'It will be a demolition'
Residents to be relocated to other Northern Property buildings this week
Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Between 30 and 35 people who lived in the Polaris apartment building extensively destroyed by a weekend fire will likely never be able to retrieve anything from what's left of the structure.
"They've lost everything," said Kelly Hayden, vice-president of commercial properties and hotels with Northern Property REIT, which owns the 17-unit building. "It doesn't look like we'll get back in the building. It's been deemed structurally unsound. It will be a demolition."
Earlier in the day the city's director of public safety said a structural engineer would be inspecting the building to determine if it is safe for anyone to go back inside.
"It's going to be between the fire marshal and (Northern Property)," Dennis Marchiori said at a news conference at city hall. "They have to ensure the safety of the people going in. It may not actually be the residents themselves. They may have workers go in there."
None of the residents had tenants insurance, Hayden said. While insurance was encouraged for residents, it wasn't a requirement. He believes that should change.
Residents are temporarily staying at the Yellowknife Inn, Hayden said. NPR is one of the largest property owners in the city.
He said 12 will be relocated to other company buildings downtown with empty units. Some were expected to move in Tuesday. Other apartments still need to be cleaned or painted, he said, so those will be ready for the residents to move into by the end of the week. Another person had already made plans to move to another building and four of the apartments were units for the Yellowknife Housing Authority, a subsidiary of the NWT Housing Corporation. The residents of those four units have been relocated to other public housing units.
The territorial chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association is providing counseling for any residents who want that service, Hayden said. The Salvation Army is helping with clothing and other items. Furniture from the company's Capital Suites property that's under renovation will be provided to affected residents.
- with files from John McFadden
