After receiving a number of complaints, Oshawa city staff say they will be tearing down a makeshift healing lodge Thursday.
Gorete Bird’s husband built the lodge at the beginning of the pandemic from trees in the forest of the Cedar Valley Conservation Area.
“He always wanted to build something like this as a child,” she said.
“When he had time off and he was a bit depressed, and he saw this (tree trunk) and that’s why the lodge was made here.”
Bird, a retired nurse specializing in mental health, says she helped her husband build the structure, which she says took months to assemble. Since then, the spot has offered a quietly enchanted escape for visitors from all walks of life.
People have used the spot to meditate, cherish nature and even get engaged. Bird also left a guestbook at the site, which people have used to write kind messages and express their gratitude.
“It makes me tear up at times that people are getting so much out of this,” Bird said.
But while many have found serenity at the site, the city says they have received at least 10 complaints regarding fire hazards and unwanted behaviours during the night. The healing lodge has also been the target of vandalism in recent weeks.
“All of a sudden, because of the pandemic, there’s a lot of people walking through. It seems like (residents) don’t like sharing and don’t like people to be in our forest,” Bird said.
“I’ve been a nurse for many years, I want to help others. I want to share our joy, our little refuge. But not everybody feels the same way.”
Bird has tried to address concerns by removing a fire pit and a number of benches that were once there. However, city crews are expected to move ahead with demolishing the structure Thursday.
“We haven’t sanctioned the structure so we don’t know (it is) safe for people to use,” said Mike Saulnier, Oshawa’s director of operations.
“They’ve put the structure up and they’re leaning against trees, and obviously we have a bylaw that says you can’t attach to any of our trees that are currently there.”
Bird disagrees, calling the move to dismantle the healing lodge unfair.
“We need to have some common sense. This is a COVID year, it’s not your regular year. I absolutely believe an exemption should be made, especially for the lodge,” she said.
“We already took down the fire pit and the bench, but the lodge? It’s not what’s going to attract people partying at night.”
An online petition has been created to save the healing lodge.
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