A Burns Lake man is still looking for answers and a resolution to his ongoing yard problem with his next-door neighbour.
Sep Shanks first approached the Village office in 2020 to make a complaint about his neighbour's messy yard on 7th Avenue, a yard that still includes a carport that is falling apart and a vast collection of steel in varying conditions and configurations on one side, and derelict vehicles such as trucks and ATVs on the other.
Fast forward five years, and the problem is still not resolved, leaving Shanks frustrated.
"For the past five years, I have been going into the village office about every six months to complain, believing all the while that the authorities would do what is required of them," he said.
"Visits are always met with excuses [about] why nothing could be done, that the Village had their hands tied until they were given authority from the provincial government to force homeowners to comply with Village bylaws."
Shanks added that he has spoken at length over the past five years with council members, including Rob Krause, Kevin White, Ken Chalmers and Henry Wiebe, as well as, chief administrative officer Sheryl Worthing, with each of them coming to the property to see the yard for themselves.
"We discussed the issue with the property owners and asked that they comply with Village bylaws," Worthing said.
Krause was originally tasked with handling Shanks' issue in 2020, but said he is unable to comment on the issue as it is an ongoing bylaw enforcement issue.
Shanks is now going as far as putting out a public invite to the community to come by the property and view the situation for themselves, as he says that his neighbours have continued to add "junk" to their yard over the past few years.
"Imagine what you would feel if these were your neighbours and the Village that you pay [taxes in] does nothing to get them to clean up the mess," he said. "I can only imagine what newcomers to this community would think if they happened to drive past."
The Village said it is still working on the issue and is hopeful they will come to a resolution within the next month or so.
"Staff are working directly with the property owners and hope to resolve the issue this spring as weather permits," Worthing said.
