Home’s tumultuous moving journey comes to an end

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This article was published 23/08/2021 (1221 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE lengthy journey of a large display home has now come to an end, after it sparked the destruction of almost two dozen Charleswood trees, collided with a provincial road sign and saw its image plastered across social media.

The province said the home was moved along Highway 44 near Lockport on Thursday just before reaching its undisclosed final destination.

“(The) Aug. 19 trip was the final one for this move,” a provincial spokesperson confirmed in an emailed statement.

The end of the apparently ill-fated journey has attracted plenty of attention. That began with backlash from Charleswood residents and municipal leaders angered by the loss of trees.

Soon after, social media posts began tracking the home’s travels. Others photoshopped the structure to artificially show it visiting additional destinations, such as British Columbia and the Panama Canal.

During what was at least the third leg of its journey this past Thursday, no damage to provincial infrastructure was reported.

The home first began its journey from Winnipeg in the early hours of Aug. 7, when a building transport company began to transfer it from a spot near the corner of Roblin Boulevard and Scotswood Drive.

The structure was reportedly too wide to clear mature trees along the Roblin median. The Winnipeg Police Service said its officers arrived to provide a previously scheduled escort around 7 a.m. and discovered 17 mature trees had been cut down. Police said officers then halted the move and arrested the vehicle’s driver, who will face a charge of mischief over $5,000.

In total, 23 Siberian elms were either removed or badly damaged, including six trees city forestry staff later determined had to be cut down.

While the city initially told the Free Press municipal street signs were also damaged on Aug. 7, spokesperson David Driedger said “further inspection” has determined that wasn’t the case.

“Twenty-five street signs were removed to accommodate the move, which were not noted in the traffic management plan that was submitted to the City of Winnipeg. City crews restored the signs to their positions thereafter,” Driedger said in an emailed statement.

On Wednesday, Aug. 11, the home was moved again, when it struck an overhead sign on the Perimeter Highway’s Wilkes Avenue overpass. Following the road sign incident, the province confirmed it will investigate the move and review the permit process that allowed it.

The moving company obtained a Manitoba Infrastructure permit for the operation but failed to confirm the Charleswood route was accessible for the oversized load, according to Winnipeg police.

City officials reviewed the plan prior to the provincial permit being granted.

The city currently expects to begin replanting the felled Charleswood trees in the spring, “pending compensation” the municipality will seek for the damages.

However, Charleswood Coun. Kevin Klein will attempt to get new trees planted sooner, possibly by devoting money from his own ward allowance.

“Trees are very precious to us… we have an obligation to take care of our city,” said Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood).

During the first leg of the move on Aug. 7, photos showed a truck bearing Kola Building Movers Ltd. information. The company has declined interview requests.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga