Woodwynn Farms sale could go through by next week
Woodwynn Farms in Central Saanich may have found a buyer.
“We haven’t put pen to paper to sign the deal but we are getting very close to that,” said Teri DuTemple, chairwoman of the Creating Homefulness Society, which owns the property.
She expects to know by this time next week if a sale will happen.
“To me it would be a really good news story. The potential purchasers want to keep the market operational. They want the land to grow sustainable food crops. They want to keep the animals that are presently there. They basically want to walk in and take over.”
They are interested in hiring existing staff and residents, DuTemple said.
The potential new owner has a farm, she said. They love the farm — “just the beauty of the property and the buildings,” Du Temple said.
A therapeutic treatment centre for people struggling with addictions and homelessness was set up on the 78-hectare farm nine years ago. But money woes have prompted the society to start winding it up.
Mortgage holders have started a foreclosure action in B.C. Supreme Court seeking $5.3 million to cover the mortgage and interest.
DuTemple said the offer to purchase would pay that debt and cover another $200,000 that is owed.
Money owed includes $75,000 received as a grant to fix up the farm’s historic East Barn. The grant is administered by the B.C. Museums Association and supported by Heritage B.C., with funding provided by the province for the B.C.-Canada 150 program.
The board learned in December that the money was spent on general operating expenses, DuTemple said.
“Absolutely, the society has every intention of paying it back,” she said.
Signing authority for farm cheques is now with two board members, she said.
Another $40,000 is owed for a different grant, she said. The rest is for outstanding bills, including a truck lease that will likely cost about $20,000 to buy out.
“We have told the employees that we are likely to be able to keep them employed through (to) the end of March but after that — no. The money is just going to end. There is nothing left.”
She said that farm executive director and founder Richard Leblanc has been told to focus on finding housing for the farm’s three residents and to slow down operations.
Leblanc, no longer a board member, has filed an affidavit in court seeking an extension to hold off the foreclosure action by the lenders. He could not be reached on Monday.
DuTemple said that any money coming in to the Woodwynn Farms account now goes towards paying bills and salaries. “There’s no money to do anything else.”