Some residents on Wallace Street are fed up with the current state of one of Wallaceburg’s oldest homes.
Some people living in the area are looking for some action to be taken regarding an apartment complex located at 595 Wallace Street.
The Courier Press reported that a petition has been launched by some neighbours in the Wallace Street area.
The “neighbours” who were not identified but quoted in the article, said they want the province of Ontario to take possession of the property away from the homeowner
They are calling it an eye sore and a hot-bed for “illegal activities.”
Sources say the petition will be available for signing later this week at the Wallaceburg Municipal Centre, but is available currently at Artisans and More and Big Paws in downtown Wallaceburg.
The property is listed on a document for the Chatham-Kent Municipal Heritage Register for the Town of Wallaceburg.
The document states that the home was built in 1858, by Wallaceburg’s first mayor, James W. Steinhoff.
The Steinhoff house was the first brick residential building erected in Wallaceburg.
“It was a monumental accomplishment at the time, as most of the materials were brought down the Sydenham River by ship,” the Chatham-Kent document states.
The home packs significant architectural significance as well.
“This home is an excellent example of Gothic Revival architecture,” the municipal document states. “The intricate verge board designs and the narrow verticality of the roof are common attributes found in this type of Victorian residence. The quoin brick, bay window, rose windows, chimneys, and front veranda are other important characteristics.”
“The home would have been a landmark along the Sydenham River and one of the first buildings erected on the south side of Wallaceburg.”
Reports say the current owner of the building, Kris Sooknandan lives in Cambridge.
Sooknandan told the Courier Press he understands there have been issues with prior tenants at the building and says he has made several improvements to the building in the four of five years since he has owned it.
We’ll look to provide more information when it becomes available.
if we are going to pick on this house, there is plenty more to go after. Look straight across the river, there’s another one. the biggest problem is the people get charged and get let go the next day and go back to the same place. look at sams hotel, the place should be torn down due the damage inside from the drug addicts and crackheads.
It doesnt matter if they take the house away, they will just find some other scumbag landlord who only cares about getting his money to rent to them somewhere else. If they can take the house because of illegal activity then why havent they taken Boo’s house?…that place is so full of items it is a BIG FIRE HAZZARD, not to mention the DISEASES!….maybe Wallaceburgers who want something done need to take it into their own hands like this because rehab apparently doesnt work and the cops can arrest them a million times but they always seem to get off, not the cops fault, their hands are tied, they catch em and the courts let em go!
When good people stand idle, that is when evil flourishes. This property does not just hurt the immediate neighbourhood, it hurts the community as a whole. Divided by a river, a road, rich or poor, this is a group of people that thrive on our desensitized nature, our fear of being one instead of many and has used intimidation and terror in the past to keep residence at bay. Today I sign the petition!
People, you still have to remember just because you sign the petition doesnt make the problem go away. Guess what, if they do get them out of that house where do you think they are going to go?…GOT ANY HOUSES FOR RENT IN YOUR AREA—BETTER HOPE NOT!
To sickofitall, I think what is being missed here, is that, the good people of Wallaceburg deserve a safe place to live and that when it comes to a HERITAGE HOME registered with ONTARIO, it becomes even more important. Signing the petition empowers the governing bodies of Wallaceburg to do something more about an ongoing issue. Break up the nest so it does not have the ability to grow off peoples fears, like yourself. To those that have signed and will sign the petition Congratulations on speaking out to better our community.
Wow people, there are drug dealers and user”s that live in some very nice neighbourhoods in this town. Yes it is a shame that the owner has let this house go to shambles. But it is not just the drug addicts that let their houses look like a disaster.
In regards to your reply ( 2 angry citizens) saying it is fear why i dont sign, you are sadly mistaken! I lived beside a crack house for 6 years and believe me FEAR is not an issue, what is the issue is just because crack heads live in a house, that before they where there no-one gave two sh&^%$s about until it started getting negative attention., It doesnt matter if people sign the petition or not they are still going to live in Wallaceburg and they are still going to be a menace if not on Wallace Street then on Dufferin and out at Village Square, and possibly–down the street from you! they are all over riding their bicycles and walking in the middle of the road talking to themselves and yes if you drive around on a weekend at 2 in the morning they are prostituting too!!!!!!! There is alot more to this than just an old house.