Poole害羞草研究所檚 Land is shutting down.
The travellers and residents that made up the famous, controversial and longstanding 害羞草研究所渆co-village害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所渉ippie commune害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e both the very best who are staying to help me clean up this mess, the true friends, and then there害羞草研究所檚 the ones who just really can害羞草研究所檛 seem yet to manage. People who just can害羞草研究所檛 operate in the usual world and love it here,害羞草研究所� Poole said.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 all transforming. We害羞草研究所檙e cleaning the board for a new era to begin, whatever it is害羞草研究所害羞草研究所檝e been the garbage man here and I don害羞草研究所檛 want to be in charge of anything anymore. I害羞草研究所檝e had it. It was good, but I害羞草研究所檓 kind of burned out on it, honestly; more than burned out.害羞草研究所�
Poole purchased the property in 1988. What it became began to take shape about a year later as people began visiting and staying.
害羞草研究所淭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害羞草研究所檚 been dynamic let害羞草研究所檚 say,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t turned into some kind of experience for people and I guess the town at first saw it as staff accommodation.害羞草研究所�
He estimated the land hosted upward of 100 people in any given day during Tofino害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淲henever anybody does anything, there害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 a bunch of different responses,害羞草研究所� he said.
READ MORE:
He believes it was the affordable accommodation his land offered that allowed Poole害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 district office began handing him fines this past summer.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e thanked [Tofino害羞草研究所檚 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, 害羞草研究所極h well, they害羞草研究所檙e just rattling sabers because they have to,害羞草研究所� but then I realized, no, this is real and I said 害羞草研究所楾hank you. This is so good. Now I get to quit this crummy job cleaning up after world travellers,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Poole said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 fully dedicated now. I know I害羞草研究所檝e run around the bush many times, but now it害羞草研究所檚 time to sell the place害羞草研究所害羞草研究所檓 out.害羞草研究所�
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害羞草研究所檚 Land, so the complaint-driven bylaw enforcement process had not been triggered, until early 2019.
害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 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,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪ometimes it can be a lengthy process and we have to work our way through it, make sure that we害羞草研究所檙e doing all our due diligence, but that was the case here and hopefully we end up with a positive outcome.害羞草研究所�
READ MORE:
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害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淭his process has been ongoing for about a year because we set out with the goal of voluntary compliance,害羞草研究所� he said, adding that Poole has been exemplary in his cooperation.
害羞草研究所淓very engagement that I害羞草研究所檝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.害羞草研究所�
Poole has looked into selling the property before and said he害羞草研究所檚 now committed to seeing that sale through, suggesting he害羞草研究所檚 received offers on the land for around $3 million.
READ MORE:
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害羞草研究所檚 likely a developer will purchase it.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 two options, one is that our society buys it and the other is that some rich developer buys it,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲hatever happens, from now on, it will have to comply with the bylaws of Tofino, which doesn害羞草研究所檛 really fit at all with our society and it害羞草研究所檚 very unlikely that a rag-tag crew could pull it together. It害羞草研究所檚 going to take some real savvy.害羞草研究所�
He added that he is skeptical about the society害羞草研究所檚 ability to take it on.
害羞草研究所淚, really, very much doubt that it害羞草研究所檚 going to go that way,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檇 say that this is ending and just going to get sold to someone typical.害羞草研究所�
He said he害羞草研究所檇 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.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝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害羞草研究所檚 any interest out there from anywhere to do a really good job here, instead of the usual money-grubbing cement works,害羞草研究所� he said.
READ MORE:
He added that if the land does go to a developer, he plans to put at least $100,000 from the sale of Poole害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 Land will be safely distanced from public and municipal scrutiny.
害羞草研究所淭hat, I believe, is the perfect halfway point where staff accommodation and food security meet in harmony. There害羞草研究所檚 no neighbours out there,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hat takes the whole problem of staff accommodation out of Tofino and Ucluelet害羞草研究所t害羞草研究所檚 large enough to be a small town of its own.害羞草研究所�
He added though that he does not plan to be involved in the management of the potential new site.
害羞草研究所淚 won害羞草研究所檛 be part of all that. I害羞草研究所檒l be a visitor like everybody else. I don害羞草研究所檛 want to run anything. I don害羞草研究所檛 want to own anything. I害羞草研究所檓 going into my so called sadhu stage, which is when you divest of everything and let go of it all,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚deally, right now, it will be up to the board of directors of the Tofino Habitat Society.害羞草研究所�
Poole noted Oct. 7 marked the 31st anniversary of Poole害羞草研究所檚 Land and said he害羞草研究所檚 excited to spend more time travelling.
害羞草研究所淚 became old here. From 37 to 68 this all happened and I stopped being a traveller to become landed. Now, I害羞草研究所檓 going back to being a traveller again,害羞草研究所� he said, adding he plans to explore and invest in other unique communities that he finds.
害羞草研究所淭o try and just add some good kitchens and quality food processing here and there,害羞草研究所� he said.
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
Like us on and follow us on
