| Powell
River British Columbia, Canada |
| On Canada's
West Coast |
| By Carl McIntosh |
| Powell
River is a seaside community located 80 miles North of Vancouver, British
Columbia Canada on Canada’s West Coast. Being away from the coastal mountains’
rainshadow, Powell River boasts one of the most moderate climates on the
coast line with very little cloudy days in summer and tremendously
less rainfall in winter than Vancouver where rain can sock in for weeks
in the winter months. Snowfall annually is generally one or two days
usually melting as it hits the ground. This incredible microclimate allows
for semi tropical palms, bamboos, and banannas to be grown as well as Eucalyptus
as a testament to the weather here.
The community
itself consists of about 15,000 persons with an additional 10,000 in the
surrounding rural areas. |
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Originally
an industrial town, many services were built into the community to support
the once upon a time larger workforce including a recreation complex which
has a swimming pool, two Ice Rinks and a theatre for the arts.
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Powell River
also has a large new hospital which has many of the same services that
are usually found in cities. A variety of chain stores are located for
convenience “uptown” while the beach areas have remained quaint
with local shop keepers offering lattes, funky restaurants and other knick
knacks including local art. |
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| The summers
offer many community spirited festivals including SeaFair and Blackberry
Festival. The local politicians have more recently began to embrace
retirees and visitors and have built a wide wheelchair accessible seawalk
path for nearly two miles along the beach. There are numerous places
to hike, bicycle, walk, and horeback ride if one is seeking some outdoor
recreation. When speaking of Powell River, it is jokingly said that it
is one of the few places you can golf, scuba dive, and ski all in the same
day. While there is not a ski hill here, there is one just over an hour
away from Powell River.
There are several
smaller islands located nearby many of which are inhabited, some which
are not and you could spend a lifetime exploring the many bays and beaches
along this coastline which leads up to world reknown Desolation Sound,
a place where the mega yacht is right at home next to the kayak and old
wooden fishing boat. |
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Offshore
Resources Gallery
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| There is
no social class on the water here. Locals and non locals trade fresh
baking and wine and enjoy tales of where they have been and where they
are going. Desolation sound however is so vast that one can lose
themselves if they wish to have quiet time.
As for property,
Powell River is comprised of several little different neighborhoods and
one can choose which would suit them best. The original part of the community
is called Townsite and is comprised of older heritage homes very well built
and maintained with lots of character including fir floors in most and
10 foot ceilings.
These homes
start at around $60 000 CDN and go up to $130 000 CDN many with very good
Ocean views. Westview is the neighborhood nearing the local business center
and is situated within walking distance to most services which is a plus
if you do not have a vehicle. There is a solitary bus that provides public
transport and a small taxi cab company as well.
Ocean front
properties are generally long narrow lots and for the most part have very
well appointed homes. For such you pay a lot more in taxes and they rarely
start for under $210 000CDN ranging upwards of $450 000CDN. |
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| The rural
areas near Powell River offer some great parcels as you can pick up 5 acres
starting at $70 000 CDN that has hydro and telephone services already installed
also a well for your water.
Outside the
municipality, these acreages are not subject to the same tax structure
and consequently you pay very little property taxes making them affordable
investment vehicles for absentee owners should they just wish to buy and
hold or only use as a summer vacation spot. Powell River currently boasts
twenty year lows in real estate prices.
There are
two ferry boats seperating Powell River from the city of Vancouver
Canada making the city accessible, but keeping Powell River somewhat geographically
isolated from the large urban hubs. This equates to advantages such
as lower crime rates, short line ups in grocery stores, neighbors who you
actually can put a name to, and a community that exudes friendliness. |
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Offshore
Resources Gallery
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| For those
who desire even more remoteness, you can check into properties on some
of the surrounding Islands which are serviced by ferries as well. Good
bargains on property can be found if you check with the locals. Many are
not listed but are available.
The Powell
River community is comprised of an eclectic blend of traditional
“hippies”
proud to be called so, fishermen, forestry workers, artisans, musicians,
academic types and a variety of other professional people actively employed
and retired. This unique mixture of diverse lifestyles makes for a place
alive with culture and fresh thinking.
For anyone
wishing to work from home, communications systems are good with high speed
internet connections a large cable television package available telephone
of course and cell phone provisions both analog and digital. Postal service
is excellent and couriers are available as well as transport companies
if you are engaged in business that requires larger trucks.
I recently
commented that of the many places I have lived and travelled throughout
Canada, I will retire back here in Powell River. The only thing one may
notice is that this place may kill your desire to travel as my wife and
I have found that there is such an abundance of nooks and crannies to explore
along this coastline, that by the time we are finished satiating our curiosities
here, we will be too old to go anywhere else. |
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Article
Index ~ Canada
Index ~ |
