Hotel ordered to restore tenants' heat, hot water
Brenda Dyck warms her hands now that heat has been restored to her Arlington Hotel room Friday.
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A public health inspector intervened Friday to get the heat and hot water turned back on for tenants at the Arlington Hotel.
Tenants said they have lived in the cold for three days this week.
Bob Pearce, spokesman with David Thompson Health Region, said the gas company co-operated fully with the inspector to get the gas utility turned back on to the building.
No explanation has been given about why the gas was turned off.
“As we speak, an order is being written by the public health inspector that will compel gas to be turned on again. That will be done and it will be done before the weekend,” Pearce said late Friday afternoon.
DTHR doesn’t get involved in disputes between landlords and utility companies, but it was a matter of safety for tenants, he said.
“It’s a terrible situation for residents to be in and they certainly deserve to have a safe and secure environment.”
“People are entitled to sanitary conditions.”
Tenant Brenda Dyck, who has lived at the Arlington for almost three years, said it wasn’t the first time there’s been no heat or hot water in the hotel.
Dyck, who manages Dot’s Discount Designer Wear, said she’s had to wash at the store and her husband has gone to a friend’s house to shower.
“I won’t put up with this anymore. I can’t afford to get sick,” Dyck said on Friday before the gas was turned back on.
Another resident Steve, who did not want to use his last name, said earlier this month tenants were without heat and hot water for five days straight.
“There’s no warnings. They don’t say anything about anything,” he said about management.
“Let me know. I can make other arrangements.”
There are about 30 rooms in the hotel and 23 of them require tenants to share washroom facilities.
The Advocate’s attempts to make contact with the owner of the Arlington were unsuccessful.
Contact Susan Zielinski at szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
