The future remains uncertain for residents at the North Bay Trailer Park but at least for now they don't have to be concerned with moving. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Trailer park issues

Trailer Court sold, remaining residents left holding their breath

Jul 17, 2019 | 12:01 PM

The remaining residents at the North Bay Trailer Court have received welcome news, less than two weeks before a scheduled eviction.

They were informed the trailer park was sold and the eviction notices are essentially now null and void via letter earlier this week. paNOW obtained a copy of the letter which states the purchaser is a local group, and is committed to the wellbeing of families in the community.

“They understand the current tenants are looking to stay in their homes and are working to do what is required to allow this to happen. They will be working with the local government on implementing a new sewage treatment solution,” the letter said.

The name of the new owner was not disclosed in the letter.

This was the letter sent to tenants. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

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Veeda Boudreault owns one of the remaining 30 occupied trailers still on site. She told paNOW she heard the new owners take over July 26.

“So that’s when we will know what the intentions are, for now we are safe until Aug. 1,” she said.

There were as many as 65 units at the trailer park in 2017 with up to 200 residents before the concerns about the local sewer lagoon reached a serious level and the initial threat of eviction surfaced. Boudreault said the people who sold their trailers, and obtained mortgages elsewhere, lost a lot of money.

“A $55,000 trailer appraised got sold for $5,000,” she said.

Boudreault said it is her hope the new owners have good intentions for the remaining residents.

The 50-year-old facility has not been operating to modern standards for some time. Two separate extensions for a permit to operate the sewer works at the nearby lagoon were granted by the Water Security Agency (WSA), the last of which expires in September. The owner of the property, James Wankel of Westcan Property, announced last month he will close the park and disconnect services.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell