Townsite is the perfect fit for this year’s theme for Heritage Week, which is Good Neighbours: Heritage Homes and Neighbourhoods.
Townsite was designated a National Historic District of Canada in 1995, one of only seven nationwide at the time and the only one in western Canada. Townsite remains remarkably intact with over 400 original buildings contained within the borders of the 1910 town plan.
The community was preplanned with principles generated from progressive philosophical movements that arose as a result of the excesses of industrialization in the late 19th century. The Garden City and Arts and Crafts movements influenced the Powell River Company’s planners in regard to the location and architectural style of homes, parks, green belts, commercial buildings and recreation facilities.
The character and warmth of historic homes and heritage neighbourhoods enhance a community’s attractiveness and livability with their vintage house styles, gardens, landscapes and boulevards and create a positive sense of well-being throughout a community. Townsite’s unique historic background is a huge asset for the entire community.
Peter Sansburn, Townsite Heritage Society coordinator, said its mandate is to create and maintain the idea of neighbourhood. “As a community, we want to be able to do that, but also architecturally we want to be able to do that as well,” he said. “There are certain components architecturally, like windows, porches and sidings, that we want to encourage people to maintain within the Townsite.”
Local governments have been responsible for conserving their own heritage buildings since 1994, when legislation was amended to give them the tools to recognize and protect their historic sites and the ability to encourage conservation.
There are a few challenges to keeping the Townsite intact, such as the City of Powell River’s ongoing development of its liquid waste management plan and possible development on the old golf course lands. Currently, there are concerns about the increase in truck traffic through Townsite after the city relocated the barge terminal to land owned by Catalyst Paper Corporation.
“These are political issues and we’re not really a political being,” Sansburn said. “But at the same time, they do impact us and so I think we can speak to them.”
The review of the city’s official community plan, which is currently underway, is an opportunity to provide a way to strengthen provisions for preserving the character of the neighbourhood, Sansburn added. “We see some more specific things that need to be addressed within Townsite,” he said. “Hopefully there will be some safeguards and guidelines for future development within Townsite, to make sure that it’s appropriate for our National Historic District.”
Historic buildings, structures and cultural landscapes are a boost to the tourism industry as well and historic districts, such as Port Townsend in Washington State, Victoria or places in Vancouver like Strathcona, draw travellers from around the world. “They’re wowed by them, but we have a wow factor right here ourselves,” Sansburn said.
To mark Heritage Week, the society will have a display with archival pictures and information from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm Wednesday and Thursday, February 20 and 21 at Powell River Town Centre Mall. Then the display moves to Powell River Recreation Complex from 3 to 7 pm on Friday, February 22 and 11:30 am to 4:30 pm on Saturday, February 23.
More information about Townsite is available on the society’s website.
