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Monday, November 25, 2019

Westerly Story on Ecolodge

https://www.westerlynews.ca/news/council-questions-commercial-nature-of-tofino-botanical-gardens-student-dormitory


MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE DISTRICT OF TOFINO
COUNCIL HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2005, AT 7:30P.M.
George Patterson, Tofino Botanical Gardens, re: Dormitory Construction Project

              George Patterson presented information on the dormitory construction project for the Tofino Botanical Gardens, noting that he wanted to officially inform Council that they are moving ahead with the project.  He asked for a general letter of support.  He noted that research and education could be a significant economic sector for Tofino, but there is a lack of dormitory space.  Upon completion of the project, other institutions offering programs in the community will be able to utilize the dormitory.

              Mayor Anderson thanked Mr. Patterson for his presentation.


26 comments:

  1. In her personal profile on the ACRD website Mayor Josie indicates she is involved with three "small' tourist businesses in Tofino.

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  2. Ecolodge At Tofino Botanical Gardens
    Ecolodge at Tofino Botanical Gardens Ecolodge at Tofino Botanical Gardens Ecolodge at Tofino Botanical Gardens Ecolodge at Tofino Botanical Gardens Ecolodge at Tofino Botanical Gardens Ecolodge at Tofino Botanical Gardens Ecolodge at Tofino Botanical Gardens Ecolodge at Tofino Botanical Gardens

    home plan your trip business directory Ecolodge At Tofino Botanical Gardens
    website
    Phone

    250.725.1220
    Email

    info@tbgf.org
    Social Media

    @TBG_Canada
    @tofinobotanicalgardens
    @tofinobotanicalgardens
    Address

    1084 Pacific Rim Highway, Tofino, BC
    Get to know Tofino on a whole new level. The Ecolodge at Tofino Botanical Gardens is a 10 room bed & breakfast lodge, located in a whimsical and inspirational 12 acre rainforest garden. The Ecolodge was designed for the conscientious traveller looking for quiet, clean, affordable accommodation in Tofino, with a focus on groups, retreats, family reunions and education and learning opportunities. The Ecolodge features a large common kitchen (where you are provided with breakfast every morning), dining room and lounge, and cozy fireplace. Instead of TVs and telephones in rooms, the Ecolodge has a library well stocked with books about gardening, science, the local environment and history, Charles Darwin, as well as a handful of novels and childrens books! Most rooms have shared washrooms, with two ‘family suites’ featuring private washrooms. Rooms have a queen bed, two single beds, or four bunk beds, as well as storage space and a work desk. Linens, towels and robes are provided. Classroom facilities are also available to Ecolodge guests and other Tofino visitors for meetings, presentations, yoga classes and more. An outdoor firepit provides the opportunity for evening story telling and marshmallow roasting. All guests are encouraged to roam the 12 acre waterfront gardens, exploring the natural and cultural histories of Clayoquot Sound and take part in our educational offerings. Owned and operated by George Patterson and Josie Osborne and staffed with a knowledgeable and friendly staff, the Ecolodge provides a warm, convivial and welcoming base for your exploration of the people and places of Tofino and Clayoquot Sound.

    Additional Information
    All rates include breakfast and admission to Tofino Botanical Gardens

    Lodging Amenities

    Breakfast Included
    Fireplace
    Forest Setting
    Kitchenette
    Meeting Facilities
    Restaurant
    Wheelchair Access
    Wi-fi

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  3. https://tourismtofino.com/plan-your-trip/business-directory/ecolodge-at-tofino-botanical-gardens/

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  4. Sounds like some artful fudging going on.

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  5. In his interview with the Westerly, Mr Patterson acclaimed that "They can't impose a definition after the fact".
    At South Chesterman Beach Homes, in 2005, council did indeed "tighten up" the meaning of the term "nightly rental", fully six years after the property's original zoning.
    Mr. Patterson is wrong. Council can amend zoning regulations as they please.
    The judge in the recent SCBH vs District of Tofino, in her decision, agreed.

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  6. Oh to be a fly on the wall at the district offices

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  7. What is a student ? What is a dormitory ? What is corruption ? What is tax dodging ? We all know

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  8. Smell? What Smell? You Smell Anything?

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  9. What a load of hypocritical bullshit !
    George & Josie - master wordsmiths - playing with definitions to suite their cause. Sound familiar ? Similar to the owners at South Chesterman perhaps ?
    By student yes we are all 'students of the earth' in your gross interpretation - you know full well what student means in a commerce application - Apple gives discounts for 'students' there are 'student bus passes' etc. Don't play us as idiots.
    Give me a break - doing it for the fun of it?
    Paying your fair share of property taxes are you? Or still some sort of charity operation?
    Full on tourist accommodation plain & simple - have been since the get go.

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  10. He could sub-divide that land, and donate or sell it cheap to the affordable housing folks. He should develop a social conscience and think of others less fortunate than himself. That land would make a wonderful site for a socially funded affordable housing complex. He's got 20 acres, that could be one acre for him and 19 acres for those less advantaged. Of course, he's going to resist this idea, no one wants to give to others when it's coming out of their own pockets, but, for the same reasons that the taxpayers of Tofino should finance the transit bus, Mr Patterson should support the affordable housing concept. Perhaps his wife could use her persuasive arguments to help him see that supporting others is a good thing.

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  11. It is a 12 acre parcel . Thank you for the comment. Ralph

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  12. what i want to know is when this commercial operation let their non-profit status go?
    and how long the owners got away with not paying any tax at all on the operation?
    and how many years the property has been grossly under assessed for taxation based upon the non-profit values? or the Public zone?
    normally, in commercially zoned properties, the owner needs to submit an annual financial statement to the bc assessment authority in order to ascertain how to tax the cash flow appropriately in addition to the land and buildings.
    very big tax savings by not being a legal commercially zoned property..my my. for all of these years now.
    or how many years we have been made fools of in the name of environmental science and bogus education?
    lots of money into the owner/operators pockets while we taxpayers have ponied up the rest of the tax revenues which logically should have been paid by guess who.

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  13. You people are all so wrong about this Ecolodge business. The owners are good Christian people. They would never take advantage of the tax system. Just ask them. Don't you see it is all for the students, the children of the world. God Bless, and by the way, "I never had sexual relations with that woman"....Bill Clinton

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  14. c'mon after all of the tax savings give something back

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  15. All those tax savings, all that "student" income

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  16. The small motel at 350 Olsen Road is assessed at $1,750,200. It sits on .6 of an acre of waterfront. It is assessed as a commercial motel.
    The Ecolodge at 1084 is assessed at $2,111,700. It sits on 12 acres of waterfront and is assessed as a student dormitory.

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  17. Personal Education Number (PEN) Information for Students and Parents

    Students entering B.C.’s education system are assigned a Personal Education Number (PEN) – a unique nine-digit number.

    You may have a PEN if you:

    Attended a B.C. K-12 school since 1993
    Wrote a provincial exam since 1986 or
    Attended a B.C. Public Post-Secondary Institution since 1998
    You can use your PEN to:

    View or order your secondary school transcript
    Send your secondary school transcripts to post-secondary institutions
    Order your graduation certificate
    View your scholarships
    View your provincial exam or graduation assessment results.
    Personal Education Numbers can be useful for students registering in a B.C. Post-secondary Institution.

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  18. No wonder the Mayor seems unconcerned about taxes in Tofino

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  19. I predict council will do nothing to rein in these abuses. There is not an oz of courage amongst the 7 of them.

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  20. Sounds like a couple of them may be ready to take on the power. We shall see.

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  21. The Tofino Mayor and Council successfully went after the South Chesterman Condos because they were not zoned for short term rentals. The Mayor owns and runs a property that is not zoned for tourism. The District of Tofino staff have been aware of this for several years. They have complaints on file. That property is running a school, the hotel, a restaurant, a massage studio, wedding events and up until now the Food and Wine Festival. This property is running "commercial and tourism" businesses yet they are not paying their fair share of taxes. How is this not a conflict of interest? If I did what they are doing bylaw would be at my door shutting me down.

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  22. 10:03PM, I don't totally agree with you. Of the 7, there's one in particular that has bigger balls than Hillary Clinton.

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  23. 9:32 AM, Hopefully you mean 1 of 6 as her worship has excused herself for being in conflict of interest or is that in-cahoots.

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  24. Time for an independent investigation as staff is clearly compromised in terms of objectivity. For many staff it’s thier first job in the positions they hold. They are incapable to assess this situation. Mayor should step down. George is very compromised and playing games. Some council members are aiding his shenanigans and that is very clear. We need outside help to clear this up.

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  25. Time for the Inspector of municipalities

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