In an age of technological dependence and multi-devices, it appears that all some of us want to do these days is build a treehouse, climb up the steps, and hide away from the world.
A father in the Bloor West Village’s plans to escape from modern life were scuppered, however, when the City of Toronto ordered him to remove his treehouse – worth $30k – from his backyard.
According to the city, John Alpeza’s 108-square foot structure, which sits atop a dead tree, violates zoning bylaws. As a result, they have ordered him to dismantle it.
The treehouse resembles the hull of a boat, has retractable windows, a hammock, ropes to swing from, and four different entrances.
Alpeza built the treehouse for his two children and their friends to play in.
“It grew out of a need for the kids to enjoy the backyard more, and to get away from the TV, the internet, which I find as a big, big problem,” he said.
You and us both, John.
Makda Ghebreslassie/CBC
He certainly isn’t the only one who struggles to switch off. And he’s not the only one whose built an outdoor refuge to get away from the big, bad world.
After building the treehouse without the necessary building permits, he filed paperwork through three separate city departments and was rejected by all of them.
Despite warnings from the city that they will get a court order and remove it, Alpeza refuses to take the structure down himself.
Of course, rule are rules – but aren’t they there to be broken? It’s hard to fault the guy for trying to create something great for his children that doesn’t require a broadband connection.
The law was put there for a reason; in this case, to avoid encroaching on neighbour’s space or to stop people from building large eyesores on their properties. And as a contractor, John Alpeza chose to purposefully ignore the bylaws that exist in his neighbourhood.
But are we really so oversensitive that we could see a thing of beauty like this treehouse – one that creates a sense of fun and adventure – and deem it a monstrosity worthy of complaint?
It appears that we can’t have anything anymore unless it’s on our laptops, tucked away in our homes, unheard, and out of sight.
“It’s nice to give the kids their own space, let them make their own little world. Imagination is so important. They can use that to play, instead of video games again,” says Alpeza.
Personally, this treehouse seems pretty shipshape to me.
Makda Ghebreslassie/CBC News
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