Marystown Mayor Brian Keating says residents are right in questioning property assessments that have gone up dramatically despite the fact that property values are being affected by the closure of the Canning Bridge.
The bridge was closed to traffic in the winter, effectively cutting the town in two and severing easy access for residents of Creston South to health care, banking and business services in Creston North.
(Canning Bridge: Photo via Flickr Austin Clarke)
Jackie in Creston South told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly yesterday that her property assessment doesn’t reflect the reality of what’s happening.
Her property assessment went up by $40,000 “and we haven’t done a thing,” she says. She says if she tried to sell her home today with the Canning Bridge closed, “our house value would be way lower.”
Mayor Keating says his office has received dozens of similar calls and agrees that the assessments don’t take the far-reaching impacts of the closure of the Canning Bridge into account.
Keating says the Marystown town council will be writing the provincial municipal assessment agency to explain the situation. “The property values should be dropping right now,” says Keating.
The town council has a special meeting planned for next week. Keating met with new Transportation John Abbott last night to discuss the Canning Bridge which won’t be replaced for some time yet.
