Demolition order unfair to elderly owner

Re: “Of lousy optics and poor communication,” Cape Breton Post editorial, Oct. 7).

The editorial, in part, dealt with the Campbell St. demolition in North Sydney.

The owner of the house, an elderly widow without support, was ordered and encouraged by the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) to remove everything in the house at great cost. First the main floor, then the basement and the garage.

Over time she had all personal items, furniture, bedding, appliances, floor coverings and an antique car removed. Two of the last items were deep freezers from the basement after she was given two business days to comply.

Little did she know that the plan by CBRM was to have the house demolished when it was cleaned out.

Some people helping her found the freezers unplugged with no time to refreeze the contents. The lot was thrown into a dumpster, which gave off a foul odor.

She had lived many years in the house but after her husband died the widow had many problems and no support. It is sad that in those years the CBRM could not have offered a helping hand, only a policelike approach.

At the time of demolition the house was very sound, without structural defects or other shortcomings such as foul odors. The owner has a report to that finding.

It seems to me the order to demolish was based on hearsay rather than actual fact. Emerson Allen North Sydney