Families forced to evacuate Sechelt community amid sinkholes threat
Posted February 15, 2019 2:18 pm.
Last Updated February 15, 2019 4:39 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SECHELT – Dream homes from a subdivision in Sechelt are now becoming the sites of nightmares as several sinkholes open up in the area.
Residents of the upscale neighbourhood on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast were officially barred on Friday from returning to their homes after multiple sinkholes forced the evacuation of 14 homes.
Gerry and Greg Latham have spent Friday morning packing their belongings. Gerry says they were never told about the issue.
“There were no disclosures from the real estate agents, there was no disclosure from the developer, and there was no disclosure from the district of Sechelt,” she adds. “Where we erred in my mind is we trusted, we trusted the developer and the district that they were selling a piece of property to us that had no issues and that was safe.”
The District says Concordia Seawatch Ltd. bought and sold the subdivision; the company has not commented.
The homes, with views overlooking Sechelt Inlet, are similar to others in a nearby subdivision valued at over $1 million, although the BC Assessment Authority values most of the buildings in the Seawatch subdivision at zero.
An engineering report issued to the district says future sinkholes or landslides within the subdivision could damage infrastructure or buildings, and injury or death are possible consequences.
The district has informed residents by email that fences around the subdivision will be locked Friday afternoon and only RCMP and firefighters will be permitted inside after that.
A statement issued by the district says Concordia Seawatch Ltd. designed, built and sold the subdivision, despite engineering reports as early as 2006 describing the development of sinkholes.
In a statement, the developer says it has “great concern and compassion” for the homeowners and families being forced out of their homes but noted it couldn’t comment further.
“As the developer and others are currently involved in civil litigation relating to the Seawatch Development, we are not providing further comment at this time,” read the statement from the company.
