Condo association to deal with own infrastructure issues -- Creekside board feels short changed by city’s tax structure

Article content

Two members of the Creekside Condo Association were online participants at the Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee on Tuesday morning.

Creekside association members pay taxes and condo fees but feel they’re not receiving the same level of service as homeowners in the city: like snow removal, for example.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Condo association to deal with own infrastructure issues -- Creekside board feels short changed by city’s tax structure Back to video

“Back in November we did a presentation before council with some of our concerns about how the city collects our taxes of about $750,000 per year but we feel we don’t get many services from the city,” said Joanne Woodworth, one of the volunteer directors on the Creekside Condominium Association board.

Woodworth added discussions about the lack of city assistance in common areas were brought up at a board meeting this past Sunday.

“Condo members may have greater control over services and amenities in their community, but we do not understand why this completely absolves the city of their responsibility to service the common areas,” Woodworth said. “… The city directly benefits from being able to charge the residents of Creekside using the same tax structure as anywhere else while not bearing any of the expense of providing the services they do to the rest of the municipality.”

Creekside is a manufactured home neighbourhood on the city’s east side where residents own their lots and homes but the common areas are under a condominium agreement.

There is a difference between living in a condominium community like Creekside, which is essentially private property, and in a municipal neighbourhood said Councillor Clyde Blackburn, one of the committee members.

“I know it is difficult for residents (of Creekside) to understand that they are not in the same situation as people who are residents on city streets,” Blackburn said. “But we really do need for them to appreciate the fact, that for instance, we would not send snow-clearing equipment to clean out the parking lots (and private roads) at the Gateway Centre or Inverness Estates, or any other places that are actually private property.”

City senior executive advisor Rory Tarant said the roads in Creekside do not meet city standards and are narrower and not necessarily set up to provide the required-turning radius for snow clearing. They also aren’t built to stand up to heavy traffic. Tarant added other condo association concerns, like access to bus routes and curb-side recycling, are at the same standards and cost as other homeowners throughout the city.

The city’s involvement with condo association on private property would set up a precedent as homeowners throughout the city are responsible for any costs to repair infrastructure like water or sewer lines that run on their property.

Councillor Dylan Bressey said there are numerous cases where the city has been asked to step in and hasn’t done so.

“I think that one of the things you take into account when you purchase a property is how it was built and how well it has been maintained and that is reflected in the purchase price. I think that is why there is a lower purchase price for a condo than a similar sized-house,” Bressey said referring to standards for roads. “While I appreciate the issues that Creekside is having, I don’t think that it is in the taxpayers ability to (deal with issues on private property).”