315 Front Street in Trenton.(Photo: John Spitters / Quinte News)
A $224,000 land purchase by the City of Quinte West, made with the aim of extending the waterfront trail, has caused quite a stir.
On Monday, council approved the purchase of land at 315 Front Street with the plan of demolishing the existing house that sits there, but tenants are still living in both units of the duplex.
Lynette Clark lives in one of the units with her boyfriend, seven year-old son and father who is in a wheelchair and says she has been blindsided by the decision.
Clark spoke to media outside of the council chambers and questioned the need for the city to buy the property at all.
She also added that it has been difficult for her family to find housing as is and they have been living in their unit of the home for over a year.
Mayor Jim Harrison did acknowledge that there is a housing crisis in the region and that this does take away two potential homes, but says the city will do what it can to make the process easier on the two families living in the home.
Harrison added that the landlord should have notified the tenants about the potential sale and that the city’s overall plan is to acquire as much land as possible in that area, to increase green space, but there’s no exact timeline for the process.
