HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-03-16, Page 18PAGE 18.THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017.
Huron East to take over property, demolition
incurred and the property would
likely revert to the municipality
anyway," Knight said in his report to
council. "It seems logical to avoid
the costs and time involved in a
property standards process and
simply deed it to the municipality to
clean up and maintain the property
as parkland."
Councillor Larry McGrath said he
was concerned that the municipality
taking control of this property and
paying demolition costs would set a
dangerous precedent, however,
council approved Knight's
recommendation.
Knight said the property could
likely be cleaned up within one day
and the municipality would incur
some in-house costs associated with
staffing and equipment. If any third
party costs are incurred, he
suggested they be covered by the
municipality's parkland reserve,
meaning it wouldn't impact the 2017
budget.
Obituaries
A liability
Huron East Council voted to take over a property that includes the above cottage near
Cranbrook due to liability and property standards concerns. The property also includes a
number of unopened road allowances. (Submitted photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Huron East Council has voted to
acquire a small piece of land on the
southern edge of Cranbrook with the
hopes of turning it into a park -like
property.
Chief Administrative Officer Brad
Knight said that the situation dates
back to the early 1980s when
Howard Mitchell, who owned a
small cottage on the property,
approached Grey Township Council
about closing a road allowance on
the property.
Knight, in his report, told council
that the council of the day was
prepared to grant Mitchell closure of
the road allowance, provided Arnold
Campbell, who owned the
surrounding property, agreed.
Campbell did not agree and, in
1983, Mitchell filed a "Declaration
of Possession" on the property,
which, Knight said, further clouded
the issue.
Mitchell eventually passed away
and the property was abandoned and
eventually bought by Campbell at a
tax sale in 2005. The property is now
with Campbell's estate.
Due to the nature of the cottage,
Knight approached Jim Campbell,
Arnold's son, and told him that the
municipality would likely be
initiating property standards
proceedings against the Campbell
estate.
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Knight said that the Campbell
estate, however, is not interested in
the property and if the process
began, they would be inclined to let
it go to tax sale.
Due to the time and cost concerns
with the tax sale process, Knight
suggested that the property be
deeded back to the municipality, at
which time the municipality could
then clean the property up, plant
trees and leave it in a park -like state.
Knight told councillors that the main
concern was potential liability to
both the municipality and the
Campbell estate.
"In summary, there is potential for
significant liability as this cottage is
located on municipal property
and is within an urban area.
If the municipality initiated a
property standards process
and incurred the legal and
demolition costs to clean it up, it
would eventually go to tax sale
where more legal costs would be
JOHN "JACK" CLARK
John "Jack" Clark passed away on
Dec. 28, 2016. Born on Oct. 31,
1923, he was 93.
Jack was predeceased by his
parents Arthur and Nettie
(Woodman) Clark, his first wife
Eileen Dark, son-in-law Reg
O'Hagan and granddaughter Sarah
O'Hagan. He is survived by his
children Susan O'Hagan and Steve
(Terri) Clark and by his second wife
Marilyn (Bolger) Engel Clark
and her children Sharon Engel,
Rosanne (Ron) Burdett, Tracy
(Kamile) Abado, Paul (Debbie)
Engel, and Susan (Ted) (Atkinson.
He is also survived by 14
grandchildren and 19 great-
grandchildren.
Friends will be received by the
family on Saturday, March 18 from
12 to 1 p.m., immediately followed
by a memorial service at Westmount
Presbyterian Church, 521 Village
Green Ave. (at Wonderland Rd),
London.
JAMES R. WATSON
James R. Watson, Port Charlotte,
Fla, formerly of Brussels, has passed
away. James is survived by his wife,
Amanda and son Ronald (Sharon)
Watson of Wroxeter. A memorial
service will be held in Brussels at a
later date.
Looking for local heroes
There are so many people out there who do
so much to improve their community.
Now you have a chance to say thanks.
Nominate that special person for the 32nd
Annual Citizen Citizenship Awards.
Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area
and Brussels and area communities to receive an award for contribution to the
community. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please fill in the ballot
and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee
should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and he or she didn't win,
please feel free to try again.
I nominate
as Citizen of the year for
Blyth Brussels
& area & area
I feel she/he deserves this award because
Nomination Deadline July 31, 2017.
Name and phone number of nominator
I