Record Staff
The Maple Pool Defence Fund received a political boost last week, with a donation from North Island MP John Duncan.
“Funds have been coming in from concerned private citizens, businesses and even North Island MP John Duncan has made a personal donation of $500 to the Maple Pool Defence Fund,” said fund spokesperson Jean Rowe. “These donations are a symbol of how the citizens, businesses and even politicians, feel toward this ludicrous standoff between Maple Pool Campground and the City of Courtenay.”
The fund was established in June of 2014 with a goal of assisting the Lin family with the legal expenses that they have incurred in the ongoing litigation with the City of Courtenay who are attempting to force their campground to close. This would force many of the 58 residents onto the streets as there is no suitable housing available.
The City of Courtenay filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Maple Pool Campground in the spring of 2011, citing zoning issues.
“This case has cost the Lins a tremendous amount of money for legal defence and has cost the City of Courtenay taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees,” said Rowe. “These are tax dollars that have been spent in the most irresponsible manner. Businesses, local builders, and others have come up with numerous proposals yet the city carried on with the court action.”
“We are thrilled that our Member of Parliament has chosen to personally contribute to this very worthwhile community effort to assist the Lins with their legal bills. Even if the lawsuit ended today and costs were awarded to the Lins they would still be out of pocket tens of thousands of dollars. Several thousand dollars have been raised to date. With a fresh new City Council we are all hopeful this standoff will end sometime soon.”
Many of the successful candidates in the 2014 civic election used the lawsuit as platforms for change, demanding that the suit be dropped, but city council has been tight-lipped on the subject ever since the Nov. 15 election.
Donations to the fund can be made at any branch of the Coastal Community Credit Union in the name of the Maple Pool Defence Fund.