Comment: The city's green line passes over apartment dwellers

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The River Run complex in Eau Claire was expropriated for the greenway.

The city claims our homes must be demolished because it is “impossible” to build the LRT Green Line. However, if the train line extends north to our homes, it may run right next to us on 2nd Street; when the city started buying land for the LRT (now with the tower), there was a vacant lot east of us; and at present there is much vacant land to our west owned by the city.

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Behind closed doors, the city has decided that our homes will be demolished and our property will become an integral part of a developer's – now waterfront – multi-tower project to the south of our homes.

The previous owner of our land wanted to build a tower, but the city decided to build 23 houses. Such a low density in our downtown property made no sense at the time. Because of the low density in this prime location, many River Run families bought their homes in anticipation of eventual redevelopment.

When the city wanted to redevelop our land, we tried to discuss redeveloping our land, but the city refused. Instead, due to geology, proximity to the river, and “right to light” laws, a tower was declared impossible on our land. After years of avoiding discussion, the city moved to acquire our property in October 2023.

Taking private property is one of the most invasive and oppressive things a government can do. As such, expropriation laws exist to protect citizens from government abuse and to seek fair compensation. As of 2020, the city told us in writing, “(it) will not be required or paid to River Run unit owners as if their units were expropriated.”

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Instead of discussing fair compensation with us as a group, the City will only have discussions based on different, alternative facts and if it can negotiate individually. Whether or not anyone in town realizes, or cares, how much damage River Run has done to families by scaring us into selling our homes through an unfair process for so long.

20 of the 23 River Run homeowners objected to the expropriation. The province launched a public inquiry and appointed an independent expert who issued a report condemning the city's actions as unfair, severe and dishonest.

The city paid $860,000 to one of the two families that agreed to sell, and about $1.3 million to the other. The city decided to pay the owners an average of $800,000 per home. That doesn't even come close to fair compensation. We can never replace what is received. Our large, downtown, waterfront townhomes have yards with mature trees, full basements, a large private yard that we use every day, and best of all, our property includes future remodeling costs.

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Starting in 2020, we made our concerns known to the city, the Green Line Board, the Green Line Committee, the Mayor, and all council members. There was no response.

In July 2023, the city was ordered to pay reasonable costs for the inquiry, but has yet to pay a single dollar. Such action is consistent with the city's decision to treat it as adversarial.

Our goal is to reduce the extent to which the city degrades quality of life. The minimum this government hopes to rise to is respect for the law.

If the city wants to settle this by forcing us to go to tribunal for fair compensation, that's its choice.

Jane Lindsay is a former condo board member and writes on behalf of the River Run Family Committee.

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