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Travel: West Coast changes and challenges

Ucluelet charts dynamic, familiar course for island community
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By Margo Malcolm & Jamie Gripich

On the west coast of Vancouver Island, change is as constant as the tide. Over the last 25 years changes and challenges have hit small west coast communities as relentless as the waves beating its shore. The District of Ucluelet has been meeting repeated challenges, rolling with the curl and celebrating “life on the edge.” Ucluelet, recently granted official Resort Community status, is a town on the move and planning further ahead than ever before.

 

Forests for the Community

The realignment of the logging industry in the 1990s had a big impact on Ucluelet, whose roots are as a logging and fishing village. Hundreds of family-supporting jobs were lost, yet a large part of the local economy still relied on the forest as a vital part of its economy, and will continue to in the future.

The community is working on a joint application with its neighbour, the Toquaht First Nation, for a Community Forest designation from the provincial Ministry of Forests. This designation will give the community and First Nation land use control of local forests. It not only allows for harvesting of trees, but also other long-term sustainable forest activities, including value-added milling and possibly even small scale hydro-electric projects.

"The Community Forest is a great way to go," says Dianne St. Jacques, Ucluelet's Mayor. "We're pretty excited about the Community Forest and partnering with the Toquaht First Nation. We're both looking for economic benefits from the forest."

In November 2007, the Toquaht, along with four other area bands, finalized and accepted the historic Ma'nulth Treaty with the Provincial Government. Ucluelet is in the process of meeting community to community with the bands to discuss joint land use planning for the whole Ucluth Peninsula.

"It's a whole new chapter in life for all of us out here," says St. Jacques. "There are a lot of unknowns surrounding the process, but we look forward to working through the unknowns with our neighbours."

 

High Praise for Small Community

This holistic approach to planning has gained favourable recognition for Ucluelet outside of its borders. In February the district received the Vancouver Island Economic Developer's Association (VIEDA) inaugural "Prestige Award" award. That followed on the heels of Ucluelet being selected as one of 14 communities selected in the Community Action on Energy and Emissions (CAEE) Program for their conservation practices. And this year the town also received the Premier's Award for Innovation for their Bear Smart Program.

In late 2006, the community also received high placements in the International Awards for Livable Communities, including a Gold Certificate for the Official Community Plan/Weyerhaeuser Development Agreement and a 2nd place for the Most Livable Community below 20,000 population.

Part of being a livable community is providing necessary amenities that allow people to meet and participate in common interests. Ucluelet is building a community centre with a little something for everyone. The centre will be a community hub housing recreation rooms, a dance studio, a teen room, and a theatre. It will also incorporate a library and a Child and Family Services office, as well as having an adjacent day care centre.

"To have the library at one end and the community hub with services at the other end as anchor tenants, really will help with ongoing running of the centre," says St. Jacques.

 

LEEDing the Way

The new Community Centre will be built following the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold standard. Ucluelet council has passed a bylaw requiring all development to follow the LEED silver standard, but they have committed to building this municipal structure at the gold standard. LEED sets sustainable development principles and practices.

Developers are also expected to contribute to the town. In Ucluelet, the allowable land density is fairly low and so in return for higher density approval, developers provide extra park land, cash or a combination like they do in many communities. They are also required to build staff and affordable housing for every 6.1 unit resort, condo or multi-family that is built.

"In our neck of the woods, in order to get workers for these businesses, we need to have affordable housing," says St. Jacques. "If there is no housing, they won't get the workers they need to be successful."

New proposals on the horizon promise even more ways for Ucluelet to map out its future. Wave Energy to develop local electricity has been proposed; the district is seeking designation as a Resort Community, and a newly minted Tourism Ucluelet has been developed to further tourism interests to the area.

When you're living life on the edge, it's better to be the rock than to be the wave.

 

IF YOU GO:

Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce

Phone: (250) 726-4641

Fax: (250) 726-4611

Chamber Website: www.uclueletinfo.com