National Post

Saint John to sink backyard ‘pirate ship’
A three-storey-high pirate ship constructed out of old wood, window panes and scrap metal, it has two floors and a roof, wood panels jutting out from its sides and a number of “trees” made from rubber foliage atop wood beams. Seven years in the making, Rodney McGrath’s “enchanted kingdom” is anchored in the backyard behind his Saint John home.

It’s “beautiful,” Mr. McGrath said, and it only truly comes alive in the mornings, when the sun first hits it.

Several of his neighbours on Midwood Avenue disagree. They lodged complaints with the city, saying the pirate ship is not just ugly, but a hazard. They worry it is bringing down property values on their street.

After two years of battles between Mr. McGrath and the city over the playhouse, officials will arrive at his home Wednesday with two contractors in tow. They will estimate the cost of demolition, after which the pirate ship will be torn down and Mr. McGrath billed.