Wayne Smith

The Renaissance Man of Deep Cove

What is one moment when your life changed?

“You buy it, or I’ll buy it!” These were words spoken by Wayne’s mother as she and Wayne inspected the rickety shack on Banbury Road where Mrs. Taylor had just hammered down a “for sale” sign at the end of her driveway. It was 1974 and the asking price for the home was $45,500 – a lot of money for the young Wayne to contemplate at the time.

He had been working various construction and factory jobs all over North Vancouver and Burnaby and had managed to save $12,000 but the thought of taking out a mortgage for the remaining sum, “scared the dickens” out of him. The house was a ramshackle mess, really just a pile of sawdust, but as Mrs. Taylor aptly said, “we are selling fresh air up here”. The veracity of this statement and Wayne’s mother’s persuasive words that if he didn’t, she would buy it, were enough to convince Wayne to take a leap of faith and buy the house.

With his experience working in the construction industry and his willingness to teach himself new skills, Wayne set to work renovating his new home. With his father’s assistance, he lifted the house and put in a concrete foundation. (Wayne’s father was a very strong man: he single-handedly hoisted the heavy 4-inch concrete line pump around the basement, filling up the foundation wall forms!)

This additional space allowed Wayne to add a “mortgage helper” basement suite to the home. However, after a traumatic experience of having to evict a renter, Wayne decided instead to go into the “holiday home” rental business – about 20 years before this became a common practice. So, for many years, Wayne had a corner on the holiday home market for the Deep Cove area!

His home with its spectacular view of the water, beautiful gardens, and Wayne’s warm hospitality, have long made it a popular choice for vacationers. He has many customers who have been coming and staying in his home for years, but he also usually has space to welcome new visitors each year. Wayne is no longer in need of the extra income to pay off his mortgage but, he derives a great sense of satisfaction from being a host and tour guide, and it helps gives him a sense of purpose and a connection with the larger world. During COVID, he had to turn away some rental requests, but he has used this time to completely renovate the rental suite so it is fresh and ready for the 2022 vacation rental season.

Wayne’s mother inspecting the renovations.

Who is the most influential person in your life?

Wayne’s father – although things could’ve turned out quite differently! As a very young boy, Wayne’s father brought him to work on a construction site, stuck a hammer in his hand, pointed to a pile of boards that looked to be 30 feet high and 50 feet wide, and said to Wayne, “when you finish cleaning up those boards, I’ll give you 50 cents”. It was Wayne’s first job and an overwhelming task. He never did get all the boards cleaned of their nails and he never did get the 50 cents. Not an auspicious start! Wayne decided construction work wasn’t for him and instead, chose to spend time at home and fishing off the dock.

As a young man and after spending a few years working various factory jobs, Wayne’s father hired him to help with a house-building project in Whistler. This proved to be more successful and marked the start of a 10-year period of working closely with his father. During this time, Wayne had the opportunity to learn many aspects of home construction including plumbing and wiring – all skills that have served him well in the ongoing renovation work on his own home.

Wayne’s father is still a key part of his life. Although he has some heart problems, he continues to work and his mind is as sharp as ever, especially when it comes to project design. Wayne’s father once told him, “Anybody worth his salt should go on his own” – advice that Wayne has taken to heart as the landlord of his holiday home and the master gardener of his grounds.

Wayne’s mother was also an extremely influential person in his life. Besides being the one who encouraged him to buy the house, his mother was the one who instilled his love of gardening. When Wayne was 10 years old, his mother pointed to a large patch of strawberries and said, “Wayne, if you want that patch of strawberries you can have it, but you’ve got to take care of it. If you do, the whole patch is yours”. Thrilled at the thought of having all the strawberries to himself, Wayne agreed and went straight to work. His first accomplishment was to put a fence around the strawberries to keep his sisters out! For two years, he cared for his strawberry patch and gorged himself on the fresh berries. Eventually, he expanded his gardening skills by building a greenhouse in his parents’ backyard and growing tomatoes. For fertilizer, Wayne collected enormous piles of foul-smelling seaweed which the neighbours could smell for miles and would complain vociferously about. But according to Wayne, “My connection is mostly with plants, I’m a goner for them” so he kept coming home with truckloads of seaweed much to the neighbours’ chagrin.

When he bought his home, Wayne was thrilled by the amount of space he had for growing. His home is now bursting with plants – on the lawn, on the decks, on the carport roof, on the sides of the house, as well as some rooms in the house. There are plants in all stages of growth, all being lovingly cared for. Wayne is completely self-sufficient with his own vegetables as well as an abundance of beautiful flowers. During the growing season, Wayne puts flower arrangements out in front of his house along with a donation box. He is very proud of his garden and loves to share his bounty with others.

What are you most proud of?

Aside from his garden, Wayne is most proud of his talent for writing and storytelling: a skill he discovered thanks to Mexican mouthwash! In 2006, while on a trip to Mexico, he wrote a story about the “fierceness” of his experience with Mexican mouthwash and upon his return, he shared the story with Ann Booth who, at the time, ran Deep Cove’s community theatre. She encouraged him to read it a Bean Around the World’s open mic night: he did, and the audience exploded with applause. It was a pivotal moment for Wayne and the beginning of his foray into writing and storytelling. Wayne now writes regularly for a local seniors’ newsletter and a gardening club. He also hosts weekly storytelling and improv sessions on Zoom. Some people will also know Wayne for his summertime piano-playing and sing-along sessions outside Parkgate Community Centre.

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Wayne used to race motorcycles! He loved cross-country racing until one day, he crashed in a ditch and got a concussion. At that point, he decided the sport was not for him; however, he still has a motorcycle, but it is slow, and he just uses it for “putt-putt-putting” around town.

Wayne describes himself as having an easy, gentle attitude towards life. While this may be true, he is a man of many talents; a person who remains curious to try and do new things, and to cultivate new skills. Forty-eight years after purchasing the “rickety shack”, Wayne has become an integral part of the Deep Cove community and his home on Banbury Road is well-known for its beautiful gardens, its holiday rental suites, and most importantly, its friendly and gracious host. Of course, the fresh air of Deep Cove is still a selling feature!

Wayne’s Holiday Rental:
Cove View Accommodation
coveviewrentals [at] icloud [dot] com

Parkgate Society appreciates Wayne’s passion for community-building and for his contributions to the East of Seymour community through music, storytelling, and sharing the bounty of his garden.