Cornwall Ontario – CFN has learned that the Redcliff owned, Triovest managed Cornwall Square parking facility has come under investigation of the Labor Ministry after a series of complaints regarding its safety. Apparently even after other tragedies that have taken place Shopping Mall safety is still essentially self-regulated.
The Labor Ministry is responsible for Shopping malls like this because of potential for staff and security that patrol or use the parking garage.
A letter was sent to Cornwall Council earlier this week which CFN has received a copy of.
Cornwall City Council and Administration,
Please accept this correspondence as notice to the governance and administration of the City of Cornwall, that the condition of the Redcliff Realty owned Cornwall Square multi-level parking garage (including attached and adjacent pedestrian walkways), is unacceptable, and the failing structure(s) are reasonably viewed as a threat to public safety and personal property.
1. I request that the City of Cornwall take action to have vehicle and pedestrian access to the Cornwall Square multi-storied parking garage and adjacent walkways terminated immediately.
2. I further request that access to the structure(s) by any person be forbidden unless; as part of an investigation by municipal and provincial authorities; by authorized and qualified engineers; by persons approved (and safely able) to carry out remediation or demolition of the structure(s).
The urgency of the situation is plain to see; disintegration of the structure’s concrete and steel reinforcement is clearly visible, and will accelerate with seasonal freeze/thaw action and the salts and chemicals used for snow/ice control. Current activities that include installation of jack-posts and traffic obstructions, are unsatisfactory and may add to the hazard.
Provincial authorities and the general public are also being advised of this matter, and may be of encouragement to you in correcting this ‟accident waiting to happen”.
Yours sincerely,
Jim Marshall
CFN spoke with Triovest CEO Kim McInnes yesterday who promised us a call back from their spokesperson, but none has arrived as of press time.
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The troubled mall’s anchor tenant is Sears Canada that just announced another series of lay offs and there were rumors that the current No Frills store would be leaving as No Frills just launched a brand new store in the East Court Mall.
With the City granting a whopping $3.5 million dollars in perks to Smart Centres to build a massive new facility at 7th & Cumberland could the days of Cornwall Square be numbered as it’s a hot location for Waterfront view condo development?
Cornwall Square was built in 1979 destroying most of the picturesque Horowitz Park named after its first mayor Aaron Horowitz.
Back in 2012, the Cornwall Square parking structure showed signs of deterioration, with cracks, missing concrete, rust stains, and
widespread penetration of moisture into the concrete (revealed in a crazed moisture pattern on its surface).Structural reinforcement has increased continually over the following months until now there are jack-posts all along the southern edge of the structure inside and out, with additional jack-posts under the pedestrian walkways leading to the Cornwall Square shopping mall.
A reasonable person might draw the conclusion that the structure is not simply in disrepair, but is actually unsound. The reinforcement work, and barriers to protect the jack-posts, are constricting ingress and egress to the shopping mall, and threaten to become barriers to emergency vehicles and/or evacuation.
In short, it appears “an accident waiting to happen”.
Inquiries to two city departments on November 22, 2013, shone little light on the situation, except to say that the owner of the property was responsible for inspections and ensuring integrity of the structure; which seems preposterous given its status as a “public place”.
When contacted, also on November 22, 2013, the provincial Ministry of Health and Safety suggested that the Ministry of Labour would be the authority to consult. The Ministry of Labour was advised of the situation on the same day, and has assigned an engineer to investigate – starting with a visit to the site, and a meeting with representatives of the Cornwall Square owners commencing this week.
The Ministry of Labour has been front and centre in the inquiry into the collapse of the Algo Centre Mall collapse in Elliot Lake.
What do you think CFN viewers? Are the days of Cornwall Square numbered? Will the escalators stay working through the holidays and did they get that urine smell out of the elevators? You can post your comment below?
Update
PIES, Another viewer sent in some pics that they took.
Updated 18:15 PM
CFN spoke to the Ministry of Labor’s media guy Matt Blager who confirmed that there is an investigation from his department to ensure the safety of workers. He also said it is now in the hands of the City of Cornwall. Calls to CAO Norm Levac & Stephen Alexander were not returned this afternoon.
Jamie, starting to get flashbacks of Woodward & Bernstein of the Washington Post ? Due to the seriousness of this matter & the VERY OBVIOUS deteriation of this structure , immediate action by unbiased outside professional engineers, that specialize in these situations must be undertaken. Until this action is undertaken, I for one, will not be within 50 yards of that structure. That terrible unnecessary, disaster up north, last year, is still fresh in my mind !
Hello, City Hall, anybody there ?
Please take a few seconds out of your day and BUG local MP Guy “Support the Troops” Lauzon
under this freeholder story where instead of cutting a ribbon he is giving us our tax dollars back
Remember the 60’s when we took protest to the streets now my wheelchair is stuck but
THREE AFGAN VETS DIED THIS WEEK..and SF is running puff pieces
Our local SD&G troops fought over there lets keep them in our thoughts
thank you
PFN
http://www.standard-freeholder.com/2013/11/29/economic-development-cash-renewed
When No Frills leaves, the doors might as well be closed, safe or not.
The “No Frills” grocery store and “Sears” department store, are not likely to hang around much longer, and I dare say that “Shopper’s Drug Mart” will not be happy with the impending closure of the mall (after spending a bundle on expansion).
So, unless Loblaws sets up shop again at “The Square”, we can expect that the greased-palm crew at City Hall and their realtor, demolition and development friends, will soon make a play for an office/condo project, in which case Horovitz Park should at least be returned to the people of Cornwall before the City caves-in — and please, no more kickbacks for tax breaks.
No Frills is the backbone of that mall and when that closes say goodbye to the mall. Sears may not have a long life left and that is in all cities and towns since their stuff is garbage (not like what it used to be since it is all made overseas and cheaply done) and the prices are way over board. Here in Ottawa malls are coming down since it is way too expensive to keep them up and only keeping a few of the bigger malls. Individual stores are being constructed and it costs a great deal less to keep up and would be the responsibility of each store to look after its own. No more of those parkings stacked on top of one another like a deck of cards and has to be constantly repaired. That is mighty dangerous and a good thing to know so as we would not park there anymore nor go near that place at all. Cornwall is falling apart at the seams. The downtown is dying and has been for a long time now. When there is no real administration with foresight then things come apart at the seams. Enjoy your high taxes for having nothing to show for it. (Something is rotten in Denmark. William Shakespeare) and how true that is.
Dear Jamie:
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR REALLY Supporting Our Troops
and this important story. While our local MP cuts ribbons and repeating the party line
these kids need HELP instead of PR handouts by army LT General just this week
clarifying misinformation about how much the army pays out for funerals
Well General three soldiers died this week alone…
TYPICAL CYA FUBAR FROM THE GENERALS below
We are proud to be able to provide this kind of support in recognition of the service of Canada’s Veterans and the sacrifices they made on behalf of our country.
A new report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer has put our Funeral and Burial program for Veterans in the media spotlight again. Unfortunately, the recent coverage has often only repeated a number of persistent myths about what is a very important program. I would like to take this opportunity to set the facts straight.
The first myth about our Funeral and Burial program is that it is only available to “traditional Veterans” — the men and women who served during the Second World War and the Korean War. This simply is not true. Through our program, we help lay to rest all Veterans who die of a service-related disability. We call this a “matter of right,” and it applies to these Veterans whether they served in France or Korea or if they served in Bosnia or Afghanistan. We are here for all of them.
Lt.-General Walter Semianiw,
Assistant Deputy Minister,
Veterans Affairs Canada
And you wonder why I have not parked in the parking tower for the last 6 years – {always felt it was a death trap} and the traffic flow is a nightmare!
SDS please stay on topic when posting comments. I appreciate the sentiment and content, but it’s not related to the Parking Garage story is it?
I for one wouldn’t mourn the loss of the Cornwall Square, I would however miss the few great stores it houses (Furniture Village for one). Perhaps a solution for the downtown core would be to encourage the few stores within the mall to set up shop in one of the many empty store fronts along Pitt St in an attempt to keep downtown a central location for local shoppers.
Could you imagine if the City of Cornwall created a fund for small business instead of dumping $3.5 MILLION dollars to Smart Centres and most likely Walmart of all companies?
That’s one scary looking parking garage judging from the pics. I used to go in there years ago, but I wouldn’t now. Are they waiting for it to collapse before they shut it down? You’d almost have to question the sanity of anybody who still uses it.
The rent is to high so stores are leaving. The repairs are they being done? I don’t see any improvements. The escalators are not working more then they are working due to old part that need to be built for them as the escalators are so old that you can’t find the parts for them anymore.
I don’t know who is suppose to repair the parking garage. When is the work being done? I don’t see anybody working. Does anybody see any improvements since they started this summer?
Regarding the escalators somebody mentioned of course they will be not running the holiday season. Is it not like that almost every year?
Wal Mart has killed many good businesses in the US and many places do not want Wal Mart. Individual shops are the way to go just like they were back in the 50’s and 60’s era. I remember those days so very well and everything was quality and made in Canada and the US and not in China and such places. Canadians are going to be in shock when they find out about the jobs that are not going to exist later. Technology is taking over. I remember when my husband and I were walking in Long Sault at the Beach area during the fall when there was no more camping and we were talking about this very same subject and that is when we lived in Cornwall. Even the high end jobs are leaving to India and China to have things done at a fraction of the price. Canada and the US will look like the third world and it won’t be long since Cornwall is making the first steps. When people have no money then they cannot spend. All you see are old men sitting around gabbing on benches and no business. It is a good thing to take down the mall since people do not know how to maintain things properly and it costs a great deal of money to do so. Can you imagine how much money it would cost just to tear down that mall. A simple house costs an arm and a leg let alone a huge complex like that. It has been done near where I live and turning the place into individual stores and many are happy about that because we used to see needles on the floor in the washrooms from drug users and other perifinalia and gangs. This was the best thing that they did was to get rid of the mall even though we have good memories going back many years when things were good but at least I have the pictures as memories.
I am afraid to park in that parking garage.
The main point here is this…
To protect life and limb, the structure and all access to the structure must be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, pending an investigation by certified engineers, and a review of that investigation by the Province of Ontario — Nothing Less!
If No Frills decides to pull out of the Mall, I have absolutely no reason to shop at the Square!! It’s that simple!
Sent to Yasir Naqvi, Ontario Minister of Labour, through the Ontario Ministry of Labour website, 29 November 2013…
“Please advise the Minister ASAP of an “Elliot Lake Disaster” about to happen…
[see website]
http://cornwallfreenews.com/2013/11/redcliff-owned-triovest-managed-cornwall-square-parking-garage-under-investigation-by-jamie-gilcig/
I would appreciate a response before I speak to CBC and CTV network representatives.”
James Marshall
There used to be some hot chicks hanging around there when it was new in 1979 admin. Good times. The place was full of record stores and if you were clever you could get your 420 on in the stairwells with some long-haired hippy and new-wave chicks before grade 10 was over. Dudes used to skateboard in the deathtrap back then too. There was a Sneaky Pete’s restaurant to get your munch on, call in bomb pranks to get the afternoon off from school from the video games joint, and slide down the middle of the escalators (that would be handy now), and laugh at the security guards catching dudes doing their Christmas shoplifting.
.
Flash forward 35 years and the place is of little societal consequence or nominal asset value. Raze it so the bloodsuckers can put up condos, maybe give a bit of the park back and bring $ downtown to the brave stalwarts who never left Pitt Street.
.
Maybe it could be blown up at the same time as Paris Investment’s brownfield residue of that stinking old mill in tandem with the grand finale of Smiling Guy’s Canada Day Fireworks 2016 Extravaganza while a Wallenda walks a tight rope from the Seaway building to the new Knox apartments as Ron Chenier weeps into his chin dimple from a lawn chair at Dominion Slab.
Boggles the mind that it hasn’t been shut down and taped off so nobody gets killed. When a concrete building like that comes down, it happens pretty fast.
Well now I have a good reason not to go to the square. .I never liked parking in the garage for fear of being mugged (at night) There truly is not much in that mall anyways..
Jamie the Smart Centers are all the same.. There is one in Valleyfield, one just opened in Chateauguay usually the same stores, Vaudreuil or Dorion also has one..The all have the Scores, Walmart I am not sure how popular they are here but I am surprised the city approved this… well no I am not really…
Jane not only did the city approve it; but they donated $3.5M of tax dollars to it. That’s what’s wrong. Smart Centres isn’t the bad guy in this. I’m sure Mr. Goldhar and his compadres are laughing that they actually got the loot when other cities are fighting Wal-Mart Super Centres…
I would suggest that the mall which is from a different time is likely to be sold. The old Rideau Centre in Ottawa is undergoing a 350 million dollar renovation/transformation to reinvent the mall shopping experience. I just cannot fathom that it would be financially viable to inject the necessary capitol into an operation which has little to no chance of success. The Smart Centre decision really does put the final nail in the destiny of the Cornwall Square.
Personally I would like to see the green space back at this location but I doubt very much that that will happen. Kind of like a snowballs chance in hell. Sigh.
David you are right about the Rideau Centre getting quite a face lift and there is supposed to be a high end store going in there. I also read today about Sachs and some other high end store going to Toronto and I think Ottawa and other major centres but it is geared to the wealthy.
My husband’s nephew worked at Holt Renfrew for a while and that is a very high end store. I never shopped there at all since it is way over my head. My husband’s nephew used to shop at a high end store called Rodier when it was open at the Rideau Centre and they didn’t last very long. I have a shirt here that belonged to my husband’s nephew and he gave it to my husband and it is worn around the collar but the rest of it is intact and that was back in the mid 80’s. It pays to buy good clothes but I am stuck with Wally World most of the time as well as my adult children. The stuff at Sears is at the level (well almost the level) of Wal Mart. We are very frugal and only buy what is really necessary so the stores do not make all that much money off of us unless it is really needed. Spending money foolishly is just that foolish. So much gets wound up in the landfills whereas I recycle so much stuff here and I even brought expensive shoes that my husband could no longer wear to the Salvation Army lately and they are a good outfit to give to.
As I drove through it yesterday I was thinking about how much weight all that concrete would feel like when it collapsed on my vehicle…would I live?..Not what you want to think about as you pay your Sears bill…
Wow! Thank you! That is the hardest I have laughed in quite some time.
It’s unsafe and the mall qualities have just gone right down… Maybe a new stip mall or something but as for the mall now it’s bad
Why does it sound like they are blaming sears ,they do not own the parking garage they are only tenants like all the rest of the stores.The mall is responsible for the safety of the customers and staff.I don’t like what I see when I drive in there so I will be finding alternate parking for my car .I am sure the new store manager at sears is doing all she can to light a fire under the ass of who ever is in charge of the parking garage to make it right .If you think about it most of the city will probably be going out of town to shop if it closes because you don’t have the quality in the remaining stores in cornwall if they close , then where will cornwall be .It used to be Domtar and the smell that kept people away or they just moved away now it will be no place to shop which will drive them away
If this Parking Garage is to repaired properly it will be very costly ,salt damage to the Re Bar happens even down in Florida and many Resorts have experienced damage as a result and many are having a system installed that connects a low voltage electrical charge to the Re Bar that apparently works and prevents rust.
Donna,,,,, most people do realize that Sears is strickly a tenant at that mall, but as you stated some people don’t seem to understand that ? However, you appear to be putting a lot of confidence in your new Sears manager, “she is doing all she can to light a fire under the ass of who ever is in charge of the parking garage to make it right.” ! Please correct me if I error, but isn’t she the fourth (4) General Manager in a year ? I believe her “clout” & credibility is over-exaggerated & non-existent ?
Jamie, “WOW’s comment yesterday on this topic, is most deserving of being put in the “CFN GOLDEN COMMENTS HALL of FAME” is was spectacular, witty, hilarious & most of all so very true .
I’ve been roaring since I read it !
Anyway, getting back to public safety… There is no excuse for delay.
Instead of deaths, inquiries, and continued negligence by owners and municipalities the Province of Ontario could adopt the proactive and commonsense measures that already exist elsewhere.
https://www.rbq.gouv.qc.ca/en/building/technical-information/building-chapter-from-the-safety-code/multistorey-garages-maintenance-and-inspection.html
Long drawn out inquiries won’t bring back anyone’s mother or child, they only serve to excuse negligent regulators and reckless businesses — and of course, to fatten the wallets of every shyster lawyer and retired judge getting the appointment/favour to preside over the farce.
Saint John NB has its Reversing Falls. Piza in Italy has its Leaning Tower.
I’m getting a quote from a chinese manufacturer for some “collapsing parking lot” snow globes for the Seaway City.
MICHAEL CLIFTON ….should get a quote on some Mayor Bob bobble heads, maybe all the councilors as well to satisfy the serious collectors ! Maybe a 3D Benson Centre puzzle and a coffee table book of the Old Pitt Street pedestrian mall . A Special Edition ………………………..
Thanks David.
Ahh… the pedestrian mall concept. T.O.’s Yonge St. gave that a try as well back in the early 70’s. A time of great civic experimentation everywhere.
i want to say that I have very fond memories of the independent businesses that habitated Pitt St. when I was a kid back in the 60’s and 70’s. The hardware stores, clothiers, bakeries, shoe stores and used furniture stores etc were first rate. .
“I bought my first real 6-string down at the five and dime. Those were the best years of my life”
Here in Ottawa the big malls have problems with the parking garages and they are constantly working on them. This is something that you do not see in Cornwall. Look at the dilapidated homes that there are in Cornwall and it speaks for how some people are who don’t care at all. Well a lot of the same people who let their homes go are the same people who do not care who gets in as mayor as long as they collect welfare and the like. You all better be careful because Bare Ass can take the place for peanuts and turn it into another hockey rink. LOL LOL. I think that his warped brain is thinking condos instead this time. If something isn’t done about the structure then it will come down on people and there will be a tremendous law suit and even with a lawsuit you cannot bring back a lost life. Yes rents at the square are mighty expensive indeed and very few can afford them. It isn’t the responsibility of Sears and other tenants in the plaza but it is the responsibility of whoever owns the place (a corporation or whoever).
@David Oldham
I want to explain.
When I was a kid in Cornwall, playing music was the only thing in the world that I cared about.
I had the good fortune to play gigs with a number of incredibly talented young musicians in Cornwall in my teen years. World class players. And I will tell you in all humility – we rocked.
Every once in a while and only if you are incredible lucky or Irish, you become acquainted with someone who simply “gets it”. Keep rocking Michael, don’t ever stop !
Me smells another government inquiry could be just around the corner they could template from the the Algo Centre Mall collapse in Elliot Lake at least that could save the tax payers some money !
@Admin…do you know if Smart Centres would have developed this property without the property tax incentive? As is stands now, the city is collecting $50k/yr from the vacant site. They estimate the revenue generated, after the discounts are used up, is to be in the vicinity of $1.6 million per year. Essentially, the discount is costing the taxpayers $0 because we’re not getting any value now. Maybe the headlines should read “Cornwall gets deal done! Super Centres to generate millions in added tax revenue!”. The difference between the tax incentive and your suggestion of creating a small business grant program is that Smart Centres won’t actually cost the taxpayers a dime, and your idea will REALLY cost us $3.5 million. Where would you find the savings for that? That is if you still plan to cut taxes or leave them at 0% increase?
What is Jim Marshall’s affiliation with parking structure safety? Is this just a letter from a concerned citizen trying to shut down the structure? Is he an engineer? “At press time, no real answers were available…so we ran with it anyways”. This could be your new mission statement.
GAB what if the property was actually listed for sale? Perhaps it’d sell for more and generate more taxes as much of the land will be empty parking spaces.
Also, Cornwall chose to not have a Walmart Super Centre previously. Shouldn’t there be a public consultation prior to this development moving forward?
This whole deal reeks of backroom dealings including the giving of $3.5M to one of the richest companies on the planet.
Tax breaks to WalMart?!?
Just incredible considering it is America’s top earner, with sales of $443.9 billion last year, and well able to afford something like $24 million dollars in bribes to setup shop in Mexico (no tally yet on Brazil and India) — imagine, Mexicans get 24 million from WalMart, but Cornwall gives them 3.5 million, plus whatever we lose when WalMart vacates the Brookdale property.
And spending at WalMart, how does that balance out for Canadians? It’s a corporate vacuum sucking money out of a democracy that cares for it’s own, and pours it into the U.S. and China… one nation indiscriminately stepping on citizens halfway ’round the world by remote control, and another country less indiscriminate and not afraid to get personal and step on its own.
Bloody WalMart, basks in the protection of the most powerful nation on earth, while oiling the economy of the largest police state on earth.
And yes one suspects skullduggery with this deal in Cornwall. Domtar sold the site to North American Property Group, which left management up to Centre Corp, which had Connestoga Rovers dump the poison from the property onto Big Ben, a dump which is licenced to Domtar, which is odd since Domtar sold it earlier to PARIS Holdings, which owns DemoPlus which was hauling the Poison from our soon to be WalMart site… more later, including the property bought thanks to Saaltink’s Corp, and Kilger’s Corp.
Careful there Lassie. All comments are being monitored by our rulers. And our rulers are building really big prisons.
Hi Everbody!
Let’s get back to public safety.
Here’s a riddle…
QUESTION:
Is it necessary to be an engineer to predict the collapse of the Cornwall Square parking garage?
Considering the Engineers in Elliot Lake:
Engineer John Kadlec (made a pair of mistakes with the mall’s parking dec)
Engineer Paul Meyer (said it met Ontario Building Code standards)
Engineer Robert Wood (gave a thumbs-up to the mall’s leaky parking deck)
Engineers Gregory Saunders and Robert Wood (inspected the building 2 months before collapse)
ANSWER:
As necessary as teats on a boar
And…
To: Gimme-a-break c/o Cornwall City Hall…Here’s a wee bit o’ verse
O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie ye
To see yoursel’ as ithers see ye!
It wad frae mony a blunder free ye,
An’ foolish notion.
(with apologies to Robert Burns)
Omg, we have the frikkin best commenters on CFN 🙂 Thanks to those of you who make moderation a lot of fun on some days!
I knew that I could smell a rat (a mighty big one indeed) in all this mess. One rat sells to another rat and so on down the line. The whole thing stinks to high heaven. I knew that corruption was all involved in this deal. If someone gets killed or hurt God help the owner or owners of this mall. Cornwall is loaded with corruption to the core.
Here is an excerpt from the standard Cornwall Square lease, it states clearly that it will not be held responsible for loss, injury, or damage to anyone even if they (the landlord) are negligent.
“…the Landlord and its agents shall not be liable or in any way responsible to the Tenant in respect of any loss, injury or damage suffered by the Tenant or others, however caused, including but not limited to the negligence of the Landlord, its agents or any one else for whom the Landlord is responsible.”
Who is the insurer for Cornwall Square? Who is taking legal and financial responsibility for tenants, customers, and others?
Although workers have been muzzled and told “not to talk to anyone about the state of the garage or any repairs”, you will find that they have been talking about it for quite some time.
The “Standard-Freholder” does not accept/publish comments under the Cornwall Square press release about the decaying parking structure, and neither do “OurHometown” or “TheSeeker”.
Admin: Not having a law degree, I feel that the information Lassie submitted, is relatively straight forward ! But, could you or any other reader, perhaps give a “Readers Digest” version of that statement & it’s intent ?
@ Johnny Cochran (RIP). I think it means that anyone in the parking garage when/if it collapses is sh!t out of luck.
The following comment by Mike Bedard is found under a Cornwall Square press release that is being passed off as journalism by “TheSeeker”… one presumes that his use of the word ‘professional’, refers to money having changed hands.
Mike Bedard · St. Lawrence College, Ontario
Excellent……professional coverage unlike some other Free News sites in Cornwall.
Mike’s hilarious joke easily qualifies for Reader’s Digest… “Laughter is the Best Medicine”.
Well Dang!! I thought Mike was a friend of CFN. No?
Mike’s gone really really weird this year….