On Tuesday, September 7th, our Visitor Centre (such as it is at present) surpassed last year’s twelve month total for inquiries. In that our construction project has left us a bit of a war zone, it has to be the realization that travelers can actually see us now that the big cedar carving and some fir trees have been removed. This year’s numbers support our projections that with the new, high profile building we will more than double our annual inquiries. Supply problems have put our move-in...
Business & Economy
Due to construction activities at the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce Visitor Centre, vehicular access and communications will be interrupted throughout this week. Although we expect to be without washrooms, power, phone and internet services for a few days, we are still available to provide travel information to visitors during this time. Portable washrooms will be available by noon Friday the 16th. Commuters who park in our lot during the day are asked to find alternate parking during...
From the busy folks at the Port Alberni Port Authority we hear two bits of great news. Firstly, Holland America Lines is finalizing plans for two stops in Port Alberni next season.
Initial plans are for cruise ships to visit us on May 19th and Sept.25/11. We don’t have confirmation of which ships are coming at this point in time, but hopefully we’ll see the return of the Statendam, which graced our harbour two years ago.
The other news from the port is that Compliance Coal will...
The Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce would like to offer up a big “thank you” to Keri Sculland of the Alberni Valley Times for writing about her experiences as a first time Ambassador. She put in a shift as an Ambassador at Cathedral Grove last Friday.
The whole premise behind the program is to welcome visitors and invite them to stop by our Visitor Centre for more information. Information about their destination, and more importantly, information about our attractions and services...
The Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce would like to express our appreciation to all those who attended our recent Networking Luncheon to learn more about the proposed Raven Underground Coal Project and the ramifications for Port Alberni. Project CEO, John Tapics, provided an excellent presentation on the details of the proposed coal mining operation and how Port Alberni fits into the equation. He dealt with all the written questions candidly and those who attended went away much more...
In conversation with folks about town there are some definite concerns about Port Alberni serving as the port of choice for the potential new Raven Underground Coal Mine to be located about seven kilometers inland from Baines Sound. The main points of concern seem to revolve around potential coal dust in the air, wear and tear on our roads and highway system and negative affects to the Alberni Inlet. From all I have learned about this project (and it’s not nearly enough yet), the coal dust...
The Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce would like to welcome Will Pulford to Port Alberni as co-owner of our local Ford dealership.
Already the changes are evident, as more inventory is showing up to the point where they appear to be overflowing their Johnston Street lot and showroom. It was interesting to read in the paper that the new owners are seriously considering a move to bigger premises. They need it! With a move to new digs by the Ford dealership, now called VanIsle Ford, the...
They said it was a bit of a whirlwind tour, but the RBC Cup bid committee made it to the Hockey Canada RBC Cup application presentation and by all accounts they impressed the adjudicators.
The Bulldog’s Andy Oakes summed up their presentation this way, “This morning our group made our presentation to Hockey Canada in Calgary. I would like to state how professional and prepared the Host Committee was for this presentation. The actions of all involved in the planning of the bid document...
A Nanaimo firm, Georgia View Ventures, will be the general contractor for the Chamber’s new Visitor Centre building. They have indicated in their bid document that they will be using numerous Alberni Valley sub-contractors during construction. The project will take just over five months to complete. There were eleven bidders, one local. Georgia View was the low bidder for the job and because we are receiving considerable federal funding for the project through Western Diversification, strict...
Have to agree with the February 25th AV Times editorial, BC Ferries is doing its best to scare visitors away from Vancouver Island. To raise the RV and trailer fees from $2.25 to $5.25 per foot is deadly to the Vancouver Island tourism industry. RV’ers just won’t come. They’ll go to the Rockies. At a time when we are actively promoting family camping trips to the Alberni Valley because we are central to an amazing number of world-class attractions and we are affordable, BC Ferries is making...