Minnedosa seniors unexpectedly evicted from apartments
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MINNEDOSA, Man. -- More than two dozen tenants -- most of them seniors -- are being evicted from a western Manitoba apartment block due to what provincial officials call unanticipated renovation work.
Until last week, the 27 residents of Townview Manor in Minnedosa thought they would be moved within the six-storey building during a planned renovation.
But Manitoba Housing says tests show the structure's main sewage line must be replaced and extensive work is required on the plumbing, which means water and electricity will be turned off and the tenants must leave.
When the eviction notices were handed out last week, the department provided a list of communities with vacancies and residents were asked to pick their top three choices.
There are currently no vacancies in Minnedosa, which is about 215 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.
The 56-unit complex was built in the 1970s, and Manitoba Housing says the renovation has been in the works for a while.
"Once we actually started doing some destructive testing in the property, we discovered that the systems were in worse shape than we initially thought," said Gord Thomas, the housing department's executive director of property services. "It's very difficult to work around (tenants) from a construction point of view, and it's also very difficult for them."
Thomas acknowledged the significant toll moving out of Minnedosa will have on residents.
"(We're) fully aware of regardless how painless we make it, it's going to be disruptive to their lives to have to move."
Riding Mountain Progressive Conservative MLA Leanne Rowat says Manitoba Housing should have had better communication with residents ahead of the eviction.
"It's no fault of their own that they're being displaced," Rowat said. "I just believe that this can and should be handled differently."
The family of tenant Mary Dyck is trying to get the woman into the local personal-care home, where her husband lives, but Prairie Mountain Health said no beds are available and there's a waiting list.
Kerrie Dyck, Mary's daughter-in-law, said a tight-knit community has formed in the manor and it will be sad to see it disbanded.
"Everyone I've talked to, that's all they want is just to go back to being relocated within the building."
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