PAT DEAKIN
PORT ALBERNI – It’s early April and given the permits already in the book and the stack of applications on every bit of counter space in and near the Building Inspector’s office, Port Alberni is on track to have a record year for building permits by count and dollar value.
Renovations, new Single-Family Dwellings, Duplexes, Fourplexes, Multiple Family Dwellings, Commercial and Industrial buildings are all in the mix. On top of that, over 70 acres of land has been bought up for development in the last four months. To keep our service delivery times short, Council has approved the hiring of a second Building Inspector and a second Development Planner, and Managers are redeploying a portion of staff time to assist in the handling of the applications.
The surveys we do with new residents tell us they are moving here for the real estate values, the ease of access to the outdoors and the central location on the Island. The newcomers are, to our delight, evenly divided between retirees and millennials.
Although recent Provincial Health Orders and the pandemic in general have slowed their integration into the community, the new residents tell us they are happily experiencing the warmth and friendliness of the community, the number of trails and parks in their neighbourhoods and the ‘amenities’ here. They are amazed to find the atrium in the hospital and the modern high school.
Like the rest of us, they are enjoying the patios at our three brew pubs, the two bakeries that are in addition to the ones in the grocery stores and the food truck pod developing at Clutesi Haven Marina.
Street names and stop signs are starting to reflect the Nuu-chah-nulth language and multi-lingual trail wayfinding signs are being planned. The 178 new apartments that have opened in the last five months are full. A 100-bed seniors care complex is going up this summer and another senior’s care facility is expanding. There is of course much more to say but it’s perhaps best summarized by saying Port Alberni is coming into its own.
Pat Deakin is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Port Alberni. He can be reached at 250-720-2527 or Patrick_deakin@portalberni.ca