A seemingly regular Monday for an Oakwood Avenue family quickly turned into a distressing ordeal when Toronto city contractors, working to repair a public sidewalk, mistakenly bored a massive hole into their basement.
“It’s disappointing, it’s angering, it’s frustrating, and it’s almost unbelievable. The city destroyed my home,” David Stone expressed to CBC Toronto. Erin Bell, his spouse, echoed this sentiment, further conveying their shock and dismay over the incident.
Making the situation more perplexing, the couple revealed that the city, after inadvertently causing the damage, is now requesting they bear the cost of the repairs themselves. CBC Toronto sought confirmation on this from city representatives, asking if such a directive is in line with official policy. The city’s media relations manager, Russell Baker, responded vaguely, stating, “We recognize that these kinds of unexpected situations can be challenging, which is why the City of Toronto is working with the property owner to address this unfortunate and unusual situation.”
The incident stemmed from an effort to replace an asphalt patch located in front of the couple’s residence. This patch was initially left by city workers after attaching new water lines to the building. Security footage acquired by CBC Toronto showcased a contractor, wielding what seemed like a heavy-duty jackhammer, accidentally breaking through the sidewalk, leading to the damaging hole.
Upon realization, the contractor can be overheard in the footage exclaiming, “It went down into the f–cking basement…I don’t know what you want to do here.”
As a direct consequence of this mishap, the entrance to the couple’s upper-level apartment and their ground-floor music school has been sealed off by city officials. The family, which includes their two school-aged children, has been forced to adopt a convoluted route to access their home, climbing a chain-link fence from a neighbour’s yard.
Adding to their challenges, city officials slapped a notice on their front door, deeming the building “structurally unsound.” The directive further requires Bell and Stone to engage an engineer for damage assessment, procure any essential building permits, and oversee the building’s repair.
Municipal liability expert, Alan Preyra, speaking to CBC Toronto, opined on the city’s potential responsibility. “Oh, the city is going to pay for this,” he stated confidently. Preyra emphasized that when city-contracted work affects neighboring properties, the city ought to be accountable for any damages.
Furthermore, David Stone highlighted a tangible decline in their music school business, estimating a drop between 10 to 20 percent as he’s now limited to online lessons.
The family, currently in discussions with their insurance company, is also contemplating legal avenues.