CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - A Charlottetown man who owns the city’s oldest log home has given up on his attempt to turn it into a café.
But, Ray Campbell is now caught in a tight spot as he wants to tear the heritage home down at 15 Hillsborough St., very much against the city’s wishes.
The siding is off the walls of the home now, exposing the old log siding. Part of it has started rotting.
The City wants him to put siding back on, so Campbell has turned to his lawyer in an attempt to demolish the structure and re-erect it at his home in York.
“I can’t do anything with it the way it is,’’ Campbell told The Guardian on Thursday. “We’re kind of stuck between a rock and hard place. When it comes to the city’s building standards, it won’t meet any of the building standards.’’
Campbell said he can’t get anything more than liability insurance for the house.
“When I took the shingles off the sides, I saw the logs were starting to rot so the only thing I can get on it is liability insurance.’’
Campbell has put the tiny log home up for sale, asking $150,000.
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Coun. Greg Rivard, chairman of the city’s heritage committee, said Campbell has been giving the city mixed messages, from saying he wants to continue with his plan to turn it into a café to demolishing it.
“Heritage board met, and their direction is instead of taking the remainder of the siding off, which is the last piece protecting the wood underneath, was to force him to put some kind of siding back on,’’ Rivard said.
The city’s bylaw enforcement officer had a look at the property and declared it “unsightly’’.
The city’s next move could be to have council pass a resolution forcing Campbell to put siding on.
“At the end of the day, the fact the bylaw officer is now involved, is that if he doesn’t comply and put the siding on as per city request, the city can go in, with a resolution, and actually put the siding on and fix the property at the owner’s expense,’’ Rivard said.
The city is hoping Campbell complies and council doesn’t have to step in.
Campbell said he can’t use shingles as siding.
“I can’t put the siding on unless I use spikes because shingles won’t stay on. I took them off in some places six-tier deep because the nails won’t stay on,’’ Campbell said. “How am I supposed to put shingles on with four-inch nails?’’
Estimates are the home dates back to the pre-1850s.
Campbell isn’t sure what more he can do.
“It can’t be saved, not be me and not by most ordinary people.’’
