Help the Pinaus Lake Resort Owners!
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“We know there’s no hope of reopening the resort, we just want to get our belongings out of there.”
For 30 years Arvid and Audrey Hoglund have owned and operated Pinaus Lake Resort near Falkland, B.C.
The 78 and 76-year olds purchased the resort in 1986 and have since operated several campgrounds and 11 cabins. They also turned the lodge into their home.
On March 14, 2017 the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO) informed the couple that since 2013 they had detected slope movement near Pinaus Lake, directly above the resort.
Due to the threat of potential landslide activity, the resort was ordered to close and all residents were told to permanently leave the area.
“We were shocked that we were told we had just 30 days to get all our belongings and get out,” said an overwhelmed Audrey.
The couple had been told by the province in November 2016 that there was some land activity in the area but was not under the impression that the activity was an immediate threat to their livelihood.
Movement at the popular fishing lodge had been observed over the years by the couple including movement in cabin structures but not to an extent that it caused alarm to anyone.
According to FLNRO, the instability above the resort could trigger a slow-moving earthflow and impact the structures currently in place.
Arvid and Audrey do not own the land the resort is located on and tried to purchase it on three separate occasions but were denied by the province each time.
As a result, they have now lost their only source of income, the life they have built over the past three decades and their home.
According to Arvid, they, along with their daughter Theresa, are working with the province to extend the amount of time allowed to remove their belongings, sell off assets and remediate the land.
“It’s all very upsetting and we just want to be able to get our stuff out of there. I can’t spend too much time up there because I need to have my oxygen with me,” explained Arvid. “It could take up to two years to clear everything out.”
Arvid expects to see expenses for removal to reach the half a million-dollar mark, money they don’t have. Up until now, there has been no compensation or talk or compensation for the couple, who are now faced with overwhelming debt.
Their only source of income was from the resort and fishermen who would frequent the area.
While it is unknown what has caused the instability, both the province and the Hoglund’s suggest it could be a natural occurrence or the result of road and forestry development.
In the Crown Land above the resort, BC Forestry and Tolko Industries has spent 10-years logging the area. In LiDAR imaging provided to the couple, it clearly shows that the run off from this logging area trickles directly down onto the resort.
“The government won’t renew our lease because of the danger of the landslide. If it comes down it would cover the whole resort.”
The Hoglund’s are extremely saddened to lose their home and business after 30 years and are now looking to sell off their assets to help with the cost of moving and closing their resort.
They would like to express their thanks to everyone on social media who has reached out to the family. And they are very thankful to all of their customer for supporting them over the years.
“Your friendship and support through the years has been appreciated and we could not have done it without you,” said Audrey.
The couple, being displaced from their home, have been forced to move to Armstrong for temporary housing as they deal with the situation.
Due to the outpouring of support online and from the community, family members have started a GoFundMe campaign to help the seniors raise money for this difficult time. A link for that campaign can be found here.
The public and media are being told to stay away from the Resort itself as the province has deemed the area too dangerous.
There is no access to Pinaus Lake or Lady King Lake from the resort area. Access to Pinaus is only available from the forestry campsite and Lake King can be accessed by hiking in from the opposite end of the resort.
For 30 years Arvid and Audrey Hoglund have owned and operated Pinaus Lake Resort near Falkland, B.C.
The 78 and 76-year olds purchased the resort in 1986 and have since operated several campgrounds and 11 cabins. They also turned the lodge into their home.
On March 14, 2017 the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO) informed the couple that since 2013 they had detected slope movement near Pinaus Lake, directly above the resort.
Due to the threat of potential landslide activity, the resort was ordered to close and all residents were told to permanently leave the area.
“We were shocked that we were told we had just 30 days to get all our belongings and get out,” said an overwhelmed Audrey.
The couple had been told by the province in November 2016 that there was some land activity in the area but was not under the impression that the activity was an immediate threat to their livelihood.
Movement at the popular fishing lodge had been observed over the years by the couple including movement in cabin structures but not to an extent that it caused alarm to anyone.
According to FLNRO, the instability above the resort could trigger a slow-moving earthflow and impact the structures currently in place.
Arvid and Audrey do not own the land the resort is located on and tried to purchase it on three separate occasions but were denied by the province each time.
As a result, they have now lost their only source of income, the life they have built over the past three decades and their home.
According to Arvid, they, along with their daughter Theresa, are working with the province to extend the amount of time allowed to remove their belongings, sell off assets and remediate the land.
“It’s all very upsetting and we just want to be able to get our stuff out of there. I can’t spend too much time up there because I need to have my oxygen with me,” explained Arvid. “It could take up to two years to clear everything out.”
Arvid expects to see expenses for removal to reach the half a million-dollar mark, money they don’t have. Up until now, there has been no compensation or talk or compensation for the couple, who are now faced with overwhelming debt.
Their only source of income was from the resort and fishermen who would frequent the area.
While it is unknown what has caused the instability, both the province and the Hoglund’s suggest it could be a natural occurrence or the result of road and forestry development.
In the Crown Land above the resort, BC Forestry and Tolko Industries has spent 10-years logging the area. In LiDAR imaging provided to the couple, it clearly shows that the run off from this logging area trickles directly down onto the resort.
“The government won’t renew our lease because of the danger of the landslide. If it comes down it would cover the whole resort.”
The Hoglund’s are extremely saddened to lose their home and business after 30 years and are now looking to sell off their assets to help with the cost of moving and closing their resort.
They would like to express their thanks to everyone on social media who has reached out to the family. And they are very thankful to all of their customer for supporting them over the years.
“Your friendship and support through the years has been appreciated and we could not have done it without you,” said Audrey.
The couple, being displaced from their home, have been forced to move to Armstrong for temporary housing as they deal with the situation.
Due to the outpouring of support online and from the community, family members have started a GoFundMe campaign to help the seniors raise money for this difficult time. A link for that campaign can be found here.
The public and media are being told to stay away from the Resort itself as the province has deemed the area too dangerous.
There is no access to Pinaus Lake or Lady King Lake from the resort area. Access to Pinaus is only available from the forestry campsite and Lake King can be accessed by hiking in from the opposite end of the resort.
Organizer
Anita Sthankiya
Organizer
Falkland, BC
