Don Vale (aka Cabbagetown), Toronto

Dear Fixer,

Our problem is the noise of the regular false fire alarms from 210 Oak Street, the huge ugly assisted housing apartment blocks at the corner of Gerrard St and River Street. Yesterday the maddening BEEP BEEP BEEP of the alarm sounded twice, followed by the usual six fire trucks, sirens screaming. Last week there were 3 events. There is never a fire, and if there were, no resident would respond anyway. I pointed this out to the manager at 3 a.m. one freezing morning in my pyjamas and he became furious and yelled “How many apartment blocks have you managed?” (None.)

Yesterday when I complained about the noise pollution to the police they said there’s nothing they can do, but kindly transferred me to the fire department, where I was told that if these are “malicious fire alarms” the company is charged “tens of thousands of dollars” in fines per year. She didn’t know if this law is actually enforced, but in any case, taxpayers would be paying the fines, and clearly they have no effect. We’ve been woken by these false alarms for the last ten years.

I think the building is poorly managed. As you recall, its residents have been shooting each other lately. Also, the inhabitants of the building facing River Street have a habit of “airmailing” their garbage, some of which is still hanging in the trees.

Can anything be done?

Yours sincerely,

Simon Leigh
227 River Street
Toronto, ON M5A3P9

416 9600235

This apartment building located at18 Gifford street and facing into Corn Chamomile Lane in Cabbagetown has been vacant since a fire wreaked havoc about 13 years ago and the owner was denied a new permit. The windows have never been boarded up and are caving in, the mortar has all fallen out of the top 10 feet of the Main 40 foot tall chimney backing into my backyard and I am fearful that during a good wind storm that it will topple down and harm someone or cause property damage. Rats and Raccoons have spiked and they are coming in and out of there like crazy, I called the city about 8 years ago and an inspector came out and investigated and met with me and told me that for sure the estate (the owner had died and the property was in probate in ASIA) should have had it boarded up as well because prostitution and drug dealing was occurring in the building entrance on Corn Chamomile lane. Nothing occurred after that and my calls to the city were not returned. My neighbour ended up buying boards and blocking the building alcove himself to prevent the criminal activity that was congregating there. A month ago I lodged another complaint using 311 and was advised that I would get a call after 7 days from the city. I never did, soI called 311 back and they gave me the file # 266-2281 and the name of the investigator : Jaan Peter Sepp 416.397.7262. My voicemail to him 2 weeks ago has not been returned....Please help get us answers to this13 year old plus problem.