A First

This is a lengthy blog because the house is near mine, only 4 houses away, and as far as I know it is the first house on this side of the 4000 block of West 31st Avenue to be demolished. A tribute to the neighbourhood conviviality of this block is that many of the 1 and 1.5 storey houses on this side (developed in 1938) have been renovated, some extensively, by the resident owners because they enjoy living here. One resident recently told me, "This is the best block that I've ever lived on." Each year on July 1, the street is decked out with Canadian flags for the annual block party. Two families still living on the block owned this small 2 bedroom home as their "starter" home.

Let's remember the distinctive little round red window.

The house was put up for sale in September 2010. Surveyors arrived in late March 2011. In early May the stakes were sunk. On July 9, protective fencing was put around the boulevard tree. On July 18 the excavator arrived.

A very tall and badly-topped cedar tree growing next to the lane was cut down in preparation for the demolition, a good thing in this case as the core was quite rotted.

Scenes from the demolition, photos from the front and the rear taken by my husband and me:

Path to destruction?

View from the side:
Not a calm view from the neighbour's Zen garden: