Saturday, April 29, 2023

Hamiltom Spectator 90 Duke Street

 

 

 
 

Residents at a central Hamilton highrise have been without elevator service for days, leaving them stranded in their apartments or forced to take the stairs.

“We feel trapped,” said Nan Smith, 69, who lives on the eighth floor.

The elevators at 90 Duke St., a 22-floor building in the Durand neighbourhood managed by BentallGreenOak, are “out of service” after they were damaged by flooding, the property manager says.

“Our maintenance teams have been working diligently to restore the elevators to full operation,” Tamara Rampersad, who manages the building, said in an email.

Residents, meanwhile, have reported having to take the stairs to access their units. Some, including in an anonymous Facebook post Thursday and residents who spoke with The Spec, say the elevators have been out of commission since late Sunday or early MondaSmith ventured out only once on Wednesday to go for a walk with a friend, grab a bite to eat and pick up some groceries at the convenience store.

“I walked up the stairs,” she said. “It took me quite a while because I had to stop three times coming up the stairs and literally sit on the steps and wait a good five minutes to get my breath.”

Smith has a heart condition and a pacemaker, which makes climbing stairs — let alone several flights — a challenge. Once she reached her apartment, she said it took her 20 minutes to recover

Rampersad said staff are ensuring residents get “critical items,” like food and medication, performing “wellness checks” for seniors and relocating some “health-compromised” residents.

The city was informed of the elevator issue Thursday afternoon, spokesperson Michelle Shantz said in an email.

A bylaw officer confirmed parts for the elevators have been ordered and “work will commence tomorrow and through the weekend to restore service,” spokesperson Lauren Vastano said in an email Friday.

The city says bylaw will follow up on Monday.

Smith said management is “doing what they can to help.” She has received daily emails from management detailing available supports for residents and a timeline for repairs, and has had packages delivered to her door.

Still, a week without elevators doesn’t constitute a “safe place to live,” she said.

“My biggest worry is what if I needed to call an ambulance,” she said. “How would they get me out of the building? Are they going to carry me down the stairs? That’s a real concern for a lot of us.”

 

Update from Durand Village Tenant Association (DVTA) https://dvtassociation.blogspot.com/ ...We have been informed that as of today, one elevator is fully functional.  Thank you BentallGreenOak (BGO) for your immediate attention and support to the tenants. The DVTA recognized all the good efforts of BGO.

Friday, April 28, 2023

Changes to the Executive Committee Board Members

 

    


  

                DURAND VILLAGE TENANT ASSOCIATION       

                            Not-for-profit & Unincorporated    
                                dvtassociation@gmail.com
                                dvtassociation.blogspot.ca

 Please stay tuned for the announcement to the changes of  Executive Committee personnel representing the DVTA.

We will be positing the changes along with some pictures and short bios.



90 Duke Street

 

    


  

                DURAND VILLAGE TENANT ASSOCIATION       

                            Not-for-profit & Unincorporated    
                                dvtassociation@gmail.com
                                dvtassociation.blogspot.ca

 WOW!  Where to begin?

First, the DVTA acknowledges our property management personnel Bentall Green Oak (BGO) for their immediate action during this flooding caused by a boiler pipe burst.

Secondly,  the DVTA praises the tenants for their resilence during this disaster.

BGO took action to ensure that our building was shutdown to prevent electrical fires.  The elevators were disabled because of the water pouring down the shafts and through the hallways.

Tenants notified ClikFIX of the flooding in the wee hours of Sunday monring.  The Hamilton Fire Unit responded quickly.

In the meantime,  BGO personnel put in place a system ensuring tenants received groceries and pharmacutical delivery twice a day!

It appears that one of the two elevators will be up and working today or tomorrow.

With regard to the question of any form of compensation, it is too early in the recovery process to address.  BGO is aware that the question has been raised.  We need to continue to be respectfully patient and watch for notices that will come from BGO leadership in their Head Office.

Thank you to both DVTA Members for sharing their communication and conerns with the DVTA.  Thank you to BGO for the open communication and mutual partnership that supports our tenants.

Please watch for further updates as we receive them.

***It is important for all tenants to first use the ClikFIX on or phone call to initally report maintenance needs.  ClikFIX produces workorders for the BGO personnel.  This paper trail is key to helping the DVTA follow up on yoour behaf if necessary.  All communication with BGO needs to be in writing ie email.




 



Thursday, April 27, 2023

DATE LINE OF EVENTS

    


  

                DURAND VILLAGE TENANT ASSOCIATION       

                            Not-for-profit & Unincorporated    
                                dvtassociation@gmail.com
                                dvtassociation.blogspot.ca

 

  • April 24- May 29 Door to Door Membership Drive
  • June 14 Annual General Virtual Meeting (AGM)
    • Members will receive a Zoom Link for admission

 
To be announced (TBA) 
  • Neighbourhood Protection - Reclaiming our safety.  Plans to design a safety protection plan for our Durand Village Community.  We would like to partner with BGO.  Will keep you updated.
    • If you would like to participate, please let us know.
  •  


Sunday, April 2, 2023

NEIGHBOURHOOD PROTECT/WATCH

 

  


          DURAND VILLAGE TENANT ASSOCIATION       

                   Not-for-profit & Unincorporated    
                        dvtassociation@gmail.com
                         dvtassociation.blogspot.ca

                    

    Greetings to all Durand Village Tenants!

    Have you questioned, "What can be done to provide more

    protection my building and car?" "What am I able to do to help?"

    There is a new initiative call Neighbourhood Protect/Watch

    The DVTA Executive Committee is looking into the benefits of this initiative.

    Here is the link if you would like to know more about it!  

        http://www.neighbourhoodprotect.ca/neighbours/About.html

    Let us know your thoughts and feelings about being an active part

    of keeping our Durand Village Community  a safer place to live.

You are invited to respond to this post or send us an email.  

Please include your Unit # and Building address.

We look forward to your reply.

Warmly,

DVTA Executive Committe

 

 

    

Saturday, April 1, 2023

SUPPORTING: NDP RENT CONTROL INITIATIVE

https://www.ontariondp.ca/bring-back-rent-control

Please complete form on web site above...

Disclaimer...after signing the petition,

a page will appear asking for a voluntary donation.

The DVTA is not promoting any political party. We are

supporting a rent control initialive.

SIGN: Bring back rent control.

Rental prices across Ontario are shooting up. 

Home ownership has become a distant dream for many. 

Andrea Horwath's NDP has a plan to make renting more 

affordable– starting with bringing back real rent control.

We’ll ensure you pay what the last tenant paid, eliminating 

the financial incentive for landlords to squeeze out tenants

to raise the rent.

Add your name to support our plan.

First Name

Last Name

Email

Postal Code

Phone

  • Bringing back rent control is one part of our plan

    to make housing more affordable by:

  • Building 1.5 million homes

  • Ending exclusionary zoning

  • Creating a portable housing benefit

  • Providing seed funding and other supports

    to co-ops and NLTs

Add your name to make renting more affordable and

give renters more security.  

 

Please read this link also:  

https://storeys.com/ontario-ndp-platform-rent-control/

 

© 2023 Ontario's NDP - Authorized by the CFO of the Ontario NDP