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Sunset on the Beach
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With a population of only
about 13,000, Powell River
hardly fits into the category of bustling metropolis. Yet visitors to this seaside
city usually manage to find everything they're looking for and more. Like the
rest of the Sunshine Coast, the main attraction of Powell River is its abundant
outdoor activities. Boasting an 18-hole
golf course, a surplus of hiking trails, and some of the best fishing
and cold water scuba
diving in the world, Powell River can accommodate almost any type of
adventurer. For the less heroic, Powell River has an array of eclectic activities,
including taking in a show at The
Patricia Theatre, B.C.'s oldest movie theatre, which was built in 1928.
GEOGRAPHY
Separated by Jervis Inlet
from the lower portion of the Sunshine Coast, Powell River is the political
and geographical core of its surrounding communities. The Powell River region
encompasses the communities of Lund,
Texada Island,
Saltery Bay,
Savary Island, Desolation
Sound, Myrtle Point, Brew Bay, Lang
Bay, Blubber Bay, Sliammon and Stillwater, but within municipal limits,
Powell River consists of three main districts: Cranberry, Wildwood and Westview.
Cranberry, historically an agricultural community, was subdivided in 1912 to
provide lots for returning First World War soldiers (the price of these lots
was $1). Nowadays, the neighbourhood is well-known for its famous Cranberry
pottery, and also for the attractive water lillies that cover Cranberry
Lake.
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Starfish at Low Tide
Photo Courtesy Jennifer Lawrence
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Wildwood, on the other hand,
is a lush and somewhat rustic area originally populated by plucky pioneers.
Visitors often trek to the top of Wildwood
Hill to catch a glimpse of the spectacular city view.
Westview is the most populous
and commercial area in Powell River. Funky shops and diverse restaurants line
Marine
Avenue, the waterfront hot spot of Westview.
HISTORY
The city of Powell River
was officially born in 1909, when Dr. Dwight Brooks, Anson Brooks and M. J.
Scanlon incorporated the Powell River Company and began building the Paper
Mill that has been the industrial livelihood of Powell River for many
years. In an effort to provide optimal working conditions for their employees,
the three co-founders of the mill constructed a completely pre-planned town
around the plant under strict guidelines. More specifically, they ensured that
their employees would have well-built houses with plenty of room and a sufficient
yard, and that the town would have a surplus of green space and wildlife, both
within city limits and outside the border. The original 'Garden City' that Brooks,
Brooks and Scanlon had envisioned was completed in 1930. Being primarily an
industrial town, the prosperity of Powell River has always been interlaced with
the prosperity of the local industries.
ECONOMY & INDUSTRY
Powell River's major industries
are forestry, mining, tourism and fishing, and the town and its hard-working
community have always been largely influenced by the dominant industry of the
time. For instance, near the end of the 19th century, gold was discovered around
the Texada Island region, but over the years, gold became sparse, and limestone
mining became the main focus of the area. When the Second World War saw the
departure of many of the able-bodied men in the area, the brave women of Powell
River took over the industrial duties, and were even contracted by mega corp
Boeing to make wooden airplane parts.
One industry that has prevailed
in Powell River is the pulp industry. At the beginning of the 20th century,
scientists reasoned that the energy potential of the Powell River Harbour could
be tapped into by building a dam. The energy from the dam in turn was used to
build and operate the largest pulp and paper mill in Western Canada. The NorskeCanada
Paper Mill, as it is presently known, was built in 1910 and was the largest
of its kind in Canada for many years. The mill presently employs around 700
people, and while it doesn't manufacture pulp today, it imports raw pulp products
in large quantities, keeping the pulp industry alive and well in Powell River.
The past few decades have
seen an increasing diversification in the industrial sector of Powell River.
The community, which was once monopolized by big business is now experiencing
a mass emergence in small, specialty enterprises like funky
gift shops and specialized
sporting goods stores.
The technology and communications
sectors are also taking off, allowing the once rural Powell River to be connected
with not only BC but the rest of the world as well. And, as more and more people
discover the majestic beauty of the Sunshine coast, tourism is on the rise in
Powell River and its surrounding communities.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodations in Powell
River range from executive
hotels to deluxe bed
& breakfasts to houseboat
rentals. There are a number of vacation
home rentals available for the visitors who just can't tear themselves
away from Powell River's charm. WorldWeb.com's
accommodation pages can help travellers find their ideal abode.
CULTURE
This wheelchair-friendly
city is host to numerous cultural events and festivals throughout the year.
Bookworms will love the Powell
River Festival of Writers in April, and September is music lovers month
with The
Sunshine Music Festival usually taking place on the labour day long
weekend. Texada
Island Sandcastle Days and Seafair,
both popular annual events, attract masses of visitors from all over the globe.
The ever popular Blackberry
Festival takes place at the height of Blackberry season, usually around
the end of August.
As the ancient home to the
Sliammon First Nations tribe, Powell River's culture is largely influenced by
Native tradition. From the numerous Aboriginal
tours to the welcoming Totem pole at Ayjoomixw Park, Aboriginal influence
is a recurring theme in Powell River. The
Historic Lund Hotel, a landmark in the Powell River region, features
photos and artifacts in its in-house gallery, and also offers a Sliammon Cross
Cultural Program, designed to increase Aboriginal cultural awareness among visitors
and residents alike.
Powell River's major post-secondary
institute, Malaspina
University College, facilitates a large portion of the arts and culture
community in the city. Home to both the Powell River Campus Library and the
Malaspina Film Society, the campus helps foster cultural awareness in the community.
CLIMATE
|
Month |
Avg.
Daily Temperature |
Average
Rainfall |
|
Min |
Max |
| Jan
|
0°C
(32ºF) |
5°C
(41ºF) |
159
mm |
| Feb |
0°C
(32ºF) |
7°C
(45ºF) |
111
mm |
| Mar
|
1°C
(34ºF) |
9°C
(48ºF) |
111
mm |
| Apr |
3°C
(37ºF) |
12°C
(54ºF) |
72
mm |
| May
|
6°C
(43ºF) |
17°C
(63ºF) |
68
mm |
| Jun
|
10°C
(50ºF) |
20°C
(68ºF) |
62
mm |
| Jul |
11°C
(52ºF) |
22°C
(72ºF) |
46
mm |
|
Aug |
11°C
(52ºF) |
22°C
(72ºF) |
47
mm |
|
Sep |
9°C
(48ºF) |
19°C
(66ºF) |
61
mm |
|
Oct |
5°C
(41ºF) |
13°C
(55ºF) |
151
mm |
|
Nov |
2°C
(35ºF) |
8°C
(46ºF) |
179
mm |
|
Dec |
0°C
(32ºF) |
5°C
(41ºF) |
172
mm |
|
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| Climate
data from the Weather Network |
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One of the major attractions
of Powell River is its extremely moderate climate, and its surplus of sunshine.
Average rainfall for the area is tolerable at 101 to 135 cm (45-53 in), and
Powell River averages of 1,400 to 1,900 hours of sunshine annually. The average
temperature for the area hovers around 10°C (50°F), and in the summer, the temperature
can get as hot at 30°C (90°F) or as cool as 18°C (65°F). Visitors to the area
are advised to dress according to the average temperature for that time period,
and to bring along a raincoat, even in the summer, just in case.
TRANSPORTATION
Visitors can reach Powell
River by plane, ferry and car. Those driving from Vancouver will have to hop
on a BC
Ferry at Horseshoe Bay and get off at Langdale. From there, travellers
follow the main highway to Earl's Cove, where they will have to catch another
ferry to Saltery Bay. This route takes about five and a half hours. From Vancouver
Island, visitors catch a ferry at Little River in Comox, which arrives at Powell
River in one hour and 15 minutes.
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Sea Kayaking on the Sunshine Coast
Photo Courtesy Jennifer Lawrence
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The Powell River Airport
can be reached via several airlines.
Visitors can also catch a bus to Powell River with Greyhound
Canada, Eh!
BC Experience or Malaspina
Coach Lines.
As for getting around within
Powell River, the Powell
River Regional Transport System provides regular wheelchair-accessible
bus service to the municipal area, and limited service to rural communities.
Water taxi is a popular way to get around on the coast, and the Lund
Water Taxi can deliver visitors to some of the more isolated areas around
the region. As Powell River is still quite small, parking is rarely a problem.
The majority of attractions offer a surplus of free parking.
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Saltery Bay Provincial
Park
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West
Coast Rainforest
Photo Courtesy Audrey Hunt |
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Nearby Saltery
Bay Provincial Park is well known for its hiking trails and beaches,
but it is even more well known as a diver's paradise. Boasting a plethora of
unique marine life, as well as numerous caverns and reefs, divers flock to Mermaid's
Cove. They won't be disappointed, for set amidst the water is a spectacular
3 m (9 ft) bronze statue of a mermaid, known as the Emerald Princess.
This wheelchair-accessible park also has camping
facilities and public washrooms.
The Giant Hulks
One of Powell River's signature attractions is the Giant
Hulks, a group of burly veteran ships that are anchored in a row to
protect the log storage pond of the local paper mill. Behind each of the ships
is a unique story of wartime service or industrial labouring. The presence of
the Hulks has created a large artificial reef, which attracts many divers to
the area. To view the Hulks, visitors should make their way over to the Mill
Viewpoint.
Powell River Recreation
Complex
The community of Powell River takes great pride in its Recreation
Complex. The biggest in Canada for a community of this size, the complex
features two adjoining NHL-sized hockey rinks, two pools with hot tub and sauna,
a large fitness area and a theatre that acts as a venue for many cultural events.
The Blackberry Festival
At the height of the Blackberry season, usually around the third week in
August, Powell River hosts The
Blackberry Festival. Some locals insist that the festival was created
in an attempt to brighten the moods of gardeners whose lands have been completely
taken over by persistent vines. The festival's popular street party features
music, crafts, food and a homemade blackberry wine contest.
The Historic Townsite
Nowhere is the history of Powell River more evident than in its Historic
Townsite. The town was built with a Garden City concept in mind, and
most of the remaining houses are considered craftsman style. Its beginnings
as a pre-planned industrial town can be seen by taking a walking tour of the
old town, offered by the Townsite Heritage Society. Pamphlets for self-guided
tours are available for those who prefer tours at their own pace.
