navci
08-02-2006, 12:14 AM
So. I live in an apartment building in the Vancouver West End. In the heart of the downtown, this is where the "gay area" is. Usually in apartment buildings, you have building managers, who take care of the places keep it clean, keep it quiet and you know, all these shizzles.
Tonight around 21, the fire alarm went off. Bro and I collected our keys, wallet, put on decent pants, he took his DS, and went downstairs to the designated area of meeting. The alarm is deafeningly loud, for good reason I guess. Lots of people are already down there, trying to figure out what's going on. Lots of people also just peek from the windows, (those people would prolly die in a real fire) eventually most of the building evacuated. Our building managers, however, are not around.
We waited for a bit, some people were trying to reach the building managers on their emergency cellphone. No answer. The owner's cellphone, well, no answer. (more about her later) We waited patiently for the fire fighters to arrive. Firehall is just a couple block down the street.
Two trucks arrived. With two teams of about 5, or 6 men each. (West End is one of the most densely populated area in Vancouver) They came in, and couldn't find where the fire alarm panel is, you know, the one that tells you which alarm was pulled off so they can quickly locate the fire. Couldn't find it. So they went floor to floor to check for fire. There wasn't one. That's good, however, not knowing where the panel is meaning that they can't turn the alarm off. They were sorry to leave us like that, but after telling us it is safe to return to the building, left the charge for violation, they left.
Lots of people were talking at this point. You know, this doesn't inspire confidence. In case of a real emergency, your manager is nowhere to be found. Fire cannot be located quickly, and hence put out quickly. No one can tell the fire fighters anything to help them with saving anyone. I can understand taking time off, you can't work 24 hours a day, but this is what is classified as emergency, and that is when you pick up the cellphone and make sure the building hasn't collapsed.
Now that being a good event to get just about everyone's complaints out. Two weeks ago-ish, our door got knocked on around midnight because my brother and I were talking, we were told to keep it down. I was slightly annoyed by the fact that we are apparently not allowed to talk anymore inside our apartment but thought oh well maybe we were loud. Apparently, the male manager (they are a couple) walks around the hallway, in the lobby, everynight from 22.30 to.. god knows when to check on whether or not people are making loud noises. While I appreciate the quiet environment, I don't like the prospect of having some random old dude hanging around my hallway at random times listening to what we do in our private space. What is this, boarding school?
He also apparently go yell at people at the sidewalk, er, I thought sidewalk is public space? As I mentioned earlier, this is the gay area, there are several free gay publications like free papers on what's happening and such in our lobby for everyone to read. Those paper are trashed, they are trying to boot everyone who is Asian, and gay out of the building if they don't wanna sign a year lease. ... What is this? How is any of these legal?
Complaints have been made to the building's owner about these behaviours. Unfortunately the owner doesn't really care shit about anything. She said to one person who called to complain "screw you" and hung up on him. Apparently, she is just inheriting her dad's estates and really don't give a crap. Just to mention also, being the hip area, they have no trouble renting out the suites. So, instead of raising the rent to existing tenants, they try to boot people out so they can just rent the suite out in a higher price to new comers. Again, how is any of these legal? I really wish I know.
Now that so many people have hang around together and talked about our frustrations with these people. We are most likely gonna get together to take some legal action. Afterall, we do pay money for this, and they have no right to do any of this to us. During the whole fire alarm thing we managed to get a hold of the old managers of the building, which are much cooler people. They told us right away where the fire panel is, but having no capability to open the door to it; well I guess at least they were around when needed.
Ya know, shouldn't fire panels be in an easily seen place rather than some hidden phone rooms? Damn that inferno alarm is still ringing.
The managers finally came back after most of us were shivering outside for about an hour. They were unimpressed with the charge from the fire department and said how they were just around the corner having coffee. Well, we have no idea now do we? You could have left a note, or maybe answer that emergency cellphone. Instead of looking at us like we were to blame.
Dammit. I am pretty pissed off. And if I am being incoherent, that is because that ringing is hammering into my head.
Tonight around 21, the fire alarm went off. Bro and I collected our keys, wallet, put on decent pants, he took his DS, and went downstairs to the designated area of meeting. The alarm is deafeningly loud, for good reason I guess. Lots of people are already down there, trying to figure out what's going on. Lots of people also just peek from the windows, (those people would prolly die in a real fire) eventually most of the building evacuated. Our building managers, however, are not around.
We waited for a bit, some people were trying to reach the building managers on their emergency cellphone. No answer. The owner's cellphone, well, no answer. (more about her later) We waited patiently for the fire fighters to arrive. Firehall is just a couple block down the street.
Two trucks arrived. With two teams of about 5, or 6 men each. (West End is one of the most densely populated area in Vancouver) They came in, and couldn't find where the fire alarm panel is, you know, the one that tells you which alarm was pulled off so they can quickly locate the fire. Couldn't find it. So they went floor to floor to check for fire. There wasn't one. That's good, however, not knowing where the panel is meaning that they can't turn the alarm off. They were sorry to leave us like that, but after telling us it is safe to return to the building, left the charge for violation, they left.
Lots of people were talking at this point. You know, this doesn't inspire confidence. In case of a real emergency, your manager is nowhere to be found. Fire cannot be located quickly, and hence put out quickly. No one can tell the fire fighters anything to help them with saving anyone. I can understand taking time off, you can't work 24 hours a day, but this is what is classified as emergency, and that is when you pick up the cellphone and make sure the building hasn't collapsed.
Now that being a good event to get just about everyone's complaints out. Two weeks ago-ish, our door got knocked on around midnight because my brother and I were talking, we were told to keep it down. I was slightly annoyed by the fact that we are apparently not allowed to talk anymore inside our apartment but thought oh well maybe we were loud. Apparently, the male manager (they are a couple) walks around the hallway, in the lobby, everynight from 22.30 to.. god knows when to check on whether or not people are making loud noises. While I appreciate the quiet environment, I don't like the prospect of having some random old dude hanging around my hallway at random times listening to what we do in our private space. What is this, boarding school?
He also apparently go yell at people at the sidewalk, er, I thought sidewalk is public space? As I mentioned earlier, this is the gay area, there are several free gay publications like free papers on what's happening and such in our lobby for everyone to read. Those paper are trashed, they are trying to boot everyone who is Asian, and gay out of the building if they don't wanna sign a year lease. ... What is this? How is any of these legal?
Complaints have been made to the building's owner about these behaviours. Unfortunately the owner doesn't really care shit about anything. She said to one person who called to complain "screw you" and hung up on him. Apparently, she is just inheriting her dad's estates and really don't give a crap. Just to mention also, being the hip area, they have no trouble renting out the suites. So, instead of raising the rent to existing tenants, they try to boot people out so they can just rent the suite out in a higher price to new comers. Again, how is any of these legal? I really wish I know.
Now that so many people have hang around together and talked about our frustrations with these people. We are most likely gonna get together to take some legal action. Afterall, we do pay money for this, and they have no right to do any of this to us. During the whole fire alarm thing we managed to get a hold of the old managers of the building, which are much cooler people. They told us right away where the fire panel is, but having no capability to open the door to it; well I guess at least they were around when needed.
Ya know, shouldn't fire panels be in an easily seen place rather than some hidden phone rooms? Damn that inferno alarm is still ringing.
The managers finally came back after most of us were shivering outside for about an hour. They were unimpressed with the charge from the fire department and said how they were just around the corner having coffee. Well, we have no idea now do we? You could have left a note, or maybe answer that emergency cellphone. Instead of looking at us like we were to blame.
Dammit. I am pretty pissed off. And if I am being incoherent, that is because that ringing is hammering into my head.