A Boulevard homeowner dealing with construction since the fall says he's had enough after unexpected road closures denied him vehicle access to his house, which also doubles as a base for his handyman business.
"I can't even park on my street or in my driveway," said Barry Thomson, owner of Advent Home Solutions on Tuesday (April 27).
Thomson said for months he's been lodging complaints with contractor Capilano Highway Services's construction staff on site over inadequately posted road detours and large equipment blocking his driveway, which he typically enters numerous times a day to retrieve and drop off construction tools and equipment.
The complaints and requests for information went unanswered, he said, and the situation only got worse last week when he unexpectedly discovered a newly-dug ditch across the entrance to his driveway.
He also found a notice in a puddle on his driveway last week stating his stretch of road would experience "minor traffic delays" from April 22 to 25.
By Friday (April 23), the ditch was filled in, however he discovered traffic control personnel detouring vehicles away from his street. By Tuesday, two days after the date shown on the notice, a flagger was still denying him access although no detour signs were posted, he said.
"That's not minor traffic delays, actually closing your street and not permitting you access to your house," said Thomson. "What if I was an elderly person or I was disabled are you going to tell me I can't access my own house? Come on."
Thomson said he's been trying to restructure the way he does business to accommodate the street closures, but without proper communication, that's been impossible.
"I've been trying to move as much [construction tools] as I can out of my garage into a separate lock up so that I can operate from that lock-up. That's what I was trying to do this [Tuesday] morning, but I found that the street's closed with no warning.
"I just want them to keep residents informed."
Thomson said he's also been in the midst of moving out of his recently-sold home, and is being proactive in ensuring the new owners have full access by their possession date of May 15.
So he filed an official complaint with the District of Squamish and called Brad Ray, an RF Binnie independent engineer overseeing the project on behalf of the municipality. Ray said he'd left a message with Capilano and hadn't yet heard back. However, said Thomson, Ray's answer amounted to an unsatisfactory "that's how it goes."
"It's this sort of passing the buck game where the district is not taking ownership and Capilano construction is not taking ownership and it's unclear who owns it," said Thomson.
That's when he approached the media.
"I think I've put up with this for enough months that someone has to listen."
Capilano Highway Services company general manager Steve Drummond the company head office hadn't heard about any complaints and hadn't heard from the district.
"I didn't know you [the media] were the complaints department, but we haven't heard of any complaints," he said. "If they've got complaints they should be calling us.
"This gentleman sounds like he just needs more information on our schedule and around the curbing and sidewalk insulations and that's what impacts each individual owner."
However when asked for the specific schedule, Drummond said it's up to the district to release the information Capilano has provided them.
"I don't want to step on their [the district's] toes as far as that because the public's going to them for communication."
Acting Mayor Paul Lalli said he's heard complaints regarding construction, but nothing about impeded access to homes. He said he requested information from the district on the matter, and in the meantime, it's up to the contractor to adequately communicate the impact of its construction to the residents. If that fails, said Lalli, the district does have recourse to ensure it's done properly.
"If they're not communicating to the public, we'll ensure that they are."
Communication was issued, said Drumond, in the form of notices that were delivered last week stating it would take 72 hours for the Friday curb pour to set, denying residents access.
"We've gone out of our way and bent over backwards for all the residents up there following this curb pour," said Drummond.
Drummond said the site superintendent insisted Thomson was able to access his home Tuesday, and rejected assertions that a flagger was turning residents away on Tuesday.
However following a conversation with Thomson, Drummond said there was a detour that morning, but that's been resolved.
He said Capilano will ensure a moving truck will have unimpeded access to Thomson's property on May 15.
"So we're talking and making sure everyone's happy," said Drummond.
Thomson said the assurance he received that a notice will go out stating road delays can be expected until the project is finished in mid-May does not satisfy his request for information.
"It's not very specific, not what I was looking for, but I guess it's better than nothing," he said. "I do now have access and how long that will be for I don't know."
