Susanna Freymark
Two buyback houses on Gilby Street, Casino have been knocked down.
One of the houses used to be Therese Schier’s home. They had renovated it before they knew they would be offered a buyback.
“Seeing the house reduced to a pile of rubble was a traumatic and violent end to the whole event. It’s been very hard to see the house you lived in and shared many happy memories in be destroyed.
“I felt my heart was dumped in the rubble.”
The NSW Reconstruction Authority had been helpful and communicated with compassion about the buyback process she said, but she wanted to know what happens to the rubble that was once her home.
A NSW Reconstruction Authority spokesperson said because of the construction of the Gilby Street houses was brick on concrete slab, the houses could not be relocated.
The Authority aims to relocate as many buyback homes as possible, but sometimes relocation is not possible, the spokesperson said.
“Whenever it’s not viable to relocate a property and the home is to be demolished, the RA engages contractors to undertake demolition works in line with industry standards which includes recycling materials whenever possible.”
Part of the buyback and house removal process includes allowing homeowners to salvage as much material as possible.
More than 350 homeowners have done this.
“We know that the community is keen to see these homes and their materials reused or recycled as much as possible, which is why we are continuing to engage with experts to see if there are new ways and methods which could add to the recycling activity already underway,” the Authority said.