Parksville

A Mid-Island Lifestyle Magnet

It’s not hard to see why Parksville is one of Vancouver Island’s most sought-after travel destinations. With spectacular beaches unlike anything else on the Island, waterfront resorts, and charming shops and restaurants, hundreds of thousands of visitors each year come to experience the quintessential coastal lifestyle.

Visitors will quickly notice the stunning trees of Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park, prominently located on the waterfront between downtown and the resort district. The western red cedar, arbutus, maple, hemlock, and spruce trees in the park offer a spectacular preview of the timber resources surrounding Parksville – renewable resources that have formed a key part of the area’s economic base since the early 20^th century.

Forestry Past and Present

Commercial logging first established itself on a large scale in 1904, and in the following decade and a half, Parksville’s population more than doubled. Today, the logging activity that powered the economy for so many decades is still active, with TimberWest harvesting trees on land near local favourite Englishman River. While supporting good jobs, the company puts a focus on sustainable practices.  In 2003, TimberWest partnered with the Nature Trust to preserve a 10-hectare area, and also conveyed the land which eventually became the Englishman River Regional Park.

Supported by local logging, Parksville is home to a diverse range of value-added forest product manufacturers. Quickly-growing Summit Log & Timber Homes builds some of the world’s most stunning log homes in nearby Errington, then disassembles them for shipment across Canada, the US, and Europe.

Since 1982, Weather-Wise Cedar has been transforming coastal red cedar lumber into high-quality products: siding, shingles, fencing, decking, shedding, and more – all produced at their manufacturing facility in Parksville. But it’s not just exterior products manufactured in Parksville: Mid-Island Cabinets is a major manufacturer of cabinetry and other wood furnishings, servicing multi-family and commercial developments throughout Vancouver Island and the mainland.

Tigh-Na-Mara: A Vancouver Island Success Story

Parksville’s unique identity may well be encapsulated within one of its most well-known resorts.  Tigh-Na-Mara, comprised of rows of beautifully detailed log homes, pays tribute to the region’s plentiful forest resources, while welcoming thousands of local and international visitors every year. It is here within the unique local architecture that the rich heritage and bright future of British Columbia’s coastal region truly comes together.

With a cluster of wood manufacturers underpinned by a strong supply of coastal timber, Parksville can be just as proud of its status as a hub for value-added wood manufacturing as it can for its thriving tourism industry. Harnessing the best of local resources, skills, and ingenuity is why Parksville is poised to remain a forestry success story.