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2-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, May 10, 2005 -M .Who's to ~I leaky rootf Police station roof to be ripped apart and examined to see if there are defects By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion A leaky Milton police station roof has proînpted questions over the years of whether it should be taxpayers or the orig- inal sub-contractor that should pay for repairs. With an upcoming root replacement or at least another major repair -looming, the question of' who's responsible is now more than ever no drop in the bucket. Leaks started after three years The Childs Drive station was bult in 1996, with Trio Rooting Systems Inc. in Etobicoke contracted to do the roof. It was just three years later that leaking was detected, said Mark Meneray, director of legal services for Halton Region. "The leaks continued to be repaired on a regular basis,' Mr. Meneray said. "Gradually it got to the point where we can't make (anymore) minor repairs. Our view la, 'Let's do it rigbt, get a new roof and move on." It won't be until the roof is ripped apart that construction experts will be able to determine whether there was a design or construction defect, he said, or whether the leaks arose from normal wear on the rouf. "From the outset we've been looking at remedies we might have. But we can't tell if someone is or isn't responsible until we get the whole thing ripped out." Mr. Meneray said. In the event that there was a design or construction flaw, the Region can look at getting "somne sort of compensation" - in other words, legal action can be taken. "Until we take it apart, we don't knosv," Mr. Meneray said. The Halton Regional Police Services Board recently authorized looking for a company to review the extent of the roof damage, and more will be known about what nceds to, be replaced and the cost once that's done. said Bob Johnson, legal coun- cil for the police service. Roof repairs costly In the past teas years. approxiiately $40O000 has becs spent on roof' repairs, although it's sot certain hossý mucb of that's due to nomial ssear and tear Mr. Johnson said. AIthouLdi discussion rcgarding %v bei c lie Mllme lies bas becs îisiy ne. taking leegil action iiht prove more e\peiîsivc tliai it's ssýortb everi il'defects are found. said Deputy Chief Mike Kingston otf Halton Regional Police. Wbat needs to be examined is the cost of trying to, recover some of the money spent on repairs -by entering lîtîgation -ver- sus the cost of simply doing it tbemselves. be explained. Trio Roofing Systems declined coin- ment. other than to say the company was under different management at the timne the police station roof was donc. Stephanie Thiesacît <un be rcached ai