Dilapidated Clarke’s Beach property to be inspected

By Olivia Bradbury / Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Clarke’s Beach will have the Bay de Grave Regional Fire Department inspect a dilapidated property in the community.
At last week’s public council meeting, council addressed a letter from a resident of Otterbury Road complaining about the poor condition of a neighbouring property. The building is said to be falling in on itself and has rodents living in it. The structure does not have electricity, and Mayor Danielle Bussey said Newfoundland Power will not reconnect it because it is in such bad shape. The resident asked council to take action.
Bussey said, in the past, the Town has removed homes that posed safety issues.
“It’s not as easy as just to go tear it down,” she said, “but it is something that we have done in the past, and if we have to go that route it’s something that we can look at. But I think the first step is going to be asking Bay de Grave to go in and have a look and inspect it and give us a list of actual issues.”
Councillor Keegan Healey asked whether the Town needed permission from the property owner in order for the Bay de Grave Regional Fire Department to inspect it.
Bussey said she did not believe permission is needed if the property possibly poses a fire risk or has other safety issues.
Bussey said the infestation of rodents will have be dealt with before the building is torn down or else they will disperse throughout the area.
Healey asked if council could provide the department with the addresses of other properties that may need such an inspection, and Bussey agreed to it.
Healey then made a motion to arrange a formal inspection by the Bay de Grave Regional Fire Department of the property on Otterbury Road as well as some others in town. Deputy Mayor Stephen Dawe seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.