VERONICA MASON is in a bind.
The place she has called home for the past 15 years is surrounded by trees, walls, palings and other houses and the only access to her home is a narrow track, which she fears will soon be blocked off.
The 42-year-old mother of seven, who lives at Henry’s Lane, the City, is pleading with the authorities to tell her where the correct access to her home is.
“I was here for 15 years. When I come here that was the track that I was using,” she said, pointing to the narrow pathway outside her home. “But they [neighbours] are claiming it is from up Henry’s Lane so I don’t know what to do.”
Three weeks ago one of her neighbours warned her that the only access to her home may be blocked off.
Mason explained that when her uncle, who lived at Henry’s Lane for several years, died, he left the house to her and when she moved in she found only one access road.
“People are telling me that the road to this house was from the top of Henry’s Lane but that is blocked off,” she said.
Her small house is sandwiched between the guard wall of Purity Bakeries on Lower Collymore Rock and several of her neighbours’ homes in the very congested area.
“My concern is that if a fire takes place, me and my children will be trapped,” she said.
So serious is the situation that she has no electricity to her home and her water supply is in jeopardy of being disconnected because her pipes are located on two neighbours’ properties.
“The waterworks people came to me and said I have to find access because one of the women said she don’t want the pipes on her land,” Mason said.
She is feeling the pressure, because after using a chemical toilet for several months, the Urban Development Commission recently installed toilet and bath facilities at her home.
She said the UDCcame to her assistance because the chemical toilet could not be cleaned because the truck could not access her home.
“I asked the people at UDCto locate the access to my house. They sent surveyors and the surveyors told me they could not find anything but that a house was on the right of way. Idon’t know the right way for me to get in or get out of here. All I want is for somewhere for me and my children to pass,” said Mason, who works sometimes one day a week.
A neighbour explained that Mason’s uncle accessed his home from the top of Henry’s Lane. However, she said another resident had planted trees and other structures along that path.
Another neighbour said there were always two access roads to Mason’s home – the one that is blocked and the one she uses.
While Chief Town Planner Mark Cummins was not available yesterday, this column will seek to ascertain from him if his department was in a position to identify the access for the Mason family.
mariabradshaw@nationnews.com
