Commune for sale

Charlottetown Guardian/June 11, 2003

The Four Winds commune in Hazel Grove is for sale as three separate real estate listings with a total asking price of nearly $500,000.

Exit Realty Bell has the listings for the restaurant, seven-bedroom farmhouse with land, barns and workshop and a third listing for a modern split entry house.

The listings show the vendor as Marie Pepe but the property is best known as the Four Winds commune run by Lucille Poulin.

She was convicted last October of five counts of assault against children living at the commune. She told the court during her trial that she was a disciple of God and His word, as revealed through scripture, gave her the right to beat the children with a wooden paddle.

Pepe was one of the adult members of Poulin's commune.

When phoned by The Guardian to inquire about the future of the commune and its plans, the person answering at the Four Winds said "no comment."

The listings show an asking price of $105,000 for the fully equipped restaurant.

The farm house includes land, anywhere from 10 to 49 acres depending on the needs of the buyer, with an asking price of $264,900. The split entry home includes a basement apartment and the commune is asking $120,000. The total for all three properties is $489,900.