Ninety-six-year-old Inge Hallworth has lived in her apartment at 20 Elmwood St. for 46 years.
She says the three-storey building has been falling into disrepair for decades.
“I don’t go anywhere. I just stay right here. I’ve been right here for weeks and weeks on end,” said Hallworth.
Hallworth says she doesn’t go out often because it has become impossible to leave her apartment on her own since the buildings’ only elevator broke down.
“I need somebody to help me down the stairs,” Hallworth said.
Inge Hallworth’s son, Dave Hallworth, says his mother isn’t the only one in the building struggling to get around.
“There are people trapped in their apartments literally on the third floor,” said Dave Hallworth.
The city ordered the landlord, David De Hoop, to fix the elevator by March 31st, but the ‘out of order’ sign remains more than two weeks after the deadline.
According to the city, De Hoop was set to appeal that order on Monday, but the city has now rescheduled that review for next month.
Global News spoke to De Hoop on Monday.
He declined to speak on camera, but said he has crews working on $2M worth of repairs.
De Hoop was unavailable to reply to our questions again Tuesday and Wednesday by phone or email.
Residents are now left waiting to find out whether the landlord’s appeal will go forward.
The rescheduled meeting is set for May 15.
“We need to be able to get in and out of this building safely,” said Dave Hallworth.
While the elevator is a big concern, residents say it’s just one of a myriad of issues.
All of the balconies are currently being replaced, making it difficult to access the buildings’ entrance.
Seventy-nine-year-old Diana Conrad says she keeps an umbrella over her TV because of a water leak in her unit.
“The elevator is a priority, an absolute priority, but it’s not enough,” said Conrad. “We need someone to come in and tell these people what to do and how to do it.”
The Hallworths say they still hope the city will step in and force De Hoop to fix the problem sooner rather than later.
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