The community is abuzz about an interesting-looking structure currently floating on the Alouette River.
The small house-like structure has bright blue doors and is adorned with a black and red pawprint flag.
The structure is currently anchored in the North Alouette River, but will soon be moved to Pitt River, according to its owner Greg Raz.
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Despite some rumours that it is a floating pet hotel of sorts, Raz – who owns the Dog Zen Club in Maple Ridge – clarified that it is instead a personal camping structure and has nothing to do with his dog daycare business.
John Roe, founder of the Dead Boats Disposal Society, said that floating structures like this exist all over the coast.
“The feds and province have a do not disturb policy on people living in these structures,” explained Roe. “Our policy has always been with the liveaboard community is we leave them alone and if they need assistance with debris and vessel disposal we will do our best to assist them, no questions asked.”
Several other vessels, many of which are abandoned, can also be found on the local waterways despite a significant cleanup effort recently undertaken on the Alouette River through the cooperative effort of several environmental and government agencies, which resulted in the removal of six boats and approximately 100 tons of derelict debris in the river.
READ MORE: Dead boat cleanup underway in Pitt Meadows