CENTRE WELLINGTON – About 40 seasonal members of Maple Leaf Acres are scrambling to find accommodations for the winter because the association governing the trailer park won’t extend their leases.
These “snowbirds” normally spend summers at the park in their trailers and winters in warmer climates.
But this year, with borders closed due to COVID-19 and the Canadian government recommending people restrict travel to essential trips only, they are finding themselves between a rock and a hard place.
“I could stay with my son,” said Gene Dopp, 61, who has had a six-month seasonal site at the trailer park on Belwood Lake for some 15 years.
His plan was to travel to Germany this winter, but because of high COVID-19 rates in Europe, he’s opting to remain in Ontario instead.
“But my son works in retail, my daughter-in-law is a teacher, and my grandkids go to school. To me, it’s safer to stay here,” he said.
“I just don’t understand it. Some of these people have no other option. There’s been a real lack of compassion and common sense.”
Maple Leaf Acres offers six-month, nine-month and year-round sites at its trailer park, according to its website, though the nine-month option has a zoning hold on it while sewage issues are worked out.
Seasonal sites are open May 1 to Oct. 31. Seasonal members are allowed access to their trailers on weekends and holidays in the winter and for 21 “ski days” that can be used at any time over the winter.
The park has 520 units in total and over the summer could easily see upwards of 1,000 people on any given day.
Two hundred and four units have year-round leases; 314 are seasonal.
So the park is plowed, and it has ways to deal with garbage, water and sewage for its year-round population over the winter.
The Ministry of Housing loosened the rules on trailer parks when the pandemic began in March and Canadians outside the country were urged to return home quickly.
“They let us come back in March, even though the park doesn’t open until May,” Dopp said.
But the park has refused to extend leases for the 40 members seeking extensions.
Cynthia Davis, a lawyer with Giffen LLP, represents the Maple Leaf Acres Members’ Association.
In a letter to the membership dated Oct. 26, Davis reminded members the seasonal lease stipulates “that the site shall not be used as a principal residence as defined by the Township of Centre Wellington.”
The letter also states the association notified members in June that there would be no extensions to leases over winter, citing insurance, township bylaws, building codes, fire code, the Municipal Responsibility Agreement (MRA), and agreements and conditions spelled out by the Ministry of the Environment.
Davis stated the association would consider extending the lease if members could meet 11 conditions:
- proof that the member can’t find alternative accommodation;
- written approval from the township to permit occupancy;
- a building inspection;
- a fire inspection;
- written confirmation from the township that extended occupancy won’t violate any bylaws;
- written confirmation from the township that access to Fifth Line is approved;
- proof that dwelling units are winterized;
- written agreement to cover all costs of sewage haulage if required;
- proof of insurance;
- sign a new lease; pay the same monthly rate as year-round members; cover any legal costs incurred by the association regarding the extension; and
- acknowledge the extension applies to the winter of 2020-2021 only, even if the pandemic continues.
In addition, the association must also confirm that its insurance will cover extended occupancy.
“While this condition cannot be satisfied by members, it is a condition that must be met before extended occupancy can be granted,” reads the letter.
The board is allowing members to stay until Nov. 30.
A letter dated Oct. 14 from the Ministry of the Environment to Maple Leaf Acres administrators, states that as long as five conditions are met – dealing specifically with sewage, its removal and daily capacity – “the ministry will not insist that you strictly comply with ECA conditions.”
Centre Wellington spokesperson Kendra Martin said in an email on Nov. 9, “If the board puts forward a proposal to the township, we can respond to those inquiries/questions.
“However it has to come from the board and not individual tenants.”
“If 30 or 40 more people stay this winter, what damage is there to the park?” asked Steve Dykstra, whose 78-year-old mother Lois Dykstra has a six-month lease at the park.
“What’s the harm to the 12-month members? Most of these people are elderly, they aren’t savvy, they don’t know the legal system.
“This is just intimidation of vulnerable people. Even the Ministry of the Environment said they are not interested in kicking people out this year.”
Dykstra said he or his brother will accommodate their mother if push comes to shove.
“But it’s not ideal,” he said, adding both households have pets, kids who attend school, adults who go to work, and stairs, which his mother can’t climb because she has bad knees.
“She could get sick and die. Where’s the compassion?” Dykstra asked.
Members say it’s almost impossible to find a place that’s available Dec. 1 and will allow a six-month lease.
As well, apartments are far more expensive than the monthly dues at the trailer park.
Fred Pohl, who is over 80, said he’s trying to winterize a shed and find a generator so he can spend the winter on his property in Owen Sound.
He has spent the last couple of winters in Costa Rica.
“It’s a ticklish situation,” he said. “We’ve been treated in a very unfair way.”
Al Dias, secretary/treasurer of the Maple Leaf Acres’ Members’ Association, said in a phone interview that is not the case.
“The board is faced with a dilemma,” he said.
“Our operation is subject to compliance with the Ministry of the Environment and [Centre Wellington]. Allowing these people to overstay their lease – the association would be in breach.”
Dias said the park experienced infrastructure failure in 2009 that very nearly shut down operations there.
He said the association invested $4 million to replace its sewage system and doesn’t want to reach that point again.
He explained the system collects raw sewage and pumps it into a lagoon, where it is treated with sun, air movement and chlorine.
Once it is treated, it is sprayed on a field where it leaches to the water table.
Dias said the association can’t spray in the winter because the ground is frozen, and Fifth Line, where the park is located, is weight-restricted in winter, meaning a private hauler couldn’t use the road.
“We asked for a waiver but the township said no,” he said.
Dias added that between township bylaws and insurance requirements, “the liability would fall on us. So the board is stuck at this point.
“If somebody can succeed (in meeting the conditions), we would allow it.”
Dias said only two or three residents have formally requested an extended lease, “but we hear a number that it’s 30 or 40.
“It might be that some usually go away (for winter), but certainly not the 40,” he said, suggesting some members just want to get on the bandwagon.
“They can still travel. Most countries are still open It’s their choice not to travel,” he said.
Dias said members were notified in June that it was time to start looking for winter accommodation.
He said that unless they can meet the 11 conditions, seasonal members will have to be out by Nov. 30.
After that, “we will move on it. We’ll appeal to a court,” Dias said.
