Residents of a central Edmonton community say they are feeling safer now that a long-standing derelict property has been demolished and the lot cleared of debris, thanks to Edmonton’s Problem Property Initiative (PPI).
Jeremiah Valleau has lived next to the property, located in Parkdale, since 2015. “The house was always derelict and falling apart and it just got worse and worse,” he says.
“The roof caved in, and, for whatever reason, no one was willing to take care of the property. Living next to it, I noticed myself feeling a lot of anxiety. Fire was always a big fear. I was always worried about someone starting a fire. It was two metres away from my house and the main exit for my basement renters.”
Demolition of the derelict home, which included removing the structure, cleaning debris and returning the property to level grade, took crews approximately one week.
John Bale led the PPI’s demolition project team for the City of Edmonton. He says their work is all about engaging with communities and keeping neighborhoods safe.
“Our primary focus is on public safety and the well-being of communities,” says Bale, who is the City’s Operational Supervisor of Safety Codes Compliance. “Derelict properties are very unsafe structurally, but they also attract unwanted activity like illegal dumping and squatting which can lead to fire-related issues.”
The PPI coordinates the efforts of multiple City departments, the Edmonton Police Service, Alberta Health Services, and the Government of Alberta to address the issues associated with problem properties. Each organization brings different regulations and enforcement approaches to the PPI’s teams.
One key team, the Demolition Assessment and Response Committee (DARC), is leading the City’s approach to the demolition of larger unsafe structures. (Another team focuses on smaller demolitions.)
DARC combines the regulations and enforcement approaches of four different City areas: Community Standards & Neighbourhoods, Fire Rescue Services, Legal Services, and Safety Codes. The committee identifies and prioritizes properties for demolition and uses the most effective legislation available to expedite demolitions where required.
The recent demolition in Parkdale was DARC’s first large-scale project. The property had caused considerable concern for neighbours, repeated calls for service, and had been dealt with by various PPI partners for several years. Ultimately, it was identified by DARC as unsafe to the surrounding community.
In December 2023, DARC—led by Safety Codes officers—demolished the house and backfilled the basement with dirt.
After years of living next to the derelict home, residents like Jeremiah Valleau are happy that something could finally be done.
“For a long time it felt like the City wasn’t able to do anything about these properties,” he says. “It’s good to know that’s changed. And it’s good to know someone’s listening. The demolition company did a good job. Everyone in the neighbourhood was so happy to see the fences go up and the house come down. It was a glorious day. It was a joy to watch it come down.”
Removing this derelict structure has improved the safety of the surrounding community.
In all cases where the PPI facilitates the demolition of unsafe buildings, the costs incurred by the City are transferred to the property owner.
This work is part of Edmonton’s Problem Property Initiative. In December 2022, City Council approved permanent funding to implement the City’s long-term strategy to address properties that cause frequent and serious safety concerns and complaints to the City.
Learn more
Edmontonians can now access several resources to stay informed about how the City’s PPI and its partners are addressing problem properties.
To find out more about the Problem Property Initiative or to report a problem property, visit edmonton.ca/ProblemProperties or call 311.
Editor’s note: the pic at the top of the post shows the front of a problem property in Parkdale that was demolished in December 2023.