Menu

Renovations

person holding white electric plug

Ontario electrical authority warning against unlicensed work

, , ,

An organization responsible for promoting electrical safety in Ontario is highlighting an alarming new trend.

According to a new Leger survey commissioned by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), nearly 40 percent of Ontario homeowners have not confirmed if the proper permits were obtained before electrical upgrades were completed in their home.

According to the ESA, the oversight is particularly concerning.

“If you’re not checking for permits, there’s a good chance that a permit hasn’t been taken out,” says Emily Larose, the organization’s vice president of regulatory and general counsel. “You may not be using a licensed electrical contractor, which is a really risky thing for you to do.”

According to the ESA, taking short cuts on licensed electrical contractors with the proper permits often leads to shocks, fires or even fatalities and can result in costly repairs.

The organization says unlicensed electrical work is also four times more likely to have safety issues than work done by a licensed electrical contractor.

“If you’re contemplating a project or in the midst of a project then ask your contractor to give you proof that they’ve taken out a permit,” says Larose, adding the survey showed 11 per cent didn’t even know how to go about checking permits. “And when the work is completed, ask for the certificate of acceptance.”

She adds that if work had already been completed on a home, people can contact ESA and request details on previous permits to see if work was licensed or not.

One of the reasons for the high number of homeowners doing renovations (with or without proper permits) is the cost of housing prices and the uneven real estate market.

In fact, the Leger survey noted that 27 per cent of Ontario homeowners intend to renovate their current home, suggesting nearly a quarter of respondents are choosing to renovate over moving into new homes

“I’ve done a big renovation on my home (and) I know there’s a paralysis of decision-making and that it’s really expensive,” says Larose. “It’s really important in all of those decisions you’re making sure that you hire the right people.”

The ESA is a not-for-profit organization in Ontario responsible for promoting and enforcing electrical safety regulations to protect the public.

cityhall-1

Staff Applauded For Temporary Move

, , , ,

Dryden City staff are now settling into new surroundings.

Offices have been moved to the former Dryden Police Service building, allowing for renovations to take place at City Hall.

Treasurer Steve Lansdell-Roll credits staff for the move.

“We started moving early last week, and it continued into Friday. The last of the offices were moved into Friday, but even if you look on the weekend, we had some people come in on the weekend to get our printers up and running,” says Landsdell-Roll.

City staff were ready to be back to regular duties by Monday.

They are not expected to be in the building very long.

The renovations are only to take a couple of months to complete.

“Even though it’s a short-term project of two to two-and-a-half months, the efforts to clear out that space were substantial. I just want to recognize everybody and give them a pat on the back for that.”

Officials note good progress already being made on the renovations.

 

arena3-1

Big Plans For Dryden Arena

,

COVID-19 facility closures have been a blessing in disguise for staff at the Dryden Memorial Arena.

Badly needed cleaning and maintenance has been carried out well ahead of schedule.

Manager of Community Services Steve Belanger says they have also replaced the old green paint on the walls of both rinks with the Blue and Gold colours of the Dryden Eagles.

Belanger notes they are set to embark on the next phase of their renovation plan.

“Knock out all of the door frames going into the dressing rooms. So those dressing room doors, which are only 30 inch now, will be expanded to 36 inch. Make it a little easier for participants to get in and out and it brings us up to present building code.”

Belanger says this will pave the way for new flooring.

“This year we are going to be completing the walking loop area all the way around the rink, all common areas in Rink #1, the dressing room hallway, and all six dressing rooms shy of the washrooms of course because they were completed last year.”

Belanger says they also plan to stabilize the rink boards.

To hear more from Steve Belanger and plans for the Memorial Arena, visit the Audio link below.

waldhof-1

Waldhof Hall Fundraising Campaign Underway

, , ,

A fundraising campaign has been launched to restore the aging Waldhof Hall.

The original building was built in the 1920’s but was lost to a fire in 1939 and was re-constructed in 1947.

Sharon Klassen, Bev Kupper and Mary Loewen have established a committee to lead upgrade efforts and they were guests on the CKDR Morning Show today. (Monday)

The trio say some improvements are in the works.

New windows and a new back door have been purchased and will be installed soon.

A new roof has also been put on the Waldhof Hall.

Future plans include:

-Upgrade kitchen and bar area with new countertops and appliances
-Sanding and staining the floor
-Fix the ceiling by dropping it eight inches to improve acoustics
-Electrical update
-Fix the stage
-Ramp upgrades and cement pad needed to improve accessibility
-Add hand bars near toilets for people to use in washroom
-Landscaping.

Kupper says “There’s many, many things we would like to do, we just don’t have the funds. Our members now are senior. We need younger blood in and we’re hoping that maybe some people in the community will step up to the plate and give us a hand.”

An upcoming fundraiser is the “Fall Harvest Supper” on Sunday, October 6th from 4:00pm-6:00pm.

To make a donation to update the building:

-Cheque payable to the Waldholf Hall Restoration Fund. Address: Box 284 Vermilion Bay P0V 2V0
-Donations jars available at various Vermilion Bay businesses
-Go Fund Me Page coming soon.

To hear more about the history of the Waldhof Hall, some of the events held at the facility and fundraising, visit the Audio link below.