Local boxing club in fight with company over renovations

Boxing club fights to keep building in shape As Taylor Rattray reports, a local boxing club is trying to pick itself up off the canvas after it was hit by an unexpected knockout

When Frank Fiacco moved his non-profit boxing club to a new building, it required renovations, including a new roof. So, he hired Adrenaline Roofing.

“We had our first rainfall, and we ended up with more rain in the building than we did outside of the building,” said Fiacco, founder of Lonsdale Boxing Club.

Water damaged most of the building materials to be used for renovations, which the club had to replace out-of-pocket. A roofing engineer was called in to inspect the building.

“They found a lot of deficiencies and issues with the roofing company,” said Fiacco. “(Adrenaline) tried to redo it again, the parts that were done, and as a result, still had leaks.”

CTV News obtained a copy of the engineering report, which found significant leaks in the building, but did not say what caused them. The club cut ties with Adrenaline, but between damaged material and cancelled classes, it estimates losses at more than $125,000.

“It's just very, very frustrating to have to do it twice and lose material and things like that, and to be closed down a lot longer than what we needed to be,” said Fiacco.

CTV contacted Adrenaline, and while a company representative did not wish to appear on camera, they did respond in an email. The company had a very different story, and said it took on the job to support the community, and offered “a partial donation of the replacement of the roof.”

Adrenaline admitted it also found leaking after the majority of its work was done, and it brought in its own inspectors who could not find a direct cause of the leaks. The company alleged moisture was present on several walls before its work started, and said it presented alternate solutions to remedy the situation.

Adrenaline said it has also lost thousands of dollars due to these issues and said, “to say we never showed up...is not fair and most definitely not the truth."

Now, another company, Optimum Roofing, has stepped in to finish the job at a discounted rate.

“From our end, it's tough to see,” said Optimum Roofing co-owner Brenden Owens.

“Especially getting to know Frank and knowing the community work that he does, and that it is not-for-profit.”

Owens advises that no matter what contractor you hire, make sure to get everything in writing.

“Check references, call people to make sure you take those steps to protect your investments,” he said.