Dozens of residents at 2245 Wilson Ave. are still out of their homes one year after a fire devastated the downtown Port Coquitlam building.
What should have been a straightforward insurance claim and reconstruction effort has turned into a bureaucratic nightmare for residents, who are still waiting for construction to begin.
The additional wait was caused by the collapse of scaffolding and a plastic cover during a December snowfall.
WorkSafeBC declared the site too dangerous and the project was shut down. Meanwhile, insurance adjusters for competing claimants in the rebuild had to sort out their issues.
"It's frustrating when you see the calendar flip over and no light at the end of the tunnel," says resident Sean Driver.
Driver, his wife and two children, are among dozens of residents in 41 units who have had to find temporary housing while they wait for their condo to be rebuilt.
Driver is one of the lucky ones, he says, because he managed to find a condo in Coquitlam to rent while some other residents have had to resort to some "creative" solutions for housing.
Residents are facing another six to 18 months' wait to get back into their condo units, depending on how badly damaged the unit is, said Driver.
The whole ordeal is creating a lot of stress and anxiety for people as they put their lives on hold while they wait for their homes to be rebuilt.
"You actually stop hoping in a way, [you think] 'Ok, we'll see, we'll see,'" said Sharon Southey.
"I would say it definitely adds a layer of stress to your life."
She owns a two bedroom condo in the building with her mother, who is now living at RJ Kent.
Southey said she is still dealing with her own insurance claims that will run out next June while she sorts out her life.
While she found an affordable condo to rent, the Port Moody clinical counsellor said the temporary situation, and not knowing the future, has been difficult.
"The long-term is a lot harder after the initial fire; you're kind of in limbo waiting, trying to do things, trying to re-form your life but living in a rental isn't all that comfortable," said Southey, "You're not in charge of your space."
If there is any silver lining to the situation it is that residents have become a tight-knit group. People who didn’t know each other before now share their challenges and offer help.
Construction will begin soon — possibly as early as June — as the dangerous scaffolding is removed.
But residents will keep on fighting for a fair deal until everyone is moved back in.
"We are united on this story and we try to help each other," said Southey.
Both Southey and Driver are grateful for the way the City of Port Coquitlam, residents of their neighbouring apartment and local citizens have provided support, encouragement and essentials after the fire.
In one odd coincidence, Driver came to realize how small the world is and how much even strangers care.
It was last August while he was on vacation in New York City, and attending a Blue Jays game, that Driver met a family behind him who were from Port Coquitlam.
He was astonished to learn that they knew about the Wilson Avenue fire, and had even anonymously donated gift cards to the victims.
Driver told the Tri-City News that he was proud to shake their hand.
"The world does funny things like that."
