According to notices sent out by the city, demolition work on the Edward Street home was being done without a permit. Halifax’s heritage advisory board is scheduled to hold a special meeting Friday to discuss whether the property should be listed as a heritage site, which protects properties from demolition. “There was no communication from the owners, Dalhousie, … the guys turned up and it was obvious to us that the permit had not been issued, so everyone on the street was very surprised that they came and started,” said Don O’Sinclair, who lives near the green, three-story house. Sinclair said work had been going on for days on the house, which dates back to the late 19th century. He said the city went through and issued a first violation notice that work could not proceed until a permit was granted, but work continued. Peggy Walt, an activist and volunteer with the citizens’ group Development Options Halifax, said she was told crews were removing asbestos. But he said it was obvious there was more going on than that. “When they started last week, I noticed guys throwing things out of windows from the top floor. They broke wood, furniture, glass from the windows and there is a huge pile of rubble, molds, rubber, sinks, bathtubs, toilets. they just got together in the backyard,” Walt said. Piles of debris such as wood and furniture can be seen outside the house. (Paul Palmer/CBC) “This is after Dalhousie told us that they’re going to try to save some of the historic stuff. Well, the molds are going to a landfill, I know. So, I’d say it’s a lot more than preparing for asbestos removal.” Before work on the house was suspended on Tuesday, a statement from Dalhousie University to CBC News said the university was performing work to prepare the site for the removal of hazardous materials. There was a sign on the door saying it was asbestos. “Dalhousie is currently undertaking work on the interior of the building at 1245 Edward Street. The work being completed is hazardous materials abatement, which includes the removal of wallboard,” the statement said. “Dalhousie is confident that this project is being completed in a manner that complies with health and safety regulations and ensures the safety of both site workers and neighbors. Dalhousie does not consider this project to be a demolition that requires a permit. “ Sinclair said learning about asbestos removal has “caused concern” on the street. “There are families here with young children and there was no notice. And it didn’t appear, at least to me, that there was any kind of restriction on the initial work that they were doing,” he said. Peggy Walt hopes the house will receive a heritage designation so it can be better protected in the future. (Paul Palmer/CBC) The university said someone from the province visited the home to deal with an electrical problem involving a temporary power supply from an adjacent building. “Power is needed during an abatement process to operate fans used when active work is in progress to prevent asbestos from escaping,” Dalhousie said in a statement. “Power was immediately disconnected and the house was sealed off to ensure continued safety as the fans were no longer working. The abatement process has stopped until we can re-supply a power source for the abatement process.” A spokesman for the provincial Department of Labor said most of the work at the home was done in accordance with regulatory requirements, “however, the employer was unable to provide an engineer-certified demolition plan as required by the regulations.” In an email, the department also noted that occupational health and safety officials “identified concerns about temporary electrical arrangements powering ventilation in the space. As a result, the temporary electrical power had to be removed, with no ventilation at all operations are currently suspended.” The province’s occupational health and safety department issued three orders as a result of the site visit. Officers with the province in the area of the house. (Paul Palmer/CBC) The house is believed to have been built between 1897 and 1898, according to a report to be considered by the heritage advisory board on Friday. The house has been associated with prominent Halifax families from the 19th and 20th centuries, including businessmen William McCulloch Boak and Rudolph Alexander Hobrecker. According to the HRM website, the Heritage Property program aims to preserve “buildings, streetscapes, sites, areas and districts that reflect the rich heritage across the borough”. Significant changes to the exterior of a registered heritage property require review by the advisory committee. “This was a beautiful, grand house when it was built in its day. Why not wait and let the community do the review? See if the house has historical value and if it’s going to be preserved,” Walt said. “What’s the big rush? They want it out of sight, out of mind as soon as possible.”
