Windsor condo residents say board members want their gardens 'ripped out'

It's been nine years that Susan Hlozan has had her garden at Yorktown Condominiums at Grand Marais Road W. — but now, she says the condo board wants it ripped out.

Not only is her garden affected, but her neighbours are affected too, she explained.

"I'm very distraught about it, my neighbours are crying with me. I just hope someone could help us, so they don't do this to us," said Hlozan.

According to Hlozan, the board wants to pave over the gardens with stone so the exterior of the building can have a uniform appearance.

Hlozan said the gardens have been allowed ever since the building was first established, and it was part of the reason why she had wanted to move into her unit.

Many of her neighbours are elderly people and she said they benefit from being able to keep busy by tending to their own gardens.

One of her neighbours has had one for 19 years.

Robert Pella, who lives in the complex, said the situation is "totally ridiculous."

"We pay our condo fees, so what's stopping me from having two things that I hang baskets with flowers on," he said.

The residents technically don't own the land that the gardens are planted on. However, the managing director of a volunteer agency that advocates for the interests of condo owners feel the condo board can be more reasonable.

"A condo is a group of people living together under a roof, neighbour to neighbour but it's not intended as a prison camp," said William Stratas at condoinformation.ca.

Stratas said condo owners can vote to remove board members if they are unhappy with how things are being run.

Hlozan said she was told she has days before the gardens are removed, however, she has yet to receive an official notice from the board.

"It's not right, because this is what we have to give us joy and keep us busy and healthy," said Hlozan.

Not only that, she said the flowers were planted in memory of her clients when she worked as a home care personal support worker. There are also roses planted in memory of her sister.

"It's a memorial for me, and I don't want it ripped out."

CBC News has reached out to two board members and the condo management company for comment