THURSDAYMAY 7, 2015
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PARKSVILLE BEACH
Service in jeopardy This time, it’s the popular kayak rental business JOHN HARDING
editor@pqbnews.com
Another popular service on Parksville’s famous beach is in danger of disappearing. Kevin Forsythe of Windsurfing Parksville told city council on Monday night he has been asked to leave the location he’s had for years, providing paddle boards, kayaks and windsurfing lessons. Forsythe was asking council for a spot somewhere in the park to continue his rental business after he said the owners of the boarded-up Parksville Beach Resort told him he must vacate their property just off the boardwalk. This follows the closure of the concession in the park. Council has convened a special meeting for Tuesday (6 p.m. at city hall) to presumably make decisions around a request for proposals related to food trucks setting up in the park (see more on this below). On Monday night, Forsythe told council he has been renting his equipment at the current location since 2008. He said 60 per cent of his business is done with tourists, the rest with locals. He also said he doesn’t want any special favours from the city to operate on public land somewhere else in the park. “I don’t expect you guys to pick up the bill for anything,” said Forsythe. “I’m not asking for anything other than permission to be there. I want to create a win-win situation for the city.” City councillors seemed amenable to the idea. “I think this is extremely important for Parksville,” said Coun. Al Greir. “I think we need more entertainment, more things in the summer for tourists to do. We should make some changes to keep Kevin there.” See SPECIAL MEETING, page A9
CANDACE WU PHOTO
Maggy Gisle and her two teenagers have been homeless since May 1.
HOMELESS IN PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH
Maggy’s many challenges CANDACE WU
news@pqbnews.com
Maggy Gisle will celebrate one year of sobriety this month, but like most things in her illustrious — at times unbelievable — life, the accomplishment is overshadowed by a stroke of bad luck. As of May 1, Gisle has been homeless with two teenagers in tow, a moving container brimming with furnishings and no place to put anything, let alone a place to sleep.
She doesn’t seem infuriated or resentful, but hopeless; perhaps exhausted. “There are loopholes in the system,” she told The NEWS in a state of frustration Tuesday morning. Gisle explained she had a mutual agreement to end tenancy with her current landlord and planned on moving into a different house this month. However, because she’s on disability, she wasn’t able to secure a dam-
age deposit (instead she has to fill out an application) and at the 11th hour the home was snapped up by renters who were able to put a damage deposit down in cash. Gisle recognizes neither landlord is in the wrong, but the situation certainly leaves her out in the cold. And now she’s faced with finding a place to rent in arguably one of the country’s most desirable tourist destinations on the brink of summer. See HOUSING, page A7
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