Thinking of buying your dream home? Thinking you’re going to be able to move in, lay some grass, set up a fence and settle in?
Think again.
My wife and I recently moved into the brand new Clearview Ridge in East Red Deer. We picked the lot because of its grand location within the city of Red Deer. This was our first house, having previously owned a condominium in town for the first few years of our marriage.
We found a floor plan we fell in love with, then painstakingly had to decide between Vanier Woods, South Brook, and Clearview Ridge. Our conclusion was Clearview Ridge. The reason behind this decision was because of its central, yet remote location in mid-east Red Deer. It’s small scale size was an attraction, as 67th street divided it between the road and the Nature Sanctuary. Perfect.
Fast forward until September. We started noticing dozens of holes pop up in our yard, around the perimeter of the house, around fence posts, under the deck, and under our sidewalk (causing a partial collapse). Upon investigation, we found under our deck a massive, yet unreachable mouse (or vole) nest. We have been harbouring over 40 mice (voles) in the past 14 days. The reason I say 40 is because that is approximately where I lost count after pulling that many from the traps.
Upon speaking with a neighbour across the street, I began to show her over 30 holes under her deck in the back yard. As I am showing these holes, I move the lawn mower and out comes one running from the grass and into a hole. This is only a snippet of my recent mice (vole) experiences. I’ve had them down in my window wells, under my deck, in our shed, on our deck (in the barbecue grill, yes in the barbecue as I go to fire it up for dinner), under our sidewalk (causing a partial shift), in our fence post holes, in the grass tearing up tunnels throughout the grass.
I am not alone. After speaking with over a dozen locals, we are just the tip of this massive, infested proverbial iceberg. I then begin seeing signs posted around the neighbourhood about mice, and letters in our mailbox from other frustrated homeowners.
After contacting the developer of the land we have not received any calls back. When speaking with other neighbours they began calling the developer, and my wife and I decided to do the same.
The company developed this area and should be responsible in assisting the homeowners by making sure this area is (semi) pest free, or at the very least not so infested our dogs begin falling in the holes with there paws like they have been.
The company prioritized cleaning the streets in the winter from snow, and in the summer from dirt on a regular basis to appeal to potential buyers. They should be responsible in investing a large scale mouse (vole) extermination and informing all the homeowners in Clearview Ridge.
I have lived in rural areas and know what mice (voles) are capable of, but I have never seen this sort of concentration in a new subdivision.
We have sustained massive yard damage, and have put in over 40 hours of cleaning mouse nests and trying to get rid of them. We even had exterminators come out, but unfortunately they stated it is a subdivision problem and I would be wasting my money doing just our yard.
We as homeowners need your help in informing the current and future homeowners of Clearview Ridge that the developer or the City of Red Deer needs to step up and step in, or at the very least invest in 200 mouser cats for temporary use.
Dick Martin
Red Deer