My name is Lacey LaRochelle. I have a younger brother named Cory LaRochelle and we are both members of the St’át’imc Nation. My mother Lila LaRochelle passed away in 2005. She was only 40 years old when this happened. For the last 5 years, my brother and I have been fighting to be compensated for the house she left for us at 1555 Garden Street in Lillooet BC. My brother was only 13 at the time of her passing, and was currently living in this house. My mother had left that house to us in hopes to ease some financial burdens, and for us to have security and a better life. All my brother and I had was that house, and my own small income.
In the late summer of 2011, an abundance of water began to come down the Mountainview Road slope above our house and also above our neighbour Elaine Meiklam’s house. The water slowly kept increasing and eventually turned into a roaring geyser shooting out of the hillside below the road and creating a roaring creek from Mountainview Road down to and through our and my neighbor’s house. In my brother and my house, the basement and carport were flooded more than once. My brother woke up one day to find running water coming into the basement into his room and had to frantically try and divert the water from the house. He was 19 years old at this time. The Municipal of District of Lillooet was notified more than once of the abundance of water rushing down the hillside and failed to take adequate, if any, steps to try and remedy this problem.
In October 2011 there was a 2 meter slide bringing rocks and mud roaring down the hillside. In November 2011 there was a major failure in the Mountainview Road slope, and the water had kept increasing. On December 1st 2011 my brother, Elaine, and I were evacuated from our homes, and 18 other homes in the immediate area were put on evacuation alert due to the unstable hillside directly below Mountainview road and directly above my house. There had been an emergency meeting of the District of Lillooet Council called and we were told it was not safe to be in our homes any longer and that we had to pack and leave immediately. We were told we would be home for Christmas, but eventually our houses were deemed uninhabitable by the District of Lillooet. There was mold from the water damage, and the houses were dangerously close to the unstable Mountainview slope. We were told we would never receive building permits to rebuild. We tried to get this resolved without getting legal representation but the District of Lillooet was not interested in a remediation process. In 2012, my neighbour Elaine and I filed a Civil Suit against the District of Lillooet for damages to our houses and properties. There had been an illegal diversion done on Town Creek by the District of Lillooet which we believe may have been the cause of the influx of water coming through the Mountainview Road slope and onto our properties. Regardless of this, the water was coming off of the District of Lillooet land and it destroyed my home.
I have never, not once, felt like the District of Lillooet cared about what is happening to me. I have been ignored by almost every Mayor and Council that has been elected to office. I don’t even get a hello on the street and I have never felt supported by the District of Lillooet. I have always been made to feel like I am doing something wrong for fighting for compensation for the damages to my home and property. I did not cause this situation and it is not my fault.
On the other hand there have been many community members of Lillooet itself that have been so wonderful and supportive. They have helped to give me a voice. There have been many times when I have thought about giving up this fight. I make $1700 a month before bills. The stress of having legal fees, that I have no idea how I will be able to afford, has been so much at times that I was not sure I could go forward. Thankfully I have the strength of my family and many people behind me. My Aunt, Holly Polischuk, has put in many hours of writing to media, attending meetings, and standing up to give us a voice. I couldn’t have done this without her. I will never give the fight for my home up. Not even if it takes me the rest of my life.
I have recently been informed by my Lawyer that legal fees, are approximately $47,000.00 with additional disbursements fees of $5500.00, which is $52,500.00. My neighbor and I are sharing this lawsuit so I have a responsibility for half the fees. I have started this crowd funding page by Fundrazr to try and help me raise my portion of my legal fees to keep moving this civil suit forward. I thank each and everyone one of you, even if you are not able to donate, for taking the time to listen to me and my story. It really does means more to me than you will ever know. Thank you for your compassion and kindness.
