‘I am basically a prisoner in my own home’: Winnipeg woman says construction site next door dangerous

A new mom says she’s living a nightmare as construction on an infill home next door makes it next to impossible for her to get out of her home safely.

Lauren Henderson said she just wants to get to her car safely with her one month old baby, but she can’t.

“I can’t take my garbage out. I can’t get to my vehicle to take him [the baby] to appointments,” Henderson said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I can't take my garbage out. I can't get to my vehicle to take him [the baby] to appointments," Henderson said.

For three months, Henderson has been running a dangerous obstacle course to get in and out of her home.

The infill house under construction next door has made it next to impossible for her to safely get to her car, take out the trash, and safely transport her baby around her property.

The construction in the lot next to hers has left her with a tight, less than one foot access, to her backyard and parking spot. If she were to slip or not make it around the obstacle course, it would be roughly a five foot drop on the other side.

She’s recovering from a c-section and said because of the barrier she has to walk a full block with her son in his car seat to be able to get to her backyard.

“We don’t have legal access to our property. Not only do we not have access, there’s now a hole, a giant hole off the kitchen wall.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We don't have legal access to our property. Not only do we not have access, there's now a hole, a giant hole off the kitchen wall."

Henderson first posted to Facebook about the problem on Thursday with a video showing how dangerous it is for her to reach her own backyard.

She said she’s reached out to the city officials and several councillors, asking for help since May. But the city said if property boundaries are not being respected, it’s a civil matter she’ll need to resolve with the builder in court.

Until construction finishes next door, Lauren says she’ll continue to have no choice but to walk the extra block or through the obstacle course to get around safely.