A St. John’s tenant says the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corp. (NLHC) is taking all the fun away from kids by banning pools, fire pits, trampolines and the like.
Hollie DeLacey said the last couple of summers she had a $600 above-ground pool in her backyard and put up a fence to comply with city directions.
But when it came time to renew her lease in December, there was a new clause that banned the pool and other backyard recreational equipment.
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She has lived in NLHC housing for about three years, near Blackmarsh and Jensen Camp roads.
The pool DeLacey uses in the summer is 15 feet long and 4 1/2 feet deep.
She says that a couple of years ago, she got permission from NLHC for the pool and complied with city rules requiring a locked gate and fence.
She has three children, ages 14, 10 and 4, and said she would rather have them hanging out in her backyard than going to parks, where she fears her teen, out of eyesight, might be lured to try drugs or alcohol.
“I can’t be down to the park all day, every day,” she said.
DeLacey also lamented a society that is becoming more litigious, and said she had even told the NLHC she is willing to ask her kids’ friends to sign waivers and require their parents to supervise them if visiting the pool.
“Accidents can happen anywhere, whether it’s my backyard, Bannerman Park or the Aquarena. … They are taking the fun away from children,” DeLacey said.
“Liability is a big thing. But it’s pretty sad society has come down to money.”
Because the rules have changed, DeLacey said, she is stuck with the $1,400 expense of having put up a fence and being unable to have her kids enjoy backyard activities such as the pool, a trampoline and a fire pit.
“There’s nothing for these kids to do but play in traffic,” she said.
The NLHC has a lease policy that does not permit the use of larger swimming pools, hot tubs, trampolines or fire pits on NLHC premises, the Crown agency said in an emailed statement Tuesday.
“In the interest of safety and as the landlord responsible for public housing properties throughout the province, NLHC found it necessary to implement this policy,” the statement said.
The policy came about after the NLHC conducted a jurisdictional review of other social housing policies across the country and got a legal opinion on the matter, the NLHC stated.
As well, the NLHC said it must follow the City of St. John’s bylaws and regulations regarding swimming pools and fire pits.
“As a landlord, NLHC has an obligation to keep all our properties safe for habitation, and the safety of our residents, and their guests, is a priority. These measures have been taken to mitigate, to the best of our ability, the risk of injury or loss of life,” the statement said.
The policy allows only children’s wading pools, but there must be adult supervision while in use and each pool must be emptied immediately after use.
