Bloomfield Road residents petition to demolish damaged, vacant west Windsor homes

The founder of the community organization called Bloomfield House has started the Bloomfield Freedom Project.

Tea Jai Travis is getting signatures on a petition that his group will take to city council, urging the city to waive the by-law prohibiting the demolition of the derelict vacant homes in that area.

"They're a threat to our quality of life here," said Travis. "They're pulling down the property values around here."

The residents are complaining the homes are attracting vandals and animals and they say they are dangerous.

Allanah Drouillard knows about that danger all to well. She said it's particularly bad when it's windy.

"There's pieces flying off onto our property, hitting our house," she said. "There's a piece of metal about to come off and go through one of our windows or hit our vehicle."

Break-ins, vanadlism

Deborah Vollan said she and her neighbours see trespassers breaking into the homes frequently.

"My neighbour and I are a little nervous because we're seniors and we're a little nervous to go to sleep at night," she said.

Luana Marion lives on Peter Street but signed the petition anyway.

"These houses are an eyesore. They're up for vandalism all the time," said Marion.

Travis hopes to have the signatures collected by the end of the month.

City by-laws in the way

The Canadian Transit Company, which owns the half-dozen homes in the 3500 and 3600 blocks of Bloomfield Road is suing the city to be able to demolish the homes. The bylaw prohibits major changes to property in the Sandwich Community Improvement Area.

Travis hopes to get on the city council agenda in June.

"We've been living this way for longer than a decade and it's time for these houses to come down," he said.