Here is the official text of the city council action, emailed to us March 17 by David Blackmore, head of the Building Dept:
"Council considered a request by the Outer Battery Neighbourhood Association that the City place a immediate moratorium on major construction and demolition orders in the Outer Battery, pending completion of the Jokinen inventory study, the deadline date being set at June 15, 2011.
Council directed that given the safety hazard associated with the Critch Shed properties, Jokinen Associates be asked to proceed with a review of the Critch’s shed property immediately, and that a report be provided within two weeks, following which the properties would be demolished.
With respect to the general request, Council approved the moratorium on major construction and further demolition pending the completion of the report in July."
We emailed Councillor O'Leary to clarify that it is a moratorium on major city construction, not on house repairs and that kind of construction.
Update on the 2-week period for the Critch structures: OBNA has commissioned Eric Jokinen to fly down from Quebec next weekend to do the review the city wants in time for the March 31 deadline.
Further update: Jokinen Associates completed a review by Council's 2-week deadline. They recommended a design to stabilise the structure so renovations could be carried out later, should the owner want to do that. They consulted with the city Bldg Dept who would accept the stabilisation design if that is the owners desire.