Poole香蕉视频直播檚 Land is shutting down.
The travellers and residents that made up the famous, controversial and longstanding 香蕉视频直播渆co-village香蕉视频直播� or 香蕉视频直播渉ippie commune香蕉视频直播� community on the outskirts of Tofino have largely dispersed. The structures they stayed and lived in are being torn down, according to Michael Poole, who owns the roughly 20-acre property.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e both the very best who are staying to help me clean up this mess, the true friends, and then there香蕉视频直播檚 the ones who just really can香蕉视频直播檛 seem yet to manage. People who just can香蕉视频直播檛 operate in the usual world and love it here,香蕉视频直播� Poole said.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 all transforming. We香蕉视频直播檙e cleaning the board for a new era to begin, whatever it is香蕉视频直播香蕉视频直播檝e been the garbage man here and I don香蕉视频直播檛 want to be in charge of anything anymore. I香蕉视频直播檝e had it. It was good, but I香蕉视频直播檓 kind of burned out on it, honestly; more than burned out.香蕉视频直播�
Poole purchased the property in 1988. What it became began to take shape about a year later as people began visiting and staying.
香蕉视频直播淭here were the really intelligent, the best travellers and university educated people that really came from good families and then there were the ones coming from totally broken situations with no education and poor working skills and all of that, so it香蕉视频直播檚 been dynamic let香蕉视频直播檚 say,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t turned into some kind of experience for people and I guess the town at first saw it as staff accommodation.香蕉视频直播�
He estimated the land hosted upward of 100 people in any given day during Tofino香蕉视频直播檚 busy summer months and perpetually carried a varied reputation, from being heralded for the desperately needed staff housing it provided, to being slammed for its loose laws and perceived illegal activity.
香蕉视频直播淲henever anybody does anything, there香蕉视频直播檚 always a bell curve of responses. Many of the people still in Tofino got their start here because there was nowhere else to get a foothold in order to get a job and to stay. Even among that group, there香蕉视频直播檚 a bunch of different responses,香蕉视频直播� he said.
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He believes it was the affordable accommodation his land offered that allowed Poole香蕉视频直播檚 Land to exist with little government intervention, despite its illegality, for over 30 years. He also said he was already itching to move on before Tofino香蕉视频直播檚 district office began handing him fines this past summer.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e thanked [Tofino香蕉视频直播檚 fire chief and manager of protective services] Brent Baker many times for giving the three fines of $1,000 each, that really got my attention. At first, I thought, 香蕉视频直播極h well, they香蕉视频直播檙e just rattling sabers because they have to,香蕉视频直播� but then I realized, no, this is real and I said 香蕉视频直播楾hank you. This is so good. Now I get to quit this crummy job cleaning up after world travellers,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 Poole said. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 fully dedicated now. I know I香蕉视频直播檝e run around the bush many times, but now it香蕉视频直播檚 time to sell the place香蕉视频直播香蕉视频直播檓 out.香蕉视频直播�
Baker has been with the district office for over three years and told the Westerly that he had not received a formal complaint about Poole香蕉视频直播檚 Land, so the complaint-driven bylaw enforcement process had not been triggered, until early 2019.
香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 respond to complaints via Facebook and those sorts of things. When people sit down and take the time to go through the process, then we absolutely follow up with our process,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淪ometimes it can be a lengthy process and we have to work our way through it, make sure that we香蕉视频直播檙e doing all our due diligence, but that was the case here and hopefully we end up with a positive outcome.香蕉视频直播�
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He said the three $1,000 fines were related to zoning infractions after an investigation determined that Poole was operating a campground illegally, though the primary focus of the Poole香蕉视频直播檚 Land crac down was centered around health and safety. He added that the Tofino Volunteer Fire Department has responded to two vehicle fires and one structure fire at the property in 2019.
香蕉视频直播淭his process has been ongoing for about a year because we set out with the goal of voluntary compliance,香蕉视频直播� he said, adding that Poole has been exemplary in his cooperation.
香蕉视频直播淓very engagement that I香蕉视频直播檝e had with Michael Poole has been very positive, very pleasant, he was very welcoming to myself or any other agencies that I brought along with me. He always greeted us as friendly as anybody you might imagine.香蕉视频直播�
Poole has looked into selling the property before and said he香蕉视频直播檚 now committed to seeing that sale through, suggesting he香蕉视频直播檚 received offers on the land for around $3 million.
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He said he plans to help the Tofino Habitat Society with crowd funding or other means to try to buy the land from him, but added that it香蕉视频直播檚 likely a developer will purchase it.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 two options, one is that our society buys it and the other is that some rich developer buys it,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲hatever happens, from now on, it will have to comply with the bylaws of Tofino, which doesn香蕉视频直播檛 really fit at all with our society and it香蕉视频直播檚 very unlikely that a rag-tag crew could pull it together. It香蕉视频直播檚 going to take some real savvy.香蕉视频直播�
He added that he is skeptical about the society香蕉视频直播檚 ability to take it on.
香蕉视频直播淚, really, very much doubt that it香蕉视频直播檚 going to go that way,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檇 say that this is ending and just going to get sold to someone typical.香蕉视频直播�
He said he香蕉视频直播檇 like to see the land used for educational purposes, particularly to test out alternative energy and living methods, rather than be developed in a traditional sense.
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e got about a month to decide finally. And, in that month, we are going to put it out that this is over and what can happen next and see if there香蕉视频直播檚 any interest out there from anywhere to do a really good job here, instead of the usual money-grubbing cement works,香蕉视频直播� he said.
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He added that if the land does go to a developer, he plans to put at least $100,000 from the sale of Poole香蕉视频直播檚 Land towards helping the society purchase an Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District lot near the West Coast landfill between Tofino and Ucluelet where, he believes, the residents who relied on Poole香蕉视频直播檚 Land will be safely distanced from public and municipal scrutiny.
香蕉视频直播淭hat, I believe, is the perfect halfway point where staff accommodation and food security meet in harmony. There香蕉视频直播檚 no neighbours out there,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat takes the whole problem of staff accommodation out of Tofino and Ucluelet香蕉视频直播t香蕉视频直播檚 large enough to be a small town of its own.香蕉视频直播�
He added though that he does not plan to be involved in the management of the potential new site.
香蕉视频直播淚 won香蕉视频直播檛 be part of all that. I香蕉视频直播檒l be a visitor like everybody else. I don香蕉视频直播檛 want to run anything. I don香蕉视频直播檛 want to own anything. I香蕉视频直播檓 going into my so called sadhu stage, which is when you divest of everything and let go of it all,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚deally, right now, it will be up to the board of directors of the Tofino Habitat Society.香蕉视频直播�
Poole noted Oct. 7 marked the 31st anniversary of Poole香蕉视频直播檚 Land and said he香蕉视频直播檚 excited to spend more time travelling.
香蕉视频直播淚 became old here. From 37 to 68 this all happened and I stopped being a traveller to become landed. Now, I香蕉视频直播檓 going back to being a traveller again,香蕉视频直播� he said, adding he plans to explore and invest in other unique communities that he finds.
香蕉视频直播淭o try and just add some good kitchens and quality food processing here and there,香蕉视频直播� he said.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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