Wall demolition near barbershop sparks public hazard in downtown Brandon: Engineer
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/06/2013 (4574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A local engineer says the City of Brandon has created a public hazard downtown following a demolition at the corner of Ninth Street and Princess Avenue.
Holes have appeared on the exterior wall of the adjacent Fowles Barbershop, which Phil Dorn of Samson Engineering says is due to the city taking down the north wall of the former Brandon Inn despite his warnings.
“The problem is they have compromised Mr. Fowles’ building from the point of view of structural, environmental and now there’s asbestos spilling out of the wall on the ground, and being blow around in the wind,” Dorn said. “So they’ve created a public hazard and it’s astonishing that the City of Brandon would do such a thing.”
Last month following the demolition, Dorn advised Fowles that he should vacate the building due to structural concerns.
Fowles, 76, decided to continue on with business as usual. He says he does not believe his or his customers’ safety are in jeopardy.
“I’m alright on the inside because it’s on the outside type of thing,” Fowles said. “I’m all contained here on the inside.”
Fowles said he has received several demands from the city, including orders to fix the wall and put up a fence around the portion of the wall in question.
“They gave me a day to put a fence up around there … After they punched the hole in the wall,” he said. “But we’ll see what comes out of this … they just keep sending different officers down to bully and flex their muscle and demand.”
When the Brandon Sun contacted the city’s chief building inspector Friday, he said he couldn’t comment on the issue as it is “being handled through legal counsel.”
A provincial official told the Brandon Sun that Workplace, Safety and Health inspected the Fowles Barber Shop last Tuesday and improvement orders were issued for control measures to appropriately enclose the asbestos containing material on the exterior of the building. It is expected these steps will be completed soon.
The business has a long history in Brandon and in the Fowles family. It was built by Ken’s father, Bob Fowles, in 1942. Ken started working there in 1958 and continues to this day.
“It’s kind of my hobby,” he said in a previous interview with the Brandon Sun. “There’s one key and there’s one me and that’s the way it will stay.”
Fowles took over the business in 1966 and added 30 feet to the building at the time. He also added used books to the store.
Renaissance Brandon offered to purchase the barbershop prior to the demolition of the former Brandon Inn and the Brandon Real Estate Board building. However, Fowles was simply not interested. He hopes to keep the building in the family for his grandchildren.
» jaustin@brandonsun.com