A Glenmore resident is at her wit's end after losing sleep because of late-night work at an under-construction condo complex across the street.

Dee lives in a brand new townhouse on Cara Glen Court, just off Clifton Road, and contacted Castanet after learning that the work was slated to drag on for three nights.

“So, I’m in bed and all of a sudden I hear grinding. They are booting around on a grinder, grinding concrete because I guess they had poured concrete during the day,” she said it was at about 10 p.m. Monday and the crew didn’t wrap up until around 1 a.m.

Under the Good Neighbour Bylaw, construction work is generally allowed from 7 a.m to 9 p.m seven days a week.

Dee got in touch with bylaw service, who did come out, but then she learned the builder was granted a three-day variance permit for the concrete work.

“I’m just frustrated because if they can go until 4 a.m.--I don’t care if it's for two or three nights, however long–they can start again at 7? We don’t get to sleep. There’s no sleep, and we know what the mind does when you can’t sleep.

“I’m so exhausted, so frustrated.”

Dee adds that her boyfriend is a courier driver, and if he’s tired behind the wheel it puts him and others at risk.

She’s upset that she wasn’t notified by the city that the variance had been granted.

“I have no problem with construction. I think growth is great. However, I couldn’t have a party past 11 o’clock at night. I couldn’t get a special permit for that. How come they can keep everyone up and it’s okay?”

According to the City of Kelowna, construction companies may apply for permission to vary the time restrictions for a number of reasons, including concrete pouring and finishing. The city can grant the variance to the time restrictions if public safety or traffic considerations make it necessary or expedient, or if it’s impossible or impractical to carry out the work within the time restrictions.

Any approval of a variance permit is conditional upon prior notification of any affected neighbourhoods.

Dee says she works nights three days a week and from her townhouse the rest of the time. She claims that if she was informed ahead of time, she would have made arrangements to sleep elsewhere.

“How could you get an exception when it’s keeping people awake all night?”