Families of McEwen apartment building residents push city for 'concrete' post-storm action plan

Gregory Brown, who moved his 86-year-old mother to a nearby hotel, says the city needs to issue a mandatory evacuation for residents of 30 McEwen. Photo by ABYSSINIA ABEBE /Postmedia

Article content

No hydro, no water and no food — that was the reality for Olivia Allan after the Canada Day rainstorm flooded thousands of basements and roads across Ottawa.

Article content

Allan was among the hardest hit, as a resident of Park West at 30 McEwen Ave. The 24‑storey apartment building was left without electrical power, air conditioning or elevator service for days.

Article content

Article content

Ten days later, Olivia’s mother, Amy Allan, said conditions had barely improved. Fans blasted through the main lobby of the building on July 11, and one couldn’t miss the loud hum of the generators lighting the string of lights. Access to the building is restricted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for those who had moved out after the storm, and some residents went in and out on Saturday to retrieve the belongings they had left behind.

Article content

Article content

“Olivia still chose to stay and help clean up,” Amy Allan said of her daughter, who lives on the fourth floor of the building.

Article content

Olivia Allan, left, and Amy Allan pictured last summer while on a trip. Amy says going swimming together was on her bucket list. Photo by Photo provided /Amy Allan

Article content

Article content

A July 10 letter from property owner Saickley Enterprises, obtained by the Ottawa Citizen, stated that water infiltration had caused “catastrophic damage” to the building’s hydro vault, fire systems and tenants’ storage units.

Article content

The Ottawa Fire Department evacuated residents from the building late on July 1 based on priority, but most were instructed to shelter in place, according to the letter. Although the department strongly encouraged evacuation after July 1, no mandatory order was issued.

Article content

By July 3, the city “strongly encouraged” remaining residents to leave due to the extent of the damage, which would leave the building without vital services (including power and water) “for a considerable length of time.”

Article content

Fire officials returned on July 4, again urging tenants to vacate. According to the letter, residents may not be able to return before July 16, 2026, though the date is not yet official.

Article content

The scene outside of 30 McEwen on July 2. Photo by Photo provided /Amy Allan

Article content

“Once an official date has been approved by all public authorities, residents will be notified,” the letter read.

Article content

Article content

Still, the evacuation remains a recommendation. Gregory Brown said the city should issue a mandatory one.

Article content

Article content

“The City can’t evacuate some people and acknowledge the building is not fit to live in, but then not issue an evacuation order, while simultaneously ‘strongly encouraging’ people to evacuate because it is not safe to try to live in the building,” said Brown, a Carleton University professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

Article content

Brown said he moved his 86‑year‑old mother from the building into a nearby hotel.

Article content

“What if there is a fire? What if old people wandering around in the dark fall and hurt themselves, or worse?

Article content

“Residents don’t understand that they should get out, and that’s where the government steps in and keeps them safe.”

Article content

Gregory Brown, who moved his 86-year-old mother to a nearby hotel, says the city needs to issue a mandatory evacuation for residents of 30 McEwen. Photo by ABYSSINIA ABEBE /Postmedia

Article content

When asked why the city had not issued a mandatory evacuation order, Ryan Perrault, general manager, Emergency and Protective Services, stated in an email: “While 30 McEwen Avenue is a privately-owned residential building and the City did not issue a mandatory evacuation order, City staff worked closely with the property owner and residents to support evacuation and recovery efforts.