Sydney business hit with neighbour's roof — twice

A Sydney, N.S., business owner is calling on the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to do more to address vacant and derelict buildings after high winds blew part of the roof off a vacant building next door.

Salon owner calls on CBRM for more action on vacant and derelict buildings

Holly Conners · CBC News · Posted: Dec 22, 2023 4:42 PM EST | Last Updated: December 22, 2023

The building attached to the Revive salon on George Street in Sydney has sat vacant for several years. — The building attached to the Revive salon on George Street in Sydney, N.S., at right, has been vacant for several years. (Holly Conners/CBC)

A Sydney, N.S., business owner is calling on the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to do more to address vacant and derelict buildings.

In Thursday's high winds, the roof of a vacant building on George Street detached and landed on the hair salon next door, forcing the evacuation of the salon and the closure of a section of George Street until midday Friday.

"This is the second time we've had their roof kind of shift to our building," said Mike MacDonald, owner of Revive Salon. "The first time it was just a simple layer of membrane. But this one, there's more wood attached to it."

MacDonald had just put a new roof on the salon three months ago, at the cost of $150,000. He's insured, but he expects dealing with the mess will not be an easy process.

He's also lost business at his busiest time of year.

A large portion of roof from a vacant building on George Street detached in high winds and landed on the roof of the salon next door. (Mike MacDonald)

"We are back to back with clients. So we had clients last night that had to leave with colour on," he said.

MacDonald would like to see more accountability when it comes to vacant properties.

"If we have bylaws and policies in place that are supposed to enforce that these buildings are maintained and secured properly, then maybe we need to do a better job at enforcing those policies," he said.

Mike MacDonald owns Revive Hair Studio in Sydney. (Holly Conners/CBC)

The municipal councillor for the area, Eldon MacDonald, agrees that the municipality should be doing more, but says the problem is money.

"We have $120,000 that we allot to the budget to deal with tear downs," he said. "Most commercial buildings would cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars."

A man with grey hair, beard and moustache wearing a blue suit sits in front of a microphone and looks ahead with his chin on his hands. — Coun. Eldon MacDonald says he agrees the CBRM should do more to address vacant and derelict buildings, but it's doing its best with the resources available. (Tom Ayers/CBC)

CBRM recently hired another staff person to deal with derelict and unsightly premises. And it has reduced the number of derelict properties on its list from 800 to 400.

"We are making improvements. We are getting there," said MacDonald. "Would it be great if we could do it quicker? Absolutely."

The CBRM says it has requested increased funding from the province to help deal with the backlog, to no avail.

Peter Arapis owns the vacant building on George Street that lost its roof Thursday. He declined to do an interview, but said he will address the roof damage as soon as the winds die down.

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