THE NATURIST LEGACY FILES

The Red Tape Jungle

It's a jungle out there! This is no ordinary jungle, though. It's not ruled by scary lions and tigers. No, this jungle is ruled by even scarier animals known as government bureaucrats! Welcome, my friends, to the red tape jungle!

Your board of directors has spent countless hours traversing this red tape jungle in February. We've made some progress in our journey, but it's been very slow going.

Most of this time has been devoted to dealing with issues related to Naturist Legacy's pool. Unlike private backyard swimming pools, Manitoba Health classifies our pool as a semi-public pool — that is, "a swimming pool used in conjunction with a hotel, motel, condominium, multiple family development, apartment block, campground, club or similar establishment." As such, they — Manitoba Health — must approve the construction of the pool.

Part of what's necessary to receive approval to construct a semi-public pool is the submission of several drawings to Manitoba Health bearing the stamp of a professional engineer. We already knew that these drawings wouldn't come cheap. We have since learned that they don't come quickly or easily, either. We also learned just a few days ago that additional (and expensive) plumbing will be required by Manitoba Health that was not anticipated in our original pool quote. Despite careful and conservative budgeting, red tape has now forced our pool over budget.

We are cautiously optimistic that we will obtain the necessary permit to construct our pool very soon. We are ever mindful, however, of the many hazards and pitfalls one can encounter in the red tape jungle, and how they can upset even the best laid plans.

We also dealt with Manitoba's Office of Drinking Water in February. Though we were already granted a permit to construct our water system last fall, we still must apply for and be granted a licence to operate that system this spring. To that end, John and Mark traveled to Steinbach to meet with our regional drinking water officer. We left his office with enough application forms to reach five feet in length if laid end to end. All these forms must be completed in quadruplicate, of course! In addition to these forms, the Office of Drinking Water will also require maps, schematics and water analysis documents. All of this paperwork will necessitate even more hours from us to assemble, complete and submit. We were also given a supply of water sample vials to get us started in a testing routine that will be a required (and expensive) part of our park's operation forever more.

Someone once wrote that "Bureaucracy is the art of making the possible impossible." Sometimes it sure feels that way! Nevertheless, we persevere in our journey through this red tape jungle...frustrated but undaunted!

SOURCE: This article was published in both the members and non-members editions of the March 1, 2012 Naturist Legacy News Update. I am the author. Naturist Legacy Inc. and Naturist Legacy Park are subject to many provincial laws and regulations. Learn more about them. Check out the 2012 Photo Galleries to see what was accomplished during this ambitious year of construction and development at Naturist Legacy Park.

GOT QUESTIONS? Send them to anytime!