The owners of a massive West Vancouver property used adjoining park land to build a cozy outdoor entertainment area complete with a fireplace and mounted TV, according to a lawsuit filed by regional officials.
That heated pavilion, which also features a fridge and barbecue, is just one of several structures John and Janice Campbell allegedly constructed on land they don't own. They are also accused of removing natural undergrowth and cutting down or trimming healthy trees that were up to 100 years old.
The land is owned by the Greater Vancouver Water District and constitutes part of Capilano River Regional Park, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Metro Vancouver Regional District.
It is only intended to be used for "public park and recreation purposes," according to the lawsuit, which was filed in B.C. Supreme Court by both the GVWD and MVRD in April.
For their part, the Campbells admit they encroached on park land, but said they had been under the impression the plot belonged to them.
Under their "honestly-held belief" that they were the property owners, the couple invested "considerable sums of money" to improve the plot, they said in a response to the lawsuit.
They blame the confusion partly on a fence that they claim enclosed part of the park land along with their property when they purchased it in 1990.
The Campbells also deny ever cutting down healthy trees.
"The defendants admit that they removed some trees… but all such trees were dead or dying and constituted a threat to the health and safety of the defendants and their property," their response reads.
Their home sits at the bottom of a ravine, and the couple argues the adjacent park property is inaccessible to the public. While there are trails throughout Capilano River Regional Park, it requires some bushwhacking to reach the area of the fenced-off entertainment pavilion.
The GVWD and MVRD are seeking an injunction forcing the Campbells to remove all landscaping and structures, including a toolshed and pergola, from the park land, and they want the couple to pay for the cost of re-forestation.
Metro Vancouver Regional District would not comment on the lawsuit when asked Thursday by CTV News. The Campbells declined to comment either, but their lawyer, Ken Krohman, sent an email statement indicating they are “currently undertaking remedial work” to remove their structures and intend to settle the lawsuit.
The allegations against the couple haven't been proven in court.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Scott Hurst
