WRECK BEACH DENIZEN FACES CALL FOR EVICTION

Anthony Wayne: GVRD Claims He Sells Alcohol, Pot

The Greater Vancouver Regional District wants to oust a longtime
denizen of Wreck Beach, claiming he's selling booze and drugs and
harming the natural environment.

A petition filed in B.C. Supreme Court seeks a number of orders
against Anthony Wayne, who the GVRD claims has been living
"intermittently" on Vancouver's famed nudist beach for about 10 years.

"The respondent sells alcohol and marijuana to visitors to support
himself," says the petition.

"The respondent has built himself a camping spot where he sleeps at
night and stays during the day. [He] has cut and removed natural park
vegetation and has dug into the slope and moved rocks around the base
of the slope, created foot paths on the hillside and planted marijuana."

The court document says Wayne has rejected offers to find another
place to live.

The GVRD says Wayne has violated several parks bylaws and wants to ban
him from selling booze and marijuana, from entering into and remaining
in Pacific Spirit Park when the park is closed, and from cutting,
trimming, digging up, excavating, defacing, removing, damaging or
injuring natural features.

No statement of defence has been filed and Wayne, who has no fixed
address according to the court document, could not be reached.

But Judy Williams of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society, while
saying she knew nothing about the court case, vigorously defended Wayne.

"I know nothing about pot sales, pot growing or beer sales. I know he
is a bird and animal whisperer. Birds and animals come to him. He's a
beautiful human being who does not like four walls."

Recently, Wayne called in the authorities to report a fire that was
caused by others and in so doing stopped a major conflagration, she
said.

"You're talking about a man who in the most bitter cold still stayed
Zen-like, Buddha-like, in the wilderness setting and has seen things
that most of us never see, such as storms, right up-front and personal.

"He's a gentle soul who wouldn't hurt anybody."