The longtime owner of several acres of land along the bayshore, across from 2nd Dug Hill Road near Carrying Place, disputes what tenants advocacy group Hands Off Our Homes Quinte West has stated about plans for his property.
Dr. Donald Cooke tells Quinte News there are 11 buildings on the land, several of them several decades old and very small. Three of the cottage-like structures have been vacant for a long time and are run down.
(Photo: Quinte News)
Hands Off Our Homes Quinte West, who have been protesting so-called renovictions of some of the tenants at an apartment complex on Hamilton Road at Sidney Street in Trenton, have taken up the cause of renters on Cooke’s property saying eviction notices pending demolition have been given to tenants living in six homes there.
The organization claims the primary motive of the notices is profit from the sale of valuable waterfront property.
“About the statement that six eviction notices have been handed out, that is completely inaccurate,” says Dr. Cooke. One tenant has been given a notice pending demolition as part of the sale of part of the property. That tenant has been offered compensation ($4,000) to help with the transition to another home. This was no secret. It’s been known for some time. It’s very possible a new property owner won’t be so kind as to offer any compensation to the person. We’re being framed as the bad guys.”
Cooke says another tenant has been asked to move and has known the land he resides on was to be sold more than two years ago. Compensation has also been offered to that person.
Cooke adds that no other notices or warnings have been issued but three vacant dilapidated cottages will be demolished.
He has been before the City of Quinte West and its planning department and the property has received approval for a site plan for future development and is on the books as being severed into several lots for future development.
“This is a difficult situation, but tenants have known for some time that things were going to change over time. We’ve been patient and reasonable. We’re not pushing anyone. Development on the property is not imminent but it is inevitable.”
“Look, we’re an elderly couple with family living elsewhere and we, just like anyone else, want to tidy up our lives before we die.”
One couple, who own their house but lease the land from Cooke and are weighing their options, told Quinte News that it was a tough situation for everyone involved. They say it’s going to be difficult, if not impossible, for tenants to find housing elsewhere they can afford, adding the affordable housing crisis is not going to be solved anytime in the near future.
However, they confirmed everyone living on the property realized changes were coming and have for some time.
The man said, “Don has been patient and fair. It’s his property and he’s just doing what a lot of people do who own good sized chunks of property, they sever off lots to sell and it makes a lot of sense for older people to do that. That’s life.”
(Photo: Quinte News)
