The Lakeside Airport Inn was shut down in 2017 due to health and safety concerns.
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April 12, 2018 - 2:55 PM
LAKE COUNTRY - A judge dimissed a Lake Country man's attempt to force the District of Lake Country to let him continue to operate a motel that was shut down for health and safety reasons.
The Lakeside Airport Inn, owned by Raif Fleihan, had mould in the interior, combustible materials in the electrical rooms, water leaking from the ceiling, broken emergency lights, small fires in several electrical outlets and deficient smoke detectors, according to a recently released court decision.
Starting in February 2016, the Lake Country Fire Inspector and Building Inspector also found renovations underway without permits.
The Building Inspector issued a Stop Work Order in February 2016, but the business continued to operate.
In the court decision, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Dev Dley notes that by the end of November 2016, fire safety issues had been corrected however, “there were complaints received from guests relating to unsanitary conditions.”
“The RCMP also advised that they had attended at the Inn an average of 28 times per year,” he writes.
Due to concerns about the overall operation of the Inn “due to health and safety issues,” Lake Country councillors voted against renewing the 2017 business licence. He tried to get clarification but has limited English. He asked for copies of the information he needed but they were not delivered prior to the council meeting.
A few months later, in June 2017, councillors approved Bylaw 1000, requiring businesses be endorsed by the District Fire Inspector, the District Building Inspector, the District Bylaw Enforcement Officer, business licencing, the Health Authority and public health inspector.
Fleihan sought a judicial review of the bylaw saying it required inspections by so many departments they made it impossible to get approval, as well as two other Lake Country decisions denying his business licence.
Justice Dley ruled that Bylaw 1000 was legal and, given the concerns raised from customers, the District had the right to deny the licence.
“It would defy logic to insist that a business licence be granted to a hospitality industry applicant who had failed to comply with matters such as health or sanitation,” he said.
The Lakeside Airport Inn is not currently accredited with the Better Business Bureau, but has an "F" grade based on customer reviews.
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