Port Alberni, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Port Alberni is a city located in the province of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the location of the head offices of the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District
Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, British Columbia
The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District of British Columbia is located on west central Vancouver Island. Adjacent regional districts it shares borders with are the Strathcona and Comox Valley Regional Districts to the north, and the Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley Regional Districts to the east...
. The city has a total population of 17,743, and the census agglomeration area a total of 25,396.
Port Alberni lies within the Alberni Valley
Alberni Valley
The Alberni Valley is located on Vancouver Island. Home to both Port Alberni, Sproat Lake and other outlining areas. The term is largely used as a synonym for Greater Port Alberni and adjoining communities but is used in a larger regional sense as well....
at the head of the Alberni Inlet, Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
's longest inlet. Recently the salmon population has decreased significantly in Port Alberni and other areas of British Columbia.
Port Alberni is the sister-city to Abashiri in northern Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
History
Port Alberni was named for Captain Pere d'Alberní, a SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
officer, who commanded Fort San Miguel
Fort San Miguel
For Angola fort, see Fortaleza de São MiguelFort San Miguel was a Spanish fortification at Friendly Cove in Nootka Sound , Vancouver Island....
at Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound
Nootka Sound is a complex inlet or sound of the Pacific Ocean on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Historically also known as King George's Sound, as a strait it separates Vancouver Island and Nootka Island.-History:The inlet is part of the...
on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
's west coast from 1790 to 1792.
Tseshaht First Nation
Tseshaht First Nation is an amalgamation of many tribes up and down Alberni Inlet and in the Alberni Valley of central Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. They are a member of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council which includes all other Nuu-chah-nulth-aht peoples except...
and Hupacasath
Hupacasath First Nation
The Hupacasath First Nation is a First Nations government based in the Alberni Valley on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is a member of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council. An alternate spelling of Hupacasath is Opetchesaht or Opitchesaht.-See...
First Nations of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council. The Nuu-chah-nulth were previously called the Nootka. Many place names in Port Alberni have a Nuu-chah-nulth
Nuu-chah-nulth language
Nuu-chah-nulth is a Wakashan language spoken in the Pacific Northwest of North America, on the west coast of Vancouver Island from Barkley Sound to Quatsino Sound in British Columbia, by the Nuu-chah-nulth people...
origin, such as Somass (washing), Kitsuksis (log across mouth of creek), Pacheena (foamy), and Nootka (go around). Ancient petroglyph carvings can be found at Sproat Lake
Sproat Lake
Sproat Lake, named after Gilbert Malcolm Sproat, is a lake in central Vancouver Island. Home of the last Martin Mars type Waterbombers, and near Port Alberni, Sproat Lake is a summer hangout for the Alberni Valley. Highway 4 runs along its scenic north shore....
.
In March of 1787, Captain Charles William Barkley
Charles William Barkley
Charles William Barkley was a ship captain and maritime fur trader. He was born in Hertford, England, son of Charles Barkley....
of the Imperial Eagle
Imperial Eagle (ship)
The Imperial Eagle was a 400 ton burthen British merchant ship that sailed on maritime fur trading ventures in the late 1780s. It was under the command of Captain Charles William Barkley until confiscated in India. The ship, Loudoun, was a decommissioned East Indiaman...
, explored Barkley Sound
Barkley Sound
Barkley Sound, also known historically as Barclay Sound, is south of Ucluelet and north of Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island and forms the entrance to the Alberni Inlet...
, which now bears his name. Barkley travelled with his 17-year-old bride, Frances Barkley, the first European woman to visit what is now British Columbia. Frances Barkley is also the name of one of the two vessels that makes trips down the Alberni Inlet from Port Alberni to Bamfield and Ucluelet. The other is the MV Lady Rose.
In 1856, Adam Horne
Adam Grant Horne
Adam Grant Horne was a Hudson's Bay Company employee at the Colony of Vancouver Island, a municipal politician and a businessman. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and died at Nanaimo, British Columbia...
, a Scottish fur trader employed by the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
, was directed to locate a land route across Vancouver Island. There were stories that the natives used a trail starting at Qualicum. Adam Horne found this trail leading to the Alberni Valley and it became known as the Horne Lake Trail. Many other settlers used this trail to get to the Alberni Valley.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, took the advice of their Victoria agent Captain Edward Stamp and set up a sawmill operation. At the time, the American Civil War prevented the importation of timber from the southern United States. Gilbert Sproat and Edward Stamp
Edward Stamp
Edward Stamp was an English mariner and entrepreneur who contributed to the early economic development of British Columbia and Vancouver Island...
transported men and machinery to Alberni. They received land grants from Governor James Douglas
James Douglas (Governor)
Sir James Douglas KCB was a company fur-trader and a British colonial governor on Vancouver Island in northwestern North America, particularly in what is now British Columbia. Douglas worked for the North West Company, and later for the Hudson's Bay Company becoming a high-ranking company officer...
and started running the Anderson sawmill at the mouth of the Somass River in August 1861. The first mill in B.C. was built to export lumber. The original mill failed, but several others were established in the 1880s. Sproat Lake was named after Gilbert Sproat and Stamp Falls and Stamp River were named after Edward Stamp.
Rogers Creek, which flows through the centre of Port Alberni, was named after A.B. Rogers,the discoverer of Rogers Pass
Rogers Pass
Rogers Pass is a high mountain pass through the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia used by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway. The pass is a shortcut across the "Big Bend" of the Columbia River from Revelstoke on the west to Donald, near Golden, on the east...
, when he surveyed in the Alberni Valley for the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
in the late 19th century.
In 1862, small-scale placer gold mining took place on China Creek; in the 1890s more gold mining took place along the Alberni Inlet at China Creek and Mineral Creek. Several gold veins were found. Exploration for gold continued over the years with peaks in 1930s and 1960s.
In 1912, Port Alberni was incorporated with the arrival of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway, and planned arrival of the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
, and the trans-Pacific telegraph cable at Bamfield. Mining took place on the Alberni Inlet and, as with many fish camps and outports, depended on Port Alberni as a base.
With ample western red cedar and Douglas fir forests surrounding the valley, the forest industry became the dominant economic force. Large logging operators moved in, namely Bloedel, Stewart and Welch. Sawmills were built at Alberni, Great Central Lake, and the McLean Mill
McLean Mill National Historic Site
McLean Mill National Historic Site is a steam-operated sawmill on Vancouver Island, officially open to tourists since July 1, 2000.-History:The mill originally ran as a family operated saw-milling business from 1926 to 1965...
. By the Second World War, plywood mills and a nascent pulp industry had started. For the next forty years, the forest industry reigned supreme. MacMillan Bloedel Limited
MacMillan Bloedel Limited
MacMillan Bloedel Limited, sometimes referred to as "MacBlo", was a Canadian forestry company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was formed through the merger of three smaller forestry companies in 1951 and 1959. Those were the Powell River Company, the Bloedel Stewart Welch Company,...
became the dominant lumber player in the valley. Then came industry modernization, business mergers, over-cutting, and nearby logging protests.
Port Alberni was once an industrial resource-dependent town, with logging and mining being the main economic drivers. Today, the town is a major service centre for local, regional, and provincial governments, and a supply centre and hospital for west coast communities like Bamfield, Tofino, and Ucluelet. Currently, the natural resources of the area are taking centre stage again, but in a different way. Port Alberni is in the process of "re-developing" itself as a tourism destination. The area's amenities, such as the natural beauty of the area, the opportunities for fishing (both marine and freshwater), its convenience as a jumping-off point for new outdoor recreation and ecotourism activities such as hiking, kayaking, and mountain-biking, lend themselves to these activities very well.
The 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake was a 7.3 magnitude
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
that struck Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, on the Coast of British Columbia, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 23, 1946. The main shock epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
occurred in the Forbidden Plateau
Forbidden Plateau
The Forbidden Plateau is a small, hilly plateau in the east of the Vancouver Island Ranges in British Columbia, located northwest of Comox Lake roughly between Mount Albert Edward to the southwest and Mount Washington to the northeast. The gently sloping sub-alpine terrain is broken by small,...
area north of Port Alberni. While most of the large earthquakes in the Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
area occur at tectonic plate
Plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
boundaries, the 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake was a crustal
Crust (geology)
In geology, the crust is the outermost solid shell of a rocky planet or natural satellite, which is chemically distinct from the underlying mantle...
event. Shaking was felt from Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
to Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia's North Coast, and home to some 12,815 people .-History:...
. The earthquake is remembered as one of the most damaging earthquakes in the history of British Columbia.
From 1920 to 1973 Alberni Residential School was in operation. The Canadian Federal government now says that this was a big blot on race relations in Canada. The residential school system run by the United Church forcibly separated children from their families and communities and in some cases children were raped and murdered. The residential school was closed in the late 1970s and in 2009 was demolished.
In 1955, the Alberni Athletics Senior-A Men's Basketball Team had an outstanding year. The Alberni Athletics won the Canadian Senior Basketball Championships at home. A young Jim Robson
Jim Robson
Jim Robson was a radio and television broadcaster for the Vancouver Canucks from 1970 to 1999...
honed his sports reporting skills doing the play-by-play on radio station CJAV. The Alberni Athletics were inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame
BC Sports Hall of Fame
For over 40 years, the community has entrusted the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum with the responsibility to collect, preserve, study, and interpret materials that relate to British Columbia’s rich sport history...
in 2001.
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
s (called tidal waves in 1964) during the Good Friday Earthquake
Good Friday Earthquake
The 1964 Alaska earthquake, also known as the Great Alaskan Earthquake, the Portage Earthquake and the Good Friday Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that began at 5:36 P.M. AST on Good Friday, March 27, 1964...
. The water rose about one foot in a minute reaching ten feet above the high water mark. About 375 homes were damaged and 55 were washed away, however there were no injuries or fatalities.
In 1967, the neighbouring towns of Alberni (on the north) and Port Alberni (on the south) amalgamated to form the city of Port Alberni.
The Alberni Valley has a museum and many ancillary attractions. Sproat Lake, located just outside of Port Alberni is the present home of Martin Mars water bombers.
Geography
Located at the head of the Alberni Inlet, Port Alberni lies adjacent to this natural harbour as well as the Somass River. The other end of the inlet is located on Barkley SoundBarkley Sound
Barkley Sound, also known historically as Barclay Sound, is south of Ucluelet and north of Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island and forms the entrance to the Alberni Inlet...
, which includes the Broken Group
Broken Group
The Broken Group is a group of small islands and islets in the middle of Barkley Sound on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada...
Islands, considered to be one of the best areas for kayaking in the world.Sproat lake
Sproat Lake
Sproat Lake, named after Gilbert Malcolm Sproat, is a lake in central Vancouver Island. Home of the last Martin Mars type Waterbombers, and near Port Alberni, Sproat Lake is a summer hangout for the Alberni Valley. Highway 4 runs along its scenic north shore....
is located 10 km west of the city, and the valley is guarded by the snow-covered peaks of Mount Arrowsmith
Mount Arrowsmith
Mount Arrowsmith is the largest mountain on southern Vancouver Island. Its dominant rock is basalt. The mountain is contained within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and as of September 18, 2009 is designated part of 1,300 hectare Mt. Arrowsmith Regional Park....
and Mount Klitsa, and surrounded by mountains on all sides. Kuth-kah-chulth, is the Nuu-Chah-Nulth name for Mount Arrowsmith.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
and ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
s that bisect the townsite. The former city of Alberni is now dubbed "North Port", and is centered at Highway 4 and Gertrude Street. Visitors continuing onward to the west coast will pass this intersection, marked by the historic Alberni Post Office on the Southeast corner. Much of Port Alberni's recent development has occurred in the North Port area, especially "up the hill", east of the North Port downtown.
The former City of Port Alberni (now referred to as "South Port" or "Uptown") can be found about 3 km South on 3rd Avenue. This business district has struggled over the past decade as it is quite removed from the highway. However, rejuvenation efforts are being made to attract people to this historic neighbourhood. In 2004, the Capitol Theatre, a local landmark in South Port, underwent extensive renovations and emerged as a stately yet modern relic of past times. This theatre now often hosts live performances. South Port is anchored by the Harbour Quay, a waterfront collection of shops and parks. The Port Alberni railway station, as well as the Maritime Discovery Centre can be found here.
The city's West End is an eclectic mix of new suburban style homes, large acreages, and two First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
reserves
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
. Much of the residential growth over the past decade has occurred in the city's West End, where the Westporte neighbourhood has taken shape.
The creeks and ravines that cut through the city create natural barriers; Kitsuksis Creek, Cherry Creek, Roger Creek and Dry Creek each flow through the city, separating Port Alberni into several distinct areas.
Climate
Demographics
The total population of Port Alberni and surrounding suburbs consisting of both Cherry and Beaver Creek districts is 26,569 (as of the 2004 census conducted by Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
). Over the course of about 30 years due to economic recession, the actual population has declined, but is not receding anymore due to a recent economic shift. The median household income in 2005 for Port Alberni was $43,624, which is below the British Columbia provincial average of $52,709.
One major characteristic known is the twin city demographic, where previously there were the distinct Port Alberni and Alberni municipalities, the remnants remain with two distinct city centres.
Health & Education
Public education is offered by School District 70 AlberniSchool District 70 Alberni
School District 70 Alberni is a school district on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The board office and the majority of the schools are located in Port Alberni but the district extends to the west to include Ucluelet, Tofino, and Bamfield.-Schools:...
, which operates 11 schools in Port Alberni. Health services are provided in town by Westcoast General Hospital, operated by the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA).
Economy
The chief source of employment in Port Alberni is the forest industry. The Alberni Valley's forests consist primarily of Douglas Fir, HemlockTsuga
Tsuga is a genus of conifers in the family Pinaceae. The common name hemlock is derived from a perceived similarity in the smell of its crushed foliage to that of the unrelated plant poison hemlock....
, Yellow Cedar and Western Red Cedar. Most of the old growth forests have been logged with current logging coming from second growth forests
Secondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
. A large paper mill, Catalyst Paper
Catalyst Paper
Catalyst Paper Corporation is a Canadian paper manufacturer. Based in Richmond, British Columbia, the company produces paper and pulp for commercial printers, publishers and paper manufacturers in North America, Latin America, the Pacific Rim and Europe...
, Port Alberni Division sits on the edge of the Alberni Inlet. There is also a lumber mill, Alberni Pacific Division, that also sits on the inlet. Several smaller sawmills exist throughout the valley. Some farming is also practised on the Alberni Valley's red clay soils.
Forestry is still practised, but over the years the forest industry discontinued selling the trees to local mills, leading to a major economic recession, and decrease in the population. The recession is being stopped with attempts to shift the focus onto tourism.
Port Alberni also serves as a hub for those travelling to the West Coast of Vancouver Island, including Ucluelet, Tofino and Pacific Rim National Park. As commodities tend to be much pricier in these remote areas, campers and travellers often do their shopping in Port Alberni before continuing their journey. This has resulted in development along the Johnston Road (Highway 4) corridor, including several big box retailers, grocery stores and strip mall developments. From 2003 to 2008, several eco-tourism companies have set up shop in the Alberni Valley, taking advantage of the city's location on the fringe of wilderness yet proximate location to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
.
Salmon
In the past two years Port Alberni’s Sockeye salmon returns have been the largest in recorded history, topping the 1.4 million mark both years. The two primary spawning lakes, Great Central and Sproat, saw over 800,000 Sockeye return. Chinook and Coho salmon returns have been average to good, providing anglers with great salmon fishing from early June through September in the saltchuck and all year round in the lakes and river system. Improved high seas conditions seem to be the prime reason for the record returns, coupled with the fact there has been no pulp mill in the town for some 20 years. An energetic team of salmon enhancement volunteers and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans have been improving salmon habitat throughout the Alberni Valley, adding a Coho hatchery at the McLean Mill National Historic Site, in addition to the highly successful Robertson Creek Hatchery on the Stamp River. Port Alberni was awarded the World Fishing Network’s coveted “Ultimate Fishing Town” designation in 2010.Attractions
Mount Arrowsmith
Mount Arrowsmith is the largest mountain on southern Vancouver Island. Its dominant rock is basalt. The mountain is contained within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and as of September 18, 2009 is designated part of 1,300 hectare Mt. Arrowsmith Regional Park....
and is almost completely surrounded by mountains. It is a 1.5 hour drive from Pacific Rim National Park
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is a Canadian national park reserve in British Columbia made up of three separate regions: Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, and the West Coast Trail. The entire park encompasses 511 km² of land and ocean. The park is characterized by rugged coasts and...
. The city is also known for its fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
. Its waters contain five different species of salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and yearly runs of steelhead
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
. Halibut
Halibut
Halibut is a flatfish, genus Hippoglossus, from the family of the right-eye flounders . Other flatfish are also called halibut. The name is derived from haly and butt , for its popularity on Catholic holy days...
can also be found in the saltwater inlets near the city.
The state-of-the-art Robertson Creek Fish Hatchery is the most successful hatchery on Vancouver Island, producing chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead smolts. It is located a short drive west of Port Alberni.
Port Alberni is home to the McLean Mill National Historic Site
McLean Mill National Historic Site
McLean Mill National Historic Site is a steam-operated sawmill on Vancouver Island, officially open to tourists since July 1, 2000.-History:The mill originally ran as a family operated saw-milling business from 1926 to 1965...
which incorporates a steam railway
Alberni Pacific Railway
The Alberni Pacific Railway is a heritage railway originating in Port Alberni, British Columbia.The railway is powered by a 1929 Baldwin steam locomotive departing from the 1912 CPR Station. It uses rebuilt cabooses as passenger cars...
from the downtown harbour to the saw mill up the valley.
The world's largest aerial firefighting
Aerial firefighting
Aerial firefighting is the use of aircraft and other aerial resources to combat wildfires. The types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters, delivered to the fire by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing...
flying boats, the Martin Mars Water Bombers, make their home on nearby Sproat Lake
Sproat Lake
Sproat Lake, named after Gilbert Malcolm Sproat, is a lake in central Vancouver Island. Home of the last Martin Mars type Waterbombers, and near Port Alberni, Sproat Lake is a summer hangout for the Alberni Valley. Highway 4 runs along its scenic north shore....
. This lake is also a popular summer destination for local residents and cottagers from surrounding areas. The Water Bombers are now owned by The Coulson Group, and have been renamed from the Martin Mars Water Bombers to the Coulson Flying Tankers.
The Alberni Valley Multiplex in Port Alberni is home to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs
Alberni Valley Bulldogs
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League . They play their home games at Weyerhaeuser Arena.-History:...
, a Junior-A hockey team in the BCHL.
Della Falls
Della Falls
Della Falls is a waterfall in Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. It is widely regarded as the tallest in Canada, 440 metres , though there is some question as to whether it deserves this title .-Location:...
, the tallest falls in Canada, is accessible by boat from Great Central Lake
Great Central Lake
Great Central Lake is a lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Great Central lake has a depth of 293 metres , making it the second deepest lake on Vancouver Island...
or by helicopter.
Hiking trails around Port Alberni
Port Alberni has some of the best hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
on Vancouver Island. There are over 100 trails in and around the Alberni Valley, including mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
trails for all abilities. There is easy quick access to the alpine areas, including Mount Arrowsmith
Mount Arrowsmith
Mount Arrowsmith is the largest mountain on southern Vancouver Island. Its dominant rock is basalt. The mountain is contained within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and as of September 18, 2009 is designated part of 1,300 hectare Mt. Arrowsmith Regional Park....
.
- Horne Lake Trail
- Log Train Trail
- Angler's Trail at Stamp River
- Rogers Creek Trail
- Labour Day Lake Trail
- Greenmax Anglers Trail
- China Creek Trail
- Climb Mount Arrowsmith
- Della Falls Trail
- Kitsukis Dyke Walking Path
- Old Forestry Lookout Trail
- Saddle Trail on Mount ArrowsmithMount ArrowsmithMount Arrowsmith is the largest mountain on southern Vancouver Island. Its dominant rock is basalt. The mountain is contained within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and as of September 18, 2009 is designated part of 1,300 hectare Mt. Arrowsmith Regional Park....
Transportation
Port Alberni AirportPort Alberni (Alberni Valley Regional) Airport
Port Alberni Airport, , is located northwest of Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada....
(CBS8) is located 11 km north west of the city. The airport has a 4,000-foot runway with another 2,500 plus feet of taxiways and apron. The airport is home to a number of key tenants such as. Coulson Aircrane, Canadian Aero Technologies, Alberni Valley Flying Club and Vancouver Island Helicopters.
The Port Alberni Port Authority was created in 1999. Under the Canada Marine Act, the Port Alberni Port Authority is responsible for the Alberni Inlet from the Somass River
Somass River
Somass River is a river on Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Its drainage basin is in size.The river's name comes from a Nuu-chah-nulth word meaning "washing".-Course:...
to Tzartus Island.
The main highway to Port Alberni is Highway 4, known locally as the Alberni Highway and the Pacific Rim Highway. It is the longest east-west main vehicle route on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, with a total length of 163 km (101 mi). The highway to Port Alberni was completed in 1942, and has been designated as Highway 4 since 1953. The highway starts at Qualicum Beach
Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
Qualicum Beach is a town in the Regional District of Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. As of the 2006 census, the town had 8,502 people.On the Strait of Georgia on the north-eastern coast of Vancouver Island in the shadow of Mount Arrowsmith, the community has been a popular tourist destination,...
, then reaches Port Alberni from which it continues on to Tofino
Tofino, British Columbia
Tofino is a district of about 1,650 residents on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada, located at the western terminus of Highway 4, on the tip of the Esowista Peninsula, at the southern edge of Clayoquot Sound....
and Ucluelet.
Port Alberni is served by the Southern Railway of Vancouver Island.
Notable residents
- Kim CampbellKim CampbellAvril Phædra Douglas "Kim" Campbell, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, university professor, diplomat, and writer. She served as the 19th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 25, 1993, to November 4, 1993...
was born in Port Alberni and was the nineteenth Prime Minister of Canada from 25 June to 4 November 1993. She is, to date, the only woman to have held this office. - George ClutesiGeorge ClutesiGeorge Clutesi, CM , was a Tseshaht artist, actor and writer, as well as an expert on and spokesman for Native Canadian culture.-Biography:...
was born in Port Alberni in 1905. He became a TseshahtTseshaht First NationTseshaht First Nation is an amalgamation of many tribes up and down Alberni Inlet and in the Alberni Valley of central Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. They are a member of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council which includes all other Nuu-chah-nulth-aht peoples except...
artist, actor and writer as well as an expert on and spokesman for First Nations cultures. In 1959, he received the British Columbia Centennial Award and the Canada Centennial Medal in 1967. Clutesi was commissioned to paint a mural for Expo 67Expo 67The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
. Emily CarrEmily CarrEmily Carr was a Canadian artist and writer heavily inspired by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast. One of the first painters in Canada to adopt a post-impressionist painting style, Carr did not receive widespread recognition for her work until later in her life...
was so impressed with his work that in her will she left him her brushes, oils and unused canvases. He died in VictoriaVictoria, British ColumbiaVictoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
in 1988. - Paul CyrPaul CyrPaul Cyr is a Canadian former ice hockey left wing. He began his career with the Nanaimo Clippers of the British Columbia Hockey League, for whom he played the 1979–80 season, and then the Victoria Cougars of the WHL from 1980 to 1982.The Buffalo Sabres drafted Cyr ninth overall in the 1982 NHL...
was born in Port Alberni and was drafted into the NHLNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
by the Buffalo SabresBuffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
in the first round (9th overall) in 1982. - Joe Drinkwater resided in Port Alberni. He was a trapper and prospector who first visited Della Falls in 1899 (named after his wife).
- Rick HansenRick HansenRichard M. Hansen, CC, OBC is a Canadian Paralympian and an activist for people with spinal cord injuries. Following a car crash at the age of 15, Hansen sustained a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the waist down. Hansen is most famous for his Man In Motion World Tour...
was born in Port Alberni (1957–) and is a Canadian paraplegic athlete and activist for people with spinal cord injuries who is most famous for his Man in Motion world tour to raise money for the cause and show the physical capabilities of such people. - Jim HillerJim HillerJames A. Hiller is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played 63 games in the National Hockey League with the Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers, while spending time in the American Hockey League and International Hockey League...
was born in Port Alberni and is the current head coach of the Western Hockey LeagueWestern Hockey LeagueThe Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
's Tri-City AmericansTri-City AmericansThe Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center...
. - Eric JespersenEric JespersenEric Jesperson is a Canadian sailor.He won a bronze medal with Ross MacDonald in the men's Star event at the 1992 Summer Olympics and finished 14th at the 1996 Summer Olympics with in the same event.-References:*...
, bronze medalist at the 1992 Olympics1992 Summer OlympicsThe 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same... - Rob ShickRob ShickThe former referee Rob Shick was a National Hockey League referee beginning with the 1985–86 NHL season. He retired in March of 2009. He wore uniform number 16 since the 1994–95 NHL season. He has been wearing a helmet while refereeing NHL games since the mid-1990s.Shick refereed his final game...
was born in Port Alberni (1957-) And has been with the NHL as an official since September 1, 1984 - Scott VickaryousScott VickaryousScott Vickaryous is a Canadian actor.-Personal life:Although Vickaryous was born in Port Alberni, British Columbia, he was raised in Sherwood Park, Alberta. His parents are named Ron and Donna, and he has an older sister named Jennifer. He attended Salisbury Composite High School in Sherwood Park,...
(actor), born in Port Alberni - Dakota MortonDakota MortonDakota Morton is known as the World's Youngest Radio Host. He created the record and set it on January 16, 1999 at the age of 10 years, 218 days. The record was awarded while Dakota was hosting his radio show at CJAV radio in Port Alberni.-References:...
(radio host), Youngest radio host Dakota Morton (born in Canada June 12, 1988) created the record and set it on January 16, 1999 at the age of 10 years 218 days. Record was awarded while Dakota was hosting his radio show at CJAV radio in Port Alberni. Guinness World Records 2005 Special 50th Anniversary Edition ISBN 0 9735514 0 2 - Alec ThomasAlec ThomasAlec Thomas was born around 1894 near Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. He was a fisherman, trapper, longshoreman, logger, interpreter, self-taught anthropologist, and Tseshaht politician....
born around 1894 near Alberni. He was a fisherman, trapper, longshoreman, logger, “anthropologist”, interpreter, and Tseshaht politician. http://www.tseshaht.com/tradition_history/figures/alec_thomas.php
Local news sites & community web forums
- CJAV-FMCJAV-FMCJAV-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting from Port Alberni, British Columbia at 93.3 FM and owned by the Jim Pattison Group's Island Radio division.-History:...
(known on-air as "The Peak") is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting from Port Alberni, British Columbia at 93.3 FM - Alberni Valley News
- Alberni Valley Times
- Alberni Online
- Alberni Valley Tourism
- Alberniweather Weather Information and Blog