A neighbour of mine here on Brown Creek Road, Jake Giesbrecht, died a little while ago.
I never met Jake even though I’ve lived here for over five years. I regret that because he had qualities that I admire, the qualities that Canadian homesteaders always seem to possess.
Those who knew him frequently talked about his independence; he did things his own way and didn’t ask for help.
They describe him variously as being old school, an iconoclast and Libertarian, though I suspect he would not have been fond of having any label applied to him.
Jake built all the structures on his ranch, and had been working on a new house for a couple of years. His desire to do things his way brought him into conflict with the bureaucracies that control construction in the regional district, a conflict that I am told lasted right up until his death.
Civilizations could never arise if everyone was as independent as Jake; civilizations require close co-operation, people living together in cities, high levels of social and working interaction.
On the other hand, without people like Jake, civilizations would not only be dull and drab, but would lack the spark of independence and individuality that they require to advance.
All of this reminded me of other concerns that people are having with bureaucracies related to home construction.
The building code, zoning regulations and bylaws have been built up over time to a point where the kind of independent and creative thinking that is required to meet the changing needs of the population is being severely restricted.
As the Baby Boomers retire, large numbers will be seeking housing options that not only suit their needs and budgets but that are environmentally friendly and offer lifestyle opportunities not found in walled complexes or urban high rises.
Co-operative living options and zoning that allows non-traditional construction methods need to be explored.
When individuals attempt to do this on their own, the cost is high.
Alternate building plans require the expensive services of engineers; applying for variances in zoning requires both time and money and there is no guarantee of success.
If communities are pro-active, however, in encouraging alternate building options, their leadership may well be rewarded with an influx of forward thinking individuals who will help ensure the communities’ health and prosperity, modern homesteaders, if you like.
The necessary changes, should they come, will be a little late for Jake, of course, but perhaps just in time for a whole host of others.
– Jim Holtz is WEEKENDER columnist and a former Grand Forks Gazette reporter
