COURTENAY – The next phase of the District of Tofino’s downtown revitalization will get underway in early January, rehabilitating the historic main street and restoring it as a viable and attractive location for business investment in the community and enhanced staging area for new tourism opportunities.
The $533,000 project will receive an investment of $117,000 from the Island Coastal Economic Trust.
“As Tofino has grown as a Resort Municipality, we’ve focused on building infrastructure that supports visitor experience, economic opportunity and business growth, and community life,” said Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne. “Our phased approach to revitalize downtown Tofino has enabled us to build on past successes, leverage support, and maximize the benefits of revitalization.”
Tofino is engaged in a multi-phase revitalization project, and the work supported by ICET in the first phase has generated tangible benefits, including new business startups, sale of key investment property and a significant increase in foot traffic contributing to increased profits for existing businesses. The Main Street project, expected to begin early in the new year will shift the focus to the historic commercial centre of town.
“Our investment focus is to provide project funding that spurs further sustainable economic activity, and downtown revitalizations are a proven strategy for doing just that,” said ICET Chair Phil Kent. “This project helps Tofino put its best foot forward for the tens of thousands of visitors it attracts and functions as a catalyst to leverage new business investment.”
The project will create a continuous pedestrian connection, leverage the natural and historic assets to strengthen the visitor connection to the waterfront and set the stage for the development of a scenic waterfront walkway, highlighting Tofino’s working waterfront.
“The design will encourage visitors and residents to explore downtown Tofino from a new perspective,” explained Osborne. “It will showcase our historic assets and highlight the connection to the harbour which is the jumping off point for First Nations communities, Meares Island Tribal Park and Clayoquot Sound, a UNESCO biosphere reserve.”