Gail Doucette lives next door Sherwood Recreation Hallwhere the city discovered in 2013 that an underground steel tank was leaking fuel.

In March, the judge Terri MacPherson ordered the municipality to pay $ 533,000 in damages after learning that the fuel oil had moved to the septuagenarian’s property.

Ms Doucette said the smell made the house almost uninhabitable. He has lived in this house since the 1980s. Here he raised his children.

The stench heresaid Ms. Doucette. [Mon fils] Once Ewan came down the aisle. He said to me: “Mom, don’t say a word. I can smell it and I can taste it”. You can smell the taste of lard.

Fuel oil in bedrock

After discovering the leak, the City of Charlottetown removed hundreds of tons of contaminated soil and installed a new surface tank. However, the smell did not go away.

At the time, city employees could not determine how long the tank had been leaking or how much fuel had leaked. But they found out that the liquid had penetrated the bedrock.

Detectors were installed around, including one in the house. Ms. used them. Doucette and her family to collect evidence for the court.

There are still cluessaid Doucette’s son, Ewan Bowman. We reviewed it again in 2020. And, of course, we already have the documentation to say that there is still fuel oil on the ground. There are still hydrocarbons under the house.

Cleaning methods

The City of Charlottetown said it followed all cleanup procedures set by the provincial environment ministry. But the judge said that was not enough, because of the damage it caused.

Ms. indicated. Doucette that fuel oil prevents the growth of plants in some areas of the property. Trees planted in front and in his garden in the years after the spill eventually died.

He attempted to sell the house in 2020, but argued the fumes caused the property not to be sold.

The jury MacPherson the city was also ordered to buy the house. He has not yet done so, but Ms. Doucette of another case to be sure.

It is impossible to return it to the state in which it is located. We went through the courts. Now we just want them to pay and finish the work so we can liveMr. asked. Bowman.

more peace

The court also heard that there was still fuel oil that could not be cleaned under the basement of the recreation room. The city needs to put in ventilation to spread the smoke.

We go through it every day. Sometimes in the summer, or on certain days [quand] the wind blew, we definitely smelled somethingsaid Councilman Bob Doiron, who testified at the trial.

The City took the company and did their best. But, you know, it was a nine -year struggle to get payment for him.

Mr. Doiron suggested that the City could demolish the recreation center and replace it with a new community center located in the same parking lot.

For Ms. Doucette, his court victory was bitter.

Here is our whole life. The memories, the kids, their friends, the family. everyone is herehe mentioned.

My home is very important to me, and now, through no fault of mine, I am losing everything. I have no peace.

Based on a report by Brian Higgins, CBC