White Rock’s Church of the Holy Smoke is on the search for a new home, Pastor Robin Douglas confirmed Wednesday.
Currently housed at a rental property in the 14700-block of Marine Drive, the marijuana-centred church has been subject of several city-issued fines, as well as an eviction notice from the landlord.
However, Douglas told Peace Arch News the impending move – which he hopes will take place within the next two months – was not in response to city or landlord directives.
“We are getting so many people coming to visit us, we just don’t have the room here,” Douglas said. “We have to move to something bigger.”
Douglas said he doesn’t have a new property lined up yet, but hopes to remain in the White Rock/South Surrey community.
Over the summer, Douglas received a series of fines – up to $1,000 – from the City of White Rock in connection with his “non-conforming use of the property” for assembly use. He told PAN last month that he had no intention of paying them.
City spokesperson Shannon Levesque said Friday that no further fines have been issued in connection with the property’s use, however, an order for Douglas to remove a tent-like structure that is covering a car on the property is “yet to be resolved.”
– with files from Tracy Holmes