up for months at a time before any action is taken.
Following a fire, there is often police or fire department reports as well as investigations by insurance companies, all of which can cause lengthy reconstruction delays.
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