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CBC
a day ago
- Business
- CBC
South end arts and community building should have been saved, groups say
Social Sharing With a large community space in Saint John's south end on its way to becoming 25 apartments, non-profit groups are angry at the loss of a cultural centre in a city with so few. Julie Whitenect, the executive director of ArtsLink NB, said the groups were shocked to learn last October that the old theatre building that housed several community organizations, including hers, was being sold. ArtsLink, a non-profit that promotes arts in the province, with given only 30 days to vacate. Had they known sooner, Whitenect said, community groups and their members would have tried to save it. WATCH | 'We don't have anywhere else children's theatre can be done," says non-profit head: "It is possible that we could have helped, either through a purchase of the space or through financial planning with [the owner] or helping to raise money in the community," Whitenect said. InterAction School for Performing Arts bought the building, at Germain and Queen streets in the Trinity Royal Heritage Conservation Area, in 2013. The former church became a space for several community organizations, including InterAction, Chroma NB, ArtsLink NB, and a studio called Monopolized Records. The school sold the building to B.C. architect Bruce Wilkin last October for $150,000, about a quarter of its assessed value. Earier this month, city councillors approved first and second reading for Wilkin's application to rezone the site to allow residential use. The application needs a third reading before being fully approved. "If you wanted somewhere to host your own workshop, get married there, practise your dance performance — those kinds of spaces for the arts community to connect with each other and the public are very important," Whitenect said. "It's quite unfortunate that we no longer have that." She said the sale of the building takes a multifaceted cultural space away from a city already lacking in an "ecosystem" that supports and cultivates the arts. "We don't have as many large institutions in Saint John, and we don't have large arts educational institutes based here either," Whitenect said. This makes it difficult for the city to compete with Moncton, which has the Aberdeen Cultural Centre, or Fredericton, with the Charlotte Street Art Centre, she said. Both buildings have studios and rental spaces for other non-profits. The Saint John space is currently occupied by Choma NB, a non-profit that provides support and programs for 2SLGBTQ+ residents, and by InterAction., whose programming in a variety of performing arts is aimed at children and youth. Both will be vacating by the end of the month. ArtsLink left after learning of the building's sale and is now on Prince William Street. Space should have been protected, Chroma says Hadeel Ibrahim, Chroma NB's executive director, said the city should have stepped in to save the building's zoning as a "neighbourhood community facility." "We don't have a lot of space that is fully designated by the city and protected as community space … it's a big loss to have that protection possibly removed," she said. At the meeting where council showed support for the new development, Wilkin said his zoning application included "community resources" as an exception to allow Chroma NB and InterAction continued use. But Ibrahim said this would have required her organization to move to another floor, into a space too small for the group's school lunch program for 2SLGBTQ+ youth, which serves about 20 people a day. Being on the third floor, Ibrahim said, would also have made the organization's office inaccessible. Both groups decided to leave. The City of Saint John and Wilkin declined to comment on the application. Ibrahim said she is hoping to fill some of the void left by the loss of the theatre building with Chroma's new space on Carmarthen Street, which will have enough room for programming and for other groups that need event or program space. But the small group can't meet the extensive needs of the community, Ibrahim said, and will be taking on higher rent and liability by opening the space up to other organizations that need it. "For us, it is worth it to take on slightly more risk to have some community space that people can use for programming and services," she said. Chroma's new space will also be in the city's south end, which Ibrahim said is important. The south end is one of Saint John's five "priority neighbourhoods" for its higher rates of poverty than other parts of the city. Only two councillors, Brent Harris ad Gary Sullivan, voted against Wilkin's zoning application, saying the community space was a loss and could have been saved. Coun. Joanna Killen, who favoured the rezoning the property to urban centre residential, praised Wilkin for rehabilitating the building. She said the city has other opportunities on the horizon and referred to the Saint John Theatre Company's courthouse project. InterAction representatives were not available for an interview. Sara Wilson, the president of the school's board, said in a statement that the group will reveal a new location later in June.. "While we say goodbye to our former space, we know that a building doesn't define us," she said in the statement. "Our passion, creativity, and commitment to children's theatre will carry us forward." Wilson said current board members joined in the spring and were not involved in the sale of the building.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Dad, The House Is Underwater' — Florida Family's $3,500 Costco Fridge Turns Into $700,000 Nightmare: 'They Drop the Ball, I Foot The Bill'
A Florida family thought they were upgrading their kitchen. Instead, they say they got a disaster — one that soaked their home, drained their finances, and may soon head to court. According to WJXT-TV's News4JAX in Jacksonville, Saint. John's resident Bradley Byrd and his family purchased a $3,500 KitchenAid refrigerator from Costco in December. The fridge was delivered and installed by a third-party company contracted by the warehouse-club chain — but just six hours later, Byrd got a FaceTime call from his daughter that stopped him cold. "Dad, the house is underwater," she told him. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: . Byrd rushed home to find water flooding the floors. Video footage he later shared shows the damage: soaked carpets, standing water, and furniture floating. The family says the refrigerator's water line had been installed incorrectly — a critical error that allegedly caused the line to rupture after being pinched beneath the fridge's wheels. "They allowed the refrigerator's wheels to sit on a line, which caused a crack that grew larger and larger," Byrd told News4JAX. The result? Mold, structural damage, and a $700,000 headache, according to a public adjuster's estimate. The family was forced to evacuate their home just before Christmas and spent months living in an Airbnb. They've since returned, but Byrd says their home is still partially unlivable — with no working kitchen or bathroom, and lawn chairs and folding tables standing in for real furniture. "We purchased these lovely tables to prepare food on and to eat at," Byrd said, with dry irony. So far, Byrd estimates he's spent around $300,000 out-of-pocket on remediation, storage, testing, and repairs. While Costco has provided $38,000 for temporary living expenses and — according to Byrd — offered $175,000 toward damages, the family has not accepted the settlement. Legal action is now on the table. Trending: Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal:. News4JAX reports that its team reached out to Costco multiple times via phone, email, and social media. As of publication, the company had not responded. The contractor responsible for delivery and installation, RXO Last Mile, declined to comment, reportedly stating that the issue is not its to resolve "They drop the ball and are hoping that I foot the bill with my life savings for their bottom line," Byrd told News4JAX. He's now documenting the ordeal publicly on and even paid for local billboards to raise awareness. His site includes a detailed cost breakdown, showing the scope of the damage and his mounting expenses, which include: $360,000 in estimated damage to the home $76,000 in personal property losses $78,000 in alternative housing expenses $117,000 for mitigation, moving, and storage $72,000 in professional services and legal preparation At the center of the story is a growing concern many homeowners may not think about: who's responsible when a third-party contractor makes a mistake? Costco contracts out appliance installations to outside vendors — in this case, RXO — and the legal responsibility for any errors may ultimately depend on what's proven in court. While Costco did provide some assistance, the Byrds say it's not nearly enough. As of now, no lawsuit has been filed, but Byrd told News4JAX, "I think that, unfortunately, is the next step."This case has raised questions about what recourse homeowners have when something goes wrong with a professional installation. In many cases, appliance damage caused by poor installation may not be fully covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy — especially if the damage is considered preventable or due to contractor error. Some experts suggest: Always photograph the installation as it happens Check water lines and electrical connections before accepting delivery Request the installer's credentials and inquire whether the work is bonded or insured Consider supplemental liability insurance or home warranties that cover third-party work As for the Byrds, they're still hoping for resolution — and a return to normal life. Until then, their kitchen remains unfinished, their bathroom nonfunctional, and their story a cautionary tale for anyone who assumes a fridge upgrade is as simple as plug-and-play. Read Next: The average American couple has saved this much money for retirement —? Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article 'Dad, The House Is Underwater' — Florida Family's $3,500 Costco Fridge Turns Into $700,000 Nightmare: 'They Drop the Ball, I Foot The Bill' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Greer fire animal victims: Where residents can take horses, livestock and other animals
People with animals affected by the Greer fire, which has burned 16,000 acres in eastern Arizona, were able to bring their pets, horses, and livestock to designated shelters set up to meet their needs. Good Dog Rez-Q and Equine WellBeing Rescue established an evacuation site at the Apache County Fairgrounds in St. Johns, offering refuge for horses, livestock, cats, and dogs. Christine Griffin from the Equine WellBeing Rescue said they needed all the help they could get as the fire expands by thousands of acres each day. "There is no set schedule, people can go when they have time," Griffin said of potential volunteers. Based in Snowflake, Griffin drew on her experience coordinating care for horses and livestock, but the scale of the fire demanded support from everyone available. She asked evacuees arriving at the fairgrounds to follow the "shelter" signs, park their vehicles, and notify staff of their arrival. The fairgrounds were located at 825 West 4th N in Saint Johns. Equine WellBeing Rescue could be reached directly by text or phone at 760-703-4860. Good Dog Rez-Q, a local animal rescue led by Angela Gatchell, was working in coordination with Equine WellBeing Rescue. Sandy Faison worked alongside the rest of Good Dog Rez-Q and noted the volatility of the situation. She and other rescue personnel cared for hundreds of animals, made up of about 100 dogs, and many cats, chickens, goats, and livestock. "If we get more weather, that number could double," said Faison. Residents with animals in need of shelter could get in touch with Sandy at 907-978-0466. Both of the organizations accepted donations, with Good Dog Rez-Q accepting through gooddogrezq@ and Equine WellBeing The evacuation site had just received over 100 bales of hay, medical and health care supplies to help support the animals, including a nebulizer to help with equines with smoke inhalation issues, Griffin said. Faison said that any donations of animal food or supplies at the fairgrounds would be a tremendous help, noting a particular need for puppy chow to care for the youngest animal evacuees. Griffin emphasized the importance of supporting her community, especially given all they've endured during past wildfires. "We have been through other fires and know how difficult they are on those evacuated," Griffin said. Reach reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@ Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Here's where residents with animals can go to shelter from Greer fire
