Final hour for Pedder Bay Community

Thank you Meenakshi, Sherrilene and Anges for coming by and sharing your thoughts.

Sometimes it is important not to accept what is until we have done all that we can to address unsustainable and harmful outcomes. We did that. So many people worked very hard for a different outcome. In particular I want to thank Shanne McCaffrey and Belinda Steeves who were the other members with me on the Pedder Bay leadership team. Each of us brought different strengths together in shared leadership.

Now that we have done all that we can - I am prepared to accept that it just is:) Others will come to this place in their own time and in their own way. As we are all different and our circumstances are different. All the best. Terrill

Hi Chekmark,

Thank you for your support over the past two years as we have faced the demise of our Pedder Bay community. As much as it seems hopeless and at times as if no one cares, people do the best they can with what they know at the time.

We have received many, many emails of support. Even just with these few comments on this blog, we have received support from Miami, Delhi, Barbados, England, and Panama. I have received support from Vancouver, Victoria, and Prince George in the last few hours. Other members of the community are receiving phone calls and emails of support from their networks and in that way we are able to reach the world and act locally.

We have received active efforts by the BC New Democratic Party and official opposition to get the legislation changed. People have written countless letters to the Minister responsible and the Premier. People have come by to ask what they can do and donated hundred and now thousands of dollars to assist.

Where many fall short is making the connection between community wellness, affordable housing and laws that favour the rights of landowners and developers at the expense of manufactured homeowners. I think average ordinary people are afraid to see how they are part of what is happening. Shining a light on how we all contribute to the whole has been some of the work we are attempting to accomplished. The work of helping all people see that these losses are really about them and the health of their own communities.

For example, here is a short quote I received last night:

Last Sunday, on my way to a Symphony performance at UVIC, I saw the bright spanking new building, compliments of Bob Wright.  It made me sad that he saw fit to donate $12 million to that cause while he turned the lives of ordinary citizens (who can
least afford to be displaced), upside-down.   The powers that be
obviously agree.  It is a shame that he chose to turf a residential
community in favour of occasional playground folks who no doubt will have homes elsewhere.  This government and the judiciary need to give their collective heads a shake.  Pity!

I believe that these people “get it” and over time we will create a critical mass for change because what we are doing is not sustainable.

Thank you Chekmark for your wise words and commitment over the past two years. Terrill

Thanks again Anges! Here is another news link from yesterday…

March 1, 2009 Chek TV News video clip http://canwest.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/canwest-cheknews-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=chekmain&maven_referralObject=3750943

Insights from fellow member of the Leadership Team Shanne McCaffrey:

 Death knell (tolling of the bell) for Pedder Bay Community

The last hours, saw an excavator clawing down homes, dump trucks
binning the remains and people trying to keep the bone pickers away from their property as they tried to flee Pedder Bay.  Fires burned and moving trucks broke the backs of mobile homes that refused to leave Pedder Bay;
the sounds, sights and smells unforgettable.

The final hours were excruciating, made even more brutal by the fact that the second park that Bob Wright owns, Ladysmith Ivy Green, just received eviction notices and will be forced to get out by the end of this year. Veteran Lloyd Hooper is 93 years old and put his life on the line for the liberty of Canadians, bravery, generosity and service.  He has lived at Ivy Green for over 30 years and will leave with nothing.

Pedder Bay proved that there is a power imbalance
in the law that will always lean in favour of the landowners.  It is a law
that is ill thought out and ill conceived and no one challenges it because they
cannot afford to.  The Manufactured Home Parks Tenancy Act was
covertly and quietly changed years earlier, by the Campbell liberal government in consultation with trailer park owners.    It is a law that cannot be beaten in or out of court and will continue to harm and devastate communities.  Pedder Bay has proven that this law needs to be changed and we need to call upon our politicians and legislators and demand change so that other communities will never have to go through the devastation and harm that was leveled at Pedder Bay. An election is looming not far in the distance and this will be on the agenda.

Here is another comment received which references back to an earlier fable I wrote….

“I read your blog Terrill and I like your pictures.
I thought of an addition
to your story……the ‘badger’ finally turned into the ugly old troll he
always wanted to be……….the quail all found  courage and heart.”

Thanks for stopping by Nahnni.

And to all our readers of this post:

Our efforts in the supreme court have made it clear that the legislation offers no support for homeowners! I am hopeful that our efforts will help to change the legislation so that manufactured home owners living in parks can get far market value for their homes if the landowner chooses to change the land use.

This means voting for the NDP on May 12th because the Liberal government has refused to do anything to address this issue! The NDP have put a bill forward in the past and they have promised to change the legislation so this kind of thing will never ever happens again! So if you are a British Columbian and regardless of your political views this is one time that you can vote for a change that will make a difference.

Because at the end of the day — hand wringing, sadness and anger doesn’t save our affordable manufactured home parks nor  the equity of those who are legally asked to leave under the current legislation. If you live some place else in our global village check out what protections are available in your jurisdiction and fight and vote for change. It is the only thing that will really make a difference!