Royal Windsor Terrace without heat months after hydro vault collapse

Almost three months after a van fell into a downtown hydro vault, residents of the Royal Windsor Terrace building say they still don't have any heat in their apartments.

But as temperatures fall, they say they have a few techniques set up to cope — and say they're confident the building's management is working on the issue.

"It's been pretty tough, especially with this building known for its balconies and its windows. It's very, very tough on all of us," said Robert Williams, a resident of the building for 36 years.

"But we've been working together and getting it done."

A minivan was lifted out of a downtown Windsor hydro vault on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. The incident caused a prolonged power outage for customers in the immediate area. (Dale Molnar/CBC)

When the minivan fell through the hydro vault on Sept. 19, it caused a power outage to much of downtown at the time and that lasted days for residents.

The building's hallways and common areas including the pool, hot tub and library, are heated, said a memo to residents dated last week.

Williams says in his unit, he has windows on one entire side, and more on the second side, so it can get cold. He says keeping the blinds closed and opening the door to the hallway, which has heating, can help, and they have space heaters as well.

"Keeping as much as you can warm, when it's warm," Williams said. "We've been very lucky that way, but the coldest nights are very cold if you have windows."

Commercial tenants on the building's first and second floors have heat, said Misty Sergi, who owns The Gifting Tree.

"I really feel sorry for everyone upstairs," Sergi said.

Cameron Breshamer says he personally hasn't had too tough a time without heat.

"I actually do have a space heater in my room. I find that as long as my room is warm enough and I can sleep comfortably, just put on a couple extra layers when you wake up and you can get through the day just fine," he said.

"It's not easy sometimes, but we're all just waiting patiently. I know that everybody that's working for the building is doing everything that they can."

The Royal Windsor Terrace building. Many residents are still without heat after the collapse of the building's hydro vault in September. (Michael Evans/CBC)

The building management's memo said a temporary transformer will be installed and hooked up to the Enwin grid, pending a stamp of approval from the utility company.

CBC is pursuing comment from the building's management.

In a statement, Enwin said the company was "working closely with Royal Windsor Terrace on electricity supply solutions."

Both residents and Sergi commended the building's management for their work on getting the heating restored.

"The management has done their duty, done the best that they can given the circumstances. And I think we're OK," Williams said.

"We'll be happier than pigs in poop as soon as the heat comes on through the heaters."