Repairs to Kay Reynolds Centre underway while other issues at P.E.I. accessible living complex ignored, say residents

January 5, 2023

3 5 minutes read

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — As wanted repairs are actually going down at one in all P.E.I.’s solely accessible housing complexes, residents are appreciative of these efforts however stay involved different long-standing points appear to be ignored.

Curtis Kelly, a resident at Charlottetown’s Kay Reynolds Centre, stated since a number of points on the centre had been reported by SaltWire Community on Dec. 2, the corporate managing the centre, APHL Inc., has been making a powerful effort to get the mandatory repairs accomplished.

“They’ve virtually completed placing on the brand new roof, and I’d say about half of the brand new home windows have been put in as nicely,” he stated. “I heard one other truck was on the market this morning, so it appears they had been doing extra work.”

Kelly stated staff have even begun patching and repainting a number of the centre’s inside partitions. The pipes that had been leaking water in the primary flooring hallway had been additionally repaired, as SaltWire Community noticed throughout a Jan. 3 go to.

“They’re making an sincere effort to get these items carried out, which is nice to see,” stated Kelly.

Since reporting on issues at the Kay Reynolds Centre on Dec. 2, work has begun on repairing the roof and replacing the windows throughout the building. - Cody McEachern — Since reporting on points on the Kay Reynolds Centre on Dec. 2, work has begun on repairing the roof and changing the home windows all through the constructing. – Cody McEachern

Strained relationship

Nonetheless, regardless of this work, the connection between residents and APHL remains to be strained. Kelly stated virtually instantly after the Dec. 2 article was launched, administration of the centre cancelled its annual Christmas dinner, noting it might be held after the subsequent board of administrators assembly on the finish of January.

Kelly and different residents stated the timing of the cancellation of the dinner led them to consider it was punishment for them talking out concerning the points on the complicated.

“It looks as if it might have been cancelled out of spite, nevertheless, that’s solely hypothesis,” stated Kelly. “Regardless that we misplaced our Christmas dinner this 12 months, everybody within the centre remains to be saying they might relatively have their home windows and roof than a dinner.”

The issues don’t cease there both. Whereas administration works to switch the home windows and roof and contact up the inside, Kelly stated most of the long-term points with the constructing nonetheless haven’t gotten any consideration, such because the damaged intercom system or the irregularly working computerized doorways.

Curtis Kelly, a resident living at the Kay Reynolds Centre, originally spoke out about issues at the complex back in December. He said since then, work has begun on the windows and roof, and some interior walls have received a new coat of paint. - Cody McEachern — Curtis Kelly, a resident residing on the Kay Reynolds Centre, initially spoke out about points on the complicated again in December. He stated since then, work has begun on the home windows and roof, and a few inside partitions have obtained a brand new coat of paint. – Cody McEachern

Security concern

One difficulty that has been neglected for months has many who spoke to SaltWire Community involved for the security of one in all their neighbours.

El, a tenant who spoke with SaltWire Community on Jan. 3 below the situation of anonymity, lives with cerebral palsy. Attributable to this, El is sluggish to maneuver, unstable when on their ft and walks with crutches or makes use of a mobility scooter to get round.

To get into their unit on the centre safely, El depends on an digital door opener. Nonetheless, since post-tropical storm Fiona hit the Island in late September, the mechanism above their door hasn’t labored.

“These doorways listed below are somewhat on the heavy facet, so the mechanism opens the door after I press a button, that manner I can drive my scooter or stroll out safely,” they stated. “As of proper now, although, I’ve to haul on the door. My neighbours or anyone else cannot get in simply, both, so it is fairly annoying.”

It’s additionally harmful. With a view to open the 30-pound metal-filled door from the skin, El has to power their physique in opposition to the door and shuffle their manner inside.

Getting out is simply as troublesome, as is manoeuvring a scooter out and in — a requirement since administration stopped permitting residents to park their scooters within the constructing’s underground storage. Kelly stated these areas are actually rented out to individuals outdoors the constructing.

“It will be no difficulty for anybody in peak bodily form to open the door, however for me, it knocks me over so much. It is fairly harmful,” they stated.

El, a resident at Charlottetown's Kay Reynolds Centre, says repeated power surges during post-tropical storm Fiona caused their automatic door opener to stop working. El says they now have to open the door manually to get in and out, which is tricky and dangerous. - Cody McEachern — El, a resident at Charlottetown’s Kay Reynolds Centre, says repeated energy surges throughout post-tropical storm Fiona induced their computerized door opener to cease working. El says they now must open the door manually to get out and in, which is difficult and harmful. – Cody McEachern

Emergency state of affairs

They’re additionally involved about the potential for being trapped throughout an emergency.

“My household are all firefighters, so I’m very cautious to fireplace hazards and such,” they stated. “In an emergency state of affairs, that door would hinder me from getting out within the occasion of a fireplace. I’m not quick on my ft nor am I secure, so I might seemingly get caught and it could suck.”

El stated the mechanism had been sensitive within the days main as much as Fiona, however fully stopped working after numerous energy surges hit the centre. El stated they’ve reported the problem to APHL’s workplace a number of occasions, however has heard nothing again about getting it repaired.

“I don’t even know if the workplace put in a piece order at this level,” they stated.

As needed repairs are now taking place at Kay Reynolds Centre, residents remain concerned that other long-standing issues are being ignored. - Cody McEachern/SaltWire Network file — As wanted repairs are actually going down at Kay Reynolds Centre, residents stay involved that different long-standing points are being ignored. – Cody McEachern/SaltWire Community file

Kelly, who sits on the board of administrators for the constructing, stated on the final assembly, held a month or extra after Fiona, administration stated there have been no excellent work orders.

SaltWire Community once more known as APHL’s workplace and emailed Marla Affleck, who oversees the administration of the centre, on Jan. 3, for touch upon this difficulty and to verify if it could be handled. A response was not obtained by publishing time.

Regardless of the security issues, El stated they are going to seemingly keep on the centre, at the very least for now. Like many residing there, excessive hire costs and the shortage of accessible residing flats imply El has nowhere else to go for now.

As for Kelly, he stated he’s completely happy to see work being carried out to the centre and hopes it continues to different necessary points within the constructing. Nonetheless, he’s not holding his breath.

“APHL is unquestionably making an effort to handle the problems that had been talked about within the final article,” he stated, “however whether or not or not they are going to get round to handle all of them, it is anybody’s guess.”

Cody McEachern is a enterprise reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He will be reached by e mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @CodyInHiFi.

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