The phrase “slipping market” took on an entirely new meaning in Edmonton last fall when one luxury home literally slid down the slope of the North Saskatchewan River. Two other homes nearby have since been demolished and four others remain vacant, fenced off with hazard markers. The homeowners are now suing the city, as well as the estate of the land developer, the late Eric Douglass. In its statement of defence, filed in August, Edmonton says owners ignored its warnings as well as the recommendations of a geotechnical engineer about the dangers of building on the riverbank. Meanwhile, homeowners across the street where the three destroyed houses once stood, now have their first unobstructed view across the river gorge.
Photo: Kathy Bevan
