SUMMERSIDE - A six-foot steel barbed-wire fence will soon surround a vacant building that has been targeted by vandals and some fear poses a safety concern.
"We're tired of the kids breaking into the property," Tim Banks says. "We haven't run into this in other communities where we have buildings that are empty. We are as concerned about the security of the building as our neighbours are."
Banks owns the abandoned Centennial Pool/ Holland College complex at Granville Street and Ryan Street. Vandals have spray-painted it, set fires inside, smashed windows and damaged security systems.
Work is set to begin next week.
"We don't want it to look like a prison or anything like that, so the fence is going to be closer to the building, as opposed to taking it out to the road. It's going to be set back 20 to 25 feet from the building," explained Banks. "We're still going to maintain the grass and the landscaping outside of the fence."
He wouldn't say if a video surveillance system will be in place but warned all trespassers will be charged.
"No matter how many times we've boarded it up they've come along with crowbars and pulled it off, got inside the building. You just can't monitor them once they're inside the building. We had an electrical alarm system there in the building but it just continually got ripped apart," added Banks. "Simply, we are not going to put up with it."
The fence will only be in place until work on the site, expected to begin in the spring, is complete.
There is asbestos in the roof system but Banks says it poses no risk.
"We may leave the roof system there and just knock all the walls and the partitions," he added. "It's not a loose asbestos, so there's no harm in it being there."
Plans are still in place to construct housing units at the rear of the property and APM is looking for a tenant for the existing structure.
Banks said a retailer was lined up to move in but, with current economic conditions, is taking a "wait-and-see" approach.
Owner putting up fence to secure problem building from vandals
Jim Brown/Journal Pioneer
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- Published on October 31st, 2008
- Published on June 20th, 2010
- Nancy MacPhee
SUMMERSIDE - A six-foot steel barbed-wire fence will soon surround a vacant building that has been targeted by vandals and some fear poses a safety concern.
"We're tired of the kids breaking into the property," Tim Banks says. "We haven't run into this in other communities where we have buildings that are empty. We are as concerned about the security of the building as our neighbours are."
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- blame the
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:08:18
Funny, Maybe ppl in summerside should pay attention to things. tim banks hasn't owned the eye sore for that long, and who's to say the plans are even finished being developed to redevelop the building. If you all want to complain about that building maybe you should be turning to the city of summerside, I guarantee they will blow you off, as that's how the city works as they are never really accountable for the down side of operating the city
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- sarah
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:08:14
Tim Banks here is an idea! why dont you just tear the building down! its an eye sore to our city! I personally dont think that if this was your building in chtown that you would allow it to stand looking like this.. Do all of Summerside a favor! and get RID OF IT!
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- Not
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:07:02
Why hasn't this property been developed? APM and Tim Banks have made promises to the city that they had big plans for this building and , as usual, have done nothing to it, including general upkeep of the grass etc. until so many people complained it had to be done. Don't blame the youth in summerside for APM'S inability to act on their promises. The building and property wasn't in the state it is now when they took it over. Stop the bull, and bring in the wreaking ball.
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- surprised
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:06:08
Tim Banks what a joke
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- me
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:05:26
The kids here in summerside wouldn't do such a thing, not according to alot of the parents. All their kids are angels. So, can't blame everything on the kids, parents have to wake up and realize that that some kids are bad. Another thing, if this was the way u kept your own property, neighbours would report you, city police come to your house with the complaint and your made to clean it up. SO what is the difference between city propterty and private property? The ppl who own it.
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- Sarcastic
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:05:11
They must come from Tignish to do this.....surely to god someone from Summerside wouldnt do this, the kids here are all angels....
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- pepsi lover
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:05:10
well it is simple the laws are to easy in kids. if they get arrested what do they a candy bar and told not to do it again big joke if they are provin guilty then put there names in the paper make them repair what they distroyed not there parents or make them pay for the repairs 100% cost. the legal system and the old ladiies and churchs think it is wrong well folks look at it they are getting more violent wait till they start killing then what are you going to say oh it is what happened when they were growing up crap. start making the laws to let them know that the people will not stand for it any more.
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- A
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:05:04
And so we see a huge part of the problem with today's society: lack of responsibility. Instead of blaming the people who are BREAKING THE LAW by trespassing and vandalizing, blame the person who owns the building for having it there in the first place. So following that logic, when a bank gets robbed, we should blame the bank for sitting there in such a tempting way. When someone gets murdered, we should blame the victim for looking like they wanted to be killed. It's a shame to think that parents might have to actually know where their children are and what they are doing, and God forbid... even discipline them when they've done wrong! At least Mr. Banks is TRYING to look out for your children by putting up a fence. What are YOU doing to protect them?
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- nikki
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:04:58
I dont care who owns the building, its a horrible site and putting up a fence is not going to help. It is in the centre of a the busiest part of the city and no one needs to look at it. I know tearing it down isnt as easy as it sounds because of the insolation that is in it but still once its gone its gone. Money well spent in my books
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- Ed
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:04:58
Mr Banks raises an interesting point about not having this problem in other
communities and he's right. I've seen
vacant buildings in other cities that have sit idol for years and went unscathed, except by nature. This is a societal problem not Mr Banks' and its has meant the demise of other prominant historical buildings such as as the old PCH. This is why Summerside is slowly becoming just another big box town. -
- jhon
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:04:08
sorry i set the place on fire my bad just not in the right plae of mind and i realy didn't set it on fire tony did
ps i waz livin there for like 3 days -
- not surpsised either !!!
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:04:02
Is Tim Banks in the habit of buying large buildings and leaving them empty in other communities ?? People in Summerside are'nt at the moment concerned about what's going on in other places other than I'm sure other communities would'nt tolerate it being done !! I guess we'll all have to wait and see and PRAY that something very tragic does'nt happen to residents of the area , police officers trying to do their jobs or firefighters putting out fires that put their lives in danger!!!! Is there a reason why the city is dragging their heels on getting this thing looked after ? People in the area pay taxes and used to have Summerside Pride !!!!!!!!!
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- Gocapsgo
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:04:00
It's a shame that the company has to go to such extremes against these vandals.........what are the youth of this town coming too? Why don't they go out and get a job to keep themselves busy? Too much time on their hands aparantly!
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- Miles
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:03:55
I dont think a fence is going to deter too many people from entering the property, you dont need to be an athlete to climb a fence...
Personally, i think that maybe Tim Banks should let people paint the outside of the structure. Imagine the whole building covered in bright colours, characters etc. I think it would look great. There are entire city blocks in Montreal where graffiti writers pay a flat fee for wall space and then they are left to do as they please and let me tell you first hand that it is quite amazing the work that they have done. This festival in Montreal draws people from all over the world and has become the largest graffiti event in North America. Summerside could be capitalizing on this until the building is leveled or done over.
just my two cents... -
- don
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:03:49
To John, maybe you should spend a little more time in school, you must be from Tignish. John, get a life.
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- kev
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:03:40
so a fence is going to stop this eh?you want to know what a fence is going to stop?a parent,the cop's,or god forbid the EMT's who have been called there because of an overdose,or something of that nature.a fence,really?so much money,so cheap.have the people of p.e.i have really forgotten what it's like to be a teenager again with time on your hand's and nothing to do?this town(because it is sure as hell isnt a city)is really becomming a joke.it wasn't too many year's ago i was a teenager myself in this town,and the same thing's were happening,just the drug's are a lot more dangerous,and the the crime is going to rise because of that.how many kid's would go drinking at the old train station,or down on the rock's at the fox?it is going to happen even if there is a fence to get in thier way!a better solution must be found by this millionare who's depleated property is giving the kid's a safe haven for these activites to take place.
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- Kevin
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:03:25
Well this is a step in the right direction. At least this may hinder the access somewhat....the vandals will likely bring bolt cutters with them next time to get past the fence. Hopefully this will slow down any further destruction of the property before it gets developed..and thanks to the city for continuing to work with Mr. Banks to help improve this situation.
