I had just nicely come home from a beautiful morning spent showing some waterfront & water access only property on Pitt Lake when I saw the headline in the Maple Ridge Times newspaper.
Ayla Canoe told to move out
It seems that the 20 year lease of the property from the provincial government to the regional district of Dewdney Alouette and it's successor Metro Vancouver is coming to an end December 31, 2009. The Williams family, a fixture of the Pitt Lake area have been running Ayla Canoe on the waterfront, living in and caretaking 
Grants Narrows Park for decades. Doing a good job of it too!
The Province Ministry of Environment has stated that they have entered into talks with the Katzie First Nation and Metro Vancouver regarding a lease that may come into effect January 1, 2011. Metro Vancouver has been asked by the Province to continue operating the Park for one more year which would give Ayla Canoe 12 months to pack up and leave or as Metro has put it, "Formulate an exit strategy".
I have fond memories of canoeing up Widgeon Creek in Ayla rented canoes on a hot Summer day, affordable and accessible. A family activity that shares the wonder and beauty of Pitt Lake to those who don't own a power boat and out of town visitors.
The complex legalities and interests of Provincial, Regional & First Nations governments seem destined unfairly to overwhelm this small family business and remove it from the lake for no good reason.
The Williams family have started a petition which is available online at: Let Ayla Canoe Stay A hard copy is available at the Maple Ridge Chamber of Commerce and at Maple Ridge Chrysler as well.
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