Abandoned, 'hazardous' Regina home torn down

It’s a house that community members have labeled as a hazard.

On Thursday, it met its end.

The abandoned home had caught fire five times and used needles were scattered inside and out.

White Pony Lodge, a community initiative to bring positive change to the North Central neighbourhood, filed a request last September to have the house torn down.

That became a reality.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” White Pony Lodge co-founder Shawna Oochoo said. “I’ve been filled with so much emotion to see this house actually come down because it was a huge concern for the community so to actually see that happen today, it just brings so much good feelings right now.”

She said they have received a lot of support from groups within Regina and was surprised by how quickly the process had moved along.

“I didn’t expect it to actually be demolished until later in the spring.”

Jan Morier, a board member of White Pony Lodge, said they have turned vacant lots into community gardens in the past and is hopeful this new one could be used in a similar fashion.

Oochoo said seeing this house getting torn down sends a positive message to the rest of the community.

“If you work together, you can create change and that’s exactly what North Central did and we’re just grateful White Pony Lodge was an organization to spearhead that.”