From: Philip St. George and Rooster Cogburn, thenorthbaybay.ca
NORTH BAY — Never one to pass up on a moneymaking opportunity, City Council has taken advantage of its front lawn tent city by opening its own $200-a-night downtown Airbnb.
The Airbnb promises a “spacious, nearly 40 square foot” tent pitched “in the heart of the city” which will give renters a “unique outdoor experience unlike any other.”
City Councillor Grey Terrence says the Airbnb idea came up after he proposed a bylaw change that would charge individuals for pitching tents in North Bay.
“See, I wanted to register all the tents in the city like we do ice shacks,” explains Terrence. “It would be $1000 a year to pitch a tent downtown, $3000 a year up on Airport, and free for anyone who wanted to go to Ferris because God knows they need all the help they can get down there.”
But the proposed bylaw was shot down, so Terrence says he had to think up another scheme.
“I spent all of my summer visiting my friends throughout the Muskokas, who themselves were renting their places to people from Toronto, and it struck me – an Airbnb! We can put our own tent right next to the ones already outside City Hall and charge by the night!”
Guests will be encouraged to “bring their own food, clothes, and sleeping bags” as City Hall will not be providing them with anything other than the tent and “possibly some cardboard.”
“They might also want to bring a stick or something in case there’s already somebody in there,” says Terrence.
Terrence hopes that the tent will be a success as that one really ugly floor inside City Hall still needs to be fixed.
“It’s tragic,” cries Terrence. “I have to walk past that floor every day and it just hurts my heart to look at it. Something has to be done.”