Peak 44

Page 1

ALL IN-STOCK AIR CONDITIONERS AND FANS

20% OFF

REGULAR PRICE WHILE QUANTITIES LAST

DERELICT PROPERTIES

City expedites new vacant building bylaw PAGE 3

GOOSE DETERRENT XXXXX

604.485.2791 • 4750 Joyce Avenue PRRONA.CA • FACEBOOK.COM/PRRONA

COMMUNITY............ 8 CULTURE.................12 SPORTS...................13 CLASSIFIEDS...........14

Flashing lights chase birds from parks PAGE 4

WE MATCH

DIY PAINTING

all competitor flyer prices

PROUDLY MADE IN BC Professional interior and exterior paint

Open Sunday to Saturday 7 am-9 pm 7100 Alberni Street 604-485-4823

Performance plus specialty products

... AY EL R Ltd. s Sale and Rental 101-7 105 DUNC AN STREE T

604.4 85.71 13 relay tools .ca

PRPEAK.COM

Wednesday.August 23.2017

Vol.22 No.44

Canada Post Agreement 40069240

City tracks Airbnb listings

Unlicensed short-term vacation rentals Get the Peak to Go contribute to housing shortage iPhone app now CHRIS BOLSTER reporter@prpeak.com

WHALE SIGHTING: A humpback whale, one of many recently spotted in the area, breaches near a boat on the afternoon of August 21. Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWS) reminds the public that, whenever possible, boats should come no closer than 100 metres from whales, dolphins and porpoises and approach from the side, according to regulations set by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. WOWS is a local non-profit group raising awareness about coastal wildlife and marine ecosystems. For more information, go to whalesanddolphinsbc.com. MICHELLE PENNELL PHOTO $479,000 OCEAN VIEW

$479,000 OCEAN-VIEW CONDO

For the past two years Ocean Point Bed and Breakfast, located in the quiet neighbourhood of Grief Point with its views of Malaspina Strait, has been an oddity for Powell River. Marie Coe and her husband Marv have been running the bed and breakfast in their home since 2001. It caters to the over-50 crowd; those looktheaPeak Go ing for something a little more personalGet than hotelto room. Although iPhone app now Marie has a website for Ocean Point, she does not take bookings through available in the it, preferring to talk to her guests first. App Store or iTunes What makes Ocean Point peculiar though is that since 2015 the business has been the only licensed bed and breakfast in the city. A decade ago there were eight licensed bed and breakfast businesses in the city, but at the time short-term rental website Airbnb had not yet been invented. The end for bed and breakfasts owners buying business licences with the city began in 2010, two years after the popular accommodation website launched. By 2015, Marie and Marv were the only ones left. “It’s not encouraging,” said Marie. “I feel like I should be doing what everyone else is doing.” Approximately 40 properties in the city are being advertised for shortterm tourist accommodation on home-sharing websites such as Airbnb, HomeAway and VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner). None have business licences or pay business taxes to the city. Marie said she feels penalized for playing by the rules. She said her business licence costs her $150 per year and she goes through the city’s safety inspections. Because Marie and Marv are running their business from their house, they pay extra property taxes for their city utilities and services. City of Powell River mayor and business owner Dave Formosa said he feels the sharing economy has brought a return to a “wild west” mental»2 NEW$479,000 VIEW HOME

$479,000 FAMILY HOME

`

Warren Behan

Personal Real Estate Corporation

Broker Owner 604 485 2324 warren@warrenbehan.com View current listings at

available in the App Store or iTunes

NEW LISTING 7199 Esquimalt Court 7199 Esquimalt 7199Georgia Esquimalt Court 7199McGuffie Esquimalt Court 4205 Westview Avenue 104-6900 Burnaby Court Street 7251 Crescent 5357 Avenue 4 bedroom and den 4 bedroom and den 4 bedroom and den 4 bedroom and den 4 Fully bdrm,fenced 2 bath, large condo Beautiful new 4 back bdrm,yard 3 bath 4Fully bdrmfenced 2½ bathback splityard level backkitchen yard Central Fully2-bdrm, fenced2-bath back yard Fully fenced Fireplace, recsac room OpenQuiet layout, ensuite Den, rec room, covered sundecks, fireplace Quietdeck, cul-de cul-de sacbath Quiet cul-de sac deck Rec room, Quiet cul-de sac patio, in-suite laundry Fenced Large yard,ccentral location Covered yard,c quiet Private yard,c new centralprice location Terrifi new price Terrifi c new price Terrifi new cul-de-sac price Terrifi Fabulous view Fabulous view Fabulous view Fabulous view $214,900 $349,900 $519,900 $349,900

Get ALL the NEW listings at prhotnewlistings.com 4766 Joyce Avenue Powell River, BC V8A 3B6 Office: 604 485 4231

2015-2016


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.