Resentful neighbours point fingers at longtime Orillia motel owner amid safety concerns

Residents in an Orillia neighbourhood voiced their safety concerns at a heated community meeting, calling for action and pointing the finger at an allegedly negligent landlord.

More than a dozen angry and resentful residents threw accusations at Silver Swan Villa Motel's longtime owner Michael Preston, alleging he profits off drugs and misery at the Davey Drive waterfront property.

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The area is known to police for drug dealing and crime, and its neighbours claim Preston has failed to keep them safe by refusing to maintain the property or install security cameras and lighting.

"The business has taken absolutely no action to keep his property or his people safe, and as a result, we're not safe," stated Christie McAdams.

"You can walk right through there and into my yard, no problem," said Laura Woodruff.

Liz Sullivan said the White Swan Villa Motel was known in the community as the "dirty duck."

"Because he doesn't care, and he doesn't care about his neighbours. He cares about nothing but profit," Sullivan said.

Police were called to the area on Wednesday for reports of a gunshot. One man was seen passing through Stephanie Grieve's yard while her kids were playing outside.

A massive police search from the sky and ground turned up a firearm and ammunition, the OPP said.

Two men were later arrested and remain in custody.

"Everyone that is living on the street is being terrorized, and we're coming together as a community, but it really feels like Mike Preston isn't - he's not doing his job," Grieve's said.

For his part, Preston said he is open to installing new cameras, and argued only a few of his 23 tenants are problematic.

"We do have some lower-income people that have a soft heart for people that don't have a home and have a tendency to let them come in, and often it leads to no good," the motel owner said.

One of those cases involved Tracy Reid. In 2019, the 45-year-old mother of five had been evicted from the property and was found half-naked outside her boyfriend's Silver Swan Villa Motel unit.

"A landlord is responsible for a safe property, and we're looking at public nuisance bylaws, and we can put those into place, so we will make the landlord responsible and accountable for what goes on on the properties, and I think that's important," said Mayor Don MacIsaac.

Preston vowed to continue to work with the city and the police on solutions.