Prince George, B.C.-  Council for the City of Prince George  won’t bend in its  push to have derelict properties  cleaned  up.Council   voted to  reaffirm the remedial action  ordered July 8th for the Lombardy Mobile Home Park.  “The arguments  presented were not compelling” said Councillor Garth Frizzell “We weren’t given reason that would support changing our decision.”

Councillor Jillian Merrick said “Frankly I think the  best thing would be for the City to move in as quickly as possible to complete this remediation.”

There has been a great deal of work done  at the Lombardy Mobile Home park  in Prince George, but there is still plenty of work  that needs to be done.

In a report  to  City Council, staff outlined  the progress that has been made throughout the park, including the  general clean up of the grounds,  demolition and removal of a couple of trailers  the  City ordered demolished, and  the painting of a maintenance building.

However,  the list of  orders  remains long,   as staff note a stop work order that had been posted  on  a building that was under construction has been  torn off the building,  there are numerous mobile home  platforms that  have yet to be  demolished and removed, and a number of mobile homes , or frames, that  have  yet to be  demolished and removed from the  park.

The deadline for compliance was July 21st, after which , the City could  carry out the work and  have the costs  added to the tax bill of the owners of the mobile homes noted for remedial action  and the park owners.

Speaking on behalf of the  Lombardy Mobile Home Park, June Geisser  posed a string of questions about the City’s legal  right to  order  the destruction  of  mobile homes which are privately  owned but  sitting on Park owned  property.  She also   asked if the City  would provide written assurance that if the registered owners of the mobile home launch  court action over the destruction of their property that the City will cover all costs.

But Councillor Frizzell says  owners of the mobile homes and the properties have been  advised of  the orders and only one request for reconsideration was made so he is comfortable that  “We have followed the due process in the remediation order.”

The  Park owner says  he has tried to  get tenants to clean up their lots,  but they won’t let him have access.  Councillor Terri McConnachie  says it is her understanding that all but one of the  mobile homes  slated for demolition  were vacant “So what’s the hold up there?”  There was no explanation given.

Council unanimously  approved  reaffirming  it’s remediation orders.

A lawyer for Commonwealth Campuses Inc also sent a letter to Council asking for the deadline  to demolish the property known as  the  “laundromat’  on George Street  be extended to the end of October.

The property owner has  applied for a demolition permit and confirmation  that utilities were disconnected.

There was no one on hand to represent the property owner at the Council hearing  on that request.

The City has already done some prep work, ensuring there are no environmental hazards on the site so the  demolition can be  undertaken in a safe manner.

“There has been plenty of time to clean up that property from the condition it has  been in for many years” says Councilor Murry Krause.

“I think this is the right thing to do” says Acting Mayor Brian Skakun “It sends a message to owners of  derelict properties that we are not going to put up with it.”