Every day, Richard Patterson wakes up in what he calls one of the most peaceful spots in Victoria, where he doesn’t have to worry about loud neighbours or paying rent.
Patterson, 66, is one of about nine people who live aboard boats anchored just northwest of the Selkirk Trestle.
On Thursday, Victoria city councillors discussed taking action after receiving numerous complaints about more than a dozen boats, some derelict, in the water.
“We’re the citizens here, we’re not interfering with anyone at all,” said Patterson, who has worked as an actor, a writer and a carpenter.
He called the concerns over the boats in the waterway an exaggerated problem.
His boat isn’t blocking any traffic and he has received no complaints from Parks Canada or any other group about his boat.
Robin Rombs, a Vic West resident who lives near Banfield Park, said lost in the current debate is the human element.
“I’m concerned that the environmental arguments against the vessels are largely a red herring. That the real objection is more esthetic,” Rombs said.
“We’ve heard that Transport Canada considers the navigable channel not to be obstructed so that’s a non-issue. So if the concerns genuinely are around sewage discharge and fuel and lubricant leaks, there are other ways to address those.”
He said coxswains yelling at dragon boaters are a more regular source of noise than the few people living aboard the boats.
Patterson says the entire debate comes down to who can use the waterway.
“I think it’s just people who want to own the waterway for themselves,” he said.
He disputed the complaints about garbage being tossed into the water from boats, and said he makes sure to dispose his garbage ashore. He also picks up any garbage he finds in the water.
Patterson turned to boats as a way of living in a city he couldn’t afford.
For seven years, he lived on a boat in the Hidden Harbour Marine Centre, in West Bay, where he paid about $300 a month for moorage as well as electricity.
Now a pensioner, he needed somewhere cheaper to live.
He moved to the waterway last summer and says the experience is much better.
“I can do things with my life, I can go to the rec centre, I can eat a little bit better — it all helps,” he said.
