Port Alberni

Port Alberni was named for Captain Don Pedro de Alberni, a Spanish officer, who commanded the fort at Nootka on Vancouver Island's west coast from 1790 to 1792. Alberni and the West Coast of Vancouver Island is the traditional territory of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Nation.

The first European settlers in the area were with the Anderson Company (a sawmilling company) from London, England in 1860. The original mill failed but several others were established in the 1880s. It was the first sawmill in BC. Port Alberni was incorporated in 1912 with the arrival of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway, and planned arrival of the Canadian National Railway, and the Trans-Pacific telegraph cable at Bamfield. Mining took place on the Alberni Canal, as with many fish camps and outports that depended on Port Alberni as a base.

The forest industry was the dominant force, with prime cedar and Douglas fir tracts nearby. Large logging operators moved in namely Bloedel, Stewart and Welch. Sawmills were built at Alberni, Great Central Lake, and the McLean Mill. By the second world war plywood mills and a nascent pulp industry started. For the next forty years, the forest industry reigned supreme. MacMillan Bloedel Limited became the large lumber player in the valley. Then came industry modernization, business mergers overcutting and nearby logging protests.

Port Alberni's main industries were once mining and logging, but today the town is also reinventing itself as a major tourist and fishing destination for those who enjoy outdoor recreation.

In 1964, Port Alberni was hit by two tsunamis during the Good Friday Earthquake. About 375 homes were damaged and 55 were washed away, however there were no injuries or fatalities.

In 1967 the twin cities of Alberni (to the north) and Port Alberni (to the south) amalgamated to form the town of Port Alberni.

The Alberni Valley has a legendary museum and many ancillary attractions. It is often said that Port Alberni is the rainiest spot in the Province. Sproat Lake, located just outside of Port Alberni is the present home of the massive Martin Mars water bombers.

Located at the head of the Alberni Inlet, Port Alberni lies adjacent to this natural harbour as well as the Somass River. Sproat Lake is located 10 km West of the city, and the valley is guarded by the snow covered peaks of Mount Arrowsmith and Mount Klitsa, and surrounded by mountains on all sides.

The city itself owes its unique layout to its former "twin city" status, due to its two official city centers, as well as the numerous creeks and ravines which 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 Gertrude Street/3rd Avenue. This business district has struggled over the past decade as it is quite removed from the highway. However, rejeuvenation efforts are being made to attract people to this historic neighborhood. 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 Center can be found here.

The city's West End is an eclectic mix of new suburban style homes, large acreages, and two First Nations Reserves. Much of the residential growth over the past decade has occurred in the city's West End, where the Westporte neighborhood has taken shape.

The creeks and ravines which 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.

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 Canada.) Over the course of ca. 30 years due to economic recession, the actual population has declined, but is not receding anymore due to a recent economic shift.

The chief source of employment in Port Alberni is the forest industry. A large paper mill, Catalyst Paper, 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 practiced on the Alberni Valley's red clay soils.

Forestry is still practiced, 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 rampant development along the Johnston Road (Highway 4) corridor, including several new big box retailers, grocery stores and strip mall developments. In the past five years, 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 and Victoria.

Port Alberni is lauded for its natural beauty, sitting beneath Mount Arrowsmith and almost completely surrounded by mountains. It is a 1.5 hour drive from Pacific Rim National Park. The city is also known for its fishing. Its waters contain five different species of salmon and yearly runs of steelhead. Halibut can also be found in the salt water inlets near the city.

Port Alberni is home to the McLean Saw Mill, a national historical site incorporating a steam railway from the downtown harbour to the saw mill up the valley. [1].

The world's largest Aerial firefighting flying boat, the Martin Mars water bombers, make their home on nearby Sproat Lake. This lake is also a popular summer destination for local residents and cottagers from surrounding areas.

Port Alberni is home to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, a Junior A hockey team in the BCHL.

Port Alberni has some of the best hiking on Vancouver Island. There are over 100 trails in and around the Alberni Valley, including mountain bike trails for all abilities. There is easy quick access to the alpine areas, including Mount Arrowsmith.

• Kim Campbell 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 ever held this office.

• Paul Cyr was born in Port Alberni and was drafted into the NHL by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round (9th overall) in 1982.

• Gerry Fitzgerald (II) (actor) was born in Port Alberni and played the roles in Baby Geniuses 1 & 2

• Leo Fitzgerald (actor), born in Port Alberni

• Myles Fitzgerald (actor),born in Port Alberni

• Milena Gaiga was born in Port Alberni, on August 30, 1964, and played for the Canada women's national field hockey team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

• Rick Hansen 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.

• Thom Kyle (production editor), born in Port Alberni

• Bryce McLaughlin (actor, producer, casting director), born in Port Alberni

• Kenneth Oppel (writer), award winning writer was born in Port Alberni

• Rob Shick was born in Port Alberni (1957-) And has been with the NHL as an official since September 1st, 1984

• Scott Vickaryous (actor), born in Port Alberni

• K. Haggard (athlete), women's hockey

• Alberni Underground - http://www.alberni.info
• Alberni Valley News - http://www.albernivalleynews.com
• Alberni Valley Times - http://www.canada.com/vancouverisland/albernivalleytimes
• Port Alberni Online - http://alberni.ca
• Port Alberni Webboard - http://portalberniwebboard.kicks-ass.net
• Westcoaster.ca - http://www.westcoaster.ca

• Community Profile: Port Alberni (City), British Columbia; Statistics Canada
• Community Profile: Port Alberni (Census Agglomeration), British Columbia; Statistics Canada