Joanne Francis lives in an apartment suite, but her furniture and clothing are in another.
That’s because the 66-year-old former Birchwood Terrace resident was one of 250 people forced to evacuate in May when the building was deemed unsafe and in danger of collapsing.
Francis took her medication, a few items of clothing and her mother’s ashes. Her furniture, appliances, pots and pans, other clothing and personal items are still in her old suite.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Joanne Francis in her new apartment at St James Kiwanis Manor. Francis was one of hundreds who were evacuated from the Birchwood Terrace apt building – and she is one of the majority who have found new apartment suites – but their furniture is still in a building they can’t access.
She now lives with only a borrowed bed, an ottoman, a chair, two dinner plates and some cutlery since moving from a hotel room into a new apartment suite she was able to find elsewhere in St. James on June 1.
“It’s an unfathomable position to be in,” Francis said Monday.
“We are the forgotten ones. We were told to find an apartment, and we did, and then we were dropped with any support. Others are still in hotel rooms, but we have nothing in our new apartments. Even though we have nothing to cook, clean or care for one’s person, we are not entitled to support.
“It would be nice if they could give us money to buy some clothes.”
Residents of Birchwood Terrace, at 2440 Portage Ave., were ordered to evacuate within 12 hours on May 9 after structural deterioration was found with the steel columns in the parkade under the building.
Some of the evacuees, who had no other place to stay, were put up in hotels and given $34 per day in food vouchers by the city and the Canadian Red Cross.
That help was set to expire this Saturday, but Premier Wab Kinew said last week the province will pick up the tab after that.
“No one’s going to be put out onto the street — that’s my commitment,” he said.
Former residents such as Francis won’t get their old furniture for at least a few more weeks.
A City of Winnipeg spokesman said it would be up to the company that owns the building to inform the tenants when they can move their belongings. A spokesperson for Ladco, the building’s owner, could not be reached for comment.
Francis said residents have heard nothing more about when they can retrieve their belongings since Ladco told them earlier this month that the earliest they can possibly collect small items is July 19. Larger items such as furniture might be allowed to be moved about a week later.
“That’s another month without my furniture,” Francis. “And, unless they pay for it, I won’t even be able to afford to get my stuff to my new place.”
Francis, who worked with St. James School Division students with special needs, was injured when she slipped on wet pavement at a service station about a decade ago. She has lived on disability benefits ever since.
One bit of good news stemming from the forced move, Francis said, is that the rent at her new apartment in St. James Kiwanis Village is a few hundred dollars cheaper than her old place. But, she said, she still likes her former home and the seasonal pool it came with.
“The building I was in was a good place — until it wasn’t,” Francis said. “But I’m never going to move again.”
kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Kevin Rollason
Reporter
Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press’s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.
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