Courtenay, British Columbia - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Courtenay is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...

, in the Canadian province

Provinces and territories of Canada

The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...

of British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

. It is the largest city (and only "city") in the area commonly known as the Comox Valley

Comox Valley

The Comox Valley is a region on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada that includes the city of Courtenay, the town of Comox, the village of Cumberland, and the unincorporated settlements of Royston, Union Bay, Fanny Bay, Black Creek and Merville. The communities of Denman...

, and it is the seat

Seat (legal entity)

In strict legal language, the term seat defines the seat of a corporation or organisation as a legal entity, indicating where the headquarters of this entity are located...

of the Comox Valley Regional District which replaced the Comox-Strathcona Regional District. Courtenay is just 4 km (2.5 mi) west of the town of Comox

Comox, British Columbia

Comox is a town of 12,000 people located on a small peninsula in the Georgia Strait on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The warm dry summers, mild winters, fertile soil and abundant sea life attracted First Nations thousands of years ago, who called the area kw’umuxws...

, 7 km (4.3 mi) northeast of the village of Cumberland

Cumberland, British Columbia

Cumberland is a town in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.-History:The village was originally named Union, British Columbia after the Union Coal Company, which was in turn named in honour of the 1871 union of British Columbia with Canada. The town was renamed after...

, 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of the unincorporated settlement of Royston

Royston, British Columbia

Royston is a small hamlet which is part of the greater Comox Valley region, 100 km northwest of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is situated across the harbour from Comox and just southeast of the municipal boundary of Courtenay...

, and 108 km (67.1 mi) northwest of Nanaimo. The city, along with Nanaimo and Victoria

Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...

is home to The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)

The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)

The Canadian Scottish Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based on Vancouver Island British Columbia.The regiment is located in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Courtenay, British Columbia...

, a Primary Reserve

Canadian Forces Primary Reserve

The Primary Reserve is a reserve force of the Canadian Forces. It is the largest of the four sub-components of the CF reserves; those being the Primary Reserve, the Supplementary Reserve, the Canadian Rangers, and the Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service .The reserve force is...

infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces

Canadian Forces

The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

First contact

For thousands of years before the first contact with European explorers, Courtenay had been the home to the Comox people

Comox people

The Komox people, usually known in English as the Comox people and also spelled K'omoks, are an indigenous group of Coast Salishan-speaking people in Comox, British Columbia and in the Toba Inlet and Malaspina Peninsula areas of the British Columbia mainland across Georgia Strait...

now the K'ómoks First Nation

K'ómoks First Nation

The K'ómoks First Nation, also known as the Comox Indian Band, is the band government of the Island Comox or K'ómoks people of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Closely allied to the Cape Mudge and Campbell River First Nations, historically they were a Coast Salish people since...

. The K'ómoks people were able to utilize the rich agricultural land to produce crops and proximity to the local waterways allowed for fishing and trade with nearby First Nations

First Nations

First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...

people. In the Comox language

Comox language

Comox, also known as K'omoks, is a Coast Salish language historically spoken in the northern Georgia Strait region, spanning the east coast of Vancouver Island and the northern Sunshine Coast and adjoining inlets and islands...

, K’omoks means "plenty" – resulting in the Valley being known as the "Land of Plenty". In 1792, Captain George Vancouver

George Vancouver

Captain George Vancouver RN was an English officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his 1791-95 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of contemporary Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon...

, anchored the HMS Discovery

HMS Discovery (1789)

HMS Discovery was a Royal Navy ship launched in 1789 and best known as the lead ship in George Vancouver's exploration of the west coast of North America in his famous 1791-1795 expedition. She was converted to a bomb vessel in 1798 and participated in the Battle of Copenhagen. Thereafter she...

in what soon would be known as the Comox Harbour and made contact with the First Nations people in the area. In recent years, there has been some speculation whether or not Vancouver was the first explorer to make contact with the people in this area. According to research by Sam Bawlf, it could be that Sir Francis Drake

Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...

made first contact with them in 1579, on a secret expedition ordered by Queen Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I of England

Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...

Early settlers

The settlement of Courtenay began in the spring of 1862. The first settlers were coal miners from Nanaimo who were drawn to the area, because it had been known as one of the best agricultural districts in the Colony. The early settlers relied on the knowledge and help of the local First Nations people. They hired them for general labour and farm work, although they were paid low wages as were most non-white people during that time. Many of the settlers ended up marrying or living with First Nations women who provided trading and social connections to surrounding First Nations people.

In 1864, Robert Brown

Robert Brown (explorer)

Robert Brown was a Scottish scientist, explorer, and author.He was born in Camster, Caithness, and studied in the universities of Edinburgh, Leyden, Copenhagen, and Rostock. He took the habit of referring to his home town, Campster , to distinguish himself from his famous contemporary of the same...

, leading the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition

Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition

The Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition explored areas of the Colony of Vancouver Island that remained unknown outside the capital of Victoria and settlements in Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley. The expedition went as far north as the Comox Valley over four and one half months during the summer...

, discovered coal deposits in the Comox Valley, and by 1888 Robert Dunsmuir

Robert Dunsmuir

Robert Dunsmuir was a Scottish-Canadian coal miner, railway developer, industrialist and politician. -Origins in Scotland:...

purchased mining claims in the area. He eventually established a mine in Union, later renamed Cumberland, which brought an influx of settlers, and Chinese and Japanese immigrants. During the establishment of the mining and farming industry, the downtown of Courtenay developed on both sides of the Courtenay River, initially on the east side then the west. The two sides were eventually connected by a bridge in 1874.

Early 20th century

Courtenay was officially incorporated as a town on January 1, 1915, and eventually designated a city in 1953. The city was named after the Courtenay River, which in turn, was named after George William Courtenay, captain of the British ship , which was stationed in the area between 1846 and 1849. From then on, Courtenay continued to grow providing the necessary services for the growing population. On July 12, 1915, a large fire ripped through 5th Street destroying much of the south side of the downtown. After much of the street was rebuilt, another fire hit the south side of 5th Street, again destroying many of the stores.

Earthquake of 1946

On June 14, 1946, a 7.3 magnitude

Richter magnitude scale

The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....

earthquake struck just west of Courtenay

1946 Vancouver Island earthquake

The 1946 Vancouver Island earthquake was a 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Vancouver Island, on the Coast of British Columbia, Canada, at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, June 23, 1946. The main shock epicenter occurred in the Forbidden Plateau area northwest of Courtenay...

, with the epicentre

Epicenter

The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...

located at Forbidden Plateau

Forbidden Plateau

The Forbidden Plateau is a small, hilly plateau in the east of the Vancouver Island Ranges in British Columbia, located northwest of Comox Lake roughly between Mount Albert Edward to the southwest and Mount Washington to the northeast. The gently sloping sub-alpine terrain is broken by small,...

. The earthquake was felt as north as Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert, British Columbia

Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia's North Coast, and home to some 12,815 people .-History:...

and as far south as Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

. Many of the town's chimneys were destroyed, as well there was some significant damage to the post office and the Courtenay elementary school. This was the largest earthquake to hit Vancouver Island, and the largest onshore earthquake in Canada. There were only two reported deaths, one Seattle man died of a heart attack and another drowned when his boat capsized due to a resulting wave.

Geography

According to Statistics Canada

Statistics Canada

Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....

, the city has a total land area of 26.68 km² (10.3 sq mi). The city is located on the British Columbia Coast

British Columbia Coast

The British Columbia Coast or BC Coast is Canada's western continental coastline on the Pacific Ocean. The usage is synonymous with the term West Coast of Canada....

and sits on the Strait of Georgia

Strait of Georgia

The Strait of Georgia or the Georgia Strait is a strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is approximately long and varies in width from...

Climate

The climate in Courtenay is very similar to that of the rest of Vancouver Island, classified as a marine west coast oceanic climate

Oceanic climate

An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...

. In the summer months it can sometimes be considered to have a Mediterranean like climate

Mediterranean climate

A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...

due to the low levels of precipitation and drying in the summer months. In the spring and fall seasons, Courtenay tends to be quite cool, damp, and wet. The high precipitation levels can be attributed to both the oceanic climate and also its close proximity to the Insular Mountain

Insular Mountains

The Insular Mountains are a range of mountains in the Pacific Coast Ranges on the coast of British Columbia, Canada, comprising the Vancouver Island Ranges and Queen Charlotte Mountains. The Insular Mountains are rugged, particularly on Vancouver Island where peaks in Strathcona Provincial Park...

range which results in the rain shadow

Rain shadow

A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...

effect. Courtenay has quite mild winters, maintaining the cool, damp, and wet characteristics, but temperatures can drop below freezing levels and snow may happen throughout the season due to Arctic air

Arctic front

The Arctic front is a term used to describe the semipermanent, semi-continuous weather front between the cold arctic air mass and the warmer air of the polar cell. It can also be defined as the southern boundary of the Arctic air mass....

movements.

Demographics

As of the Canada 2006 Census, there are 21,940 people, 9,750 private households, and 6,335 families residing in the city. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

is 822.3 PD/sqkm. The city has a total of 9,748 private dewllings. The racial makeup of the city is 94.74% non-visible minority, 5.08% Aboriginal

Aboriginal peoples in Canada

Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....

(67.3% First Nations and 27.4% Métis people

Métis people (Canada)

The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...

), 1.53% Chinese

Chinese Canadian

Chinese Canadians are Canadians of Chinese descent. They constitute the second-largest visible minority group in Canada, after South Asian Canadians...

, 0.75% Filipino

Filipino Canadian

Filipino Canadians are Canadians of Filipino ancestry. Filipino-Canadians are the fourth-largest subgroup of the Overseas Filipinos.Canada only had a small population of Filipinos until the late 20th century. To date, there are currently around 400,000 Filipino Canadians in Canada, most of them...

, 0.62% Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...

n, 0.50% South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

n, 0.48% Black, 0.32% Latin Americans, 0.23% Korean

Korean Canadian

Korean Canadians are Canadians of Korean descent. According to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, there were 223,322 Koreans or people of Korean descent in Canada , making them the fourth-largest Korean diaspora population...

, 0.09% Japanese

Japanese Canadians

Japanese Canadians are Canadians of Japanese ancestry, and are mostly concentrated on the west coast, and central Canada, especially in and around Vancouver and Toronto. In 2006, there were 98,900 .- Generations :...

and 0.05% who list themselves as multiple visible minority.

There are 9,750 households, out of which 19.08% are couples with children, 31.74% are couples without children, 31.54% are single person and 17.64% are other. The average household size is 2.2.

In the city the population is spread out with 23.15% under the age of 20, 5.81% from 20 to 24, 24.27% from 25 to 44, 28.37% from 45 to 64, and 18.37% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 43 years compared to 40.8 for BC as a whole. For every 100 females there are 89.7 males and for every 100 females age 20 and over, there are 86.6 males. For every 100 males there are 111.5 females and for every 100 males age 20 and over, there are 115.5 females.

There are 17,135 people in the city with an income, with a median total income of $22,662. Of this income, earnings are 64.7%, government transfers are 16.5%, and other income is 18.8%. There are 11,585 people with earnings and the average overall earnings are $20,529, with an average among full-year full-time earnings of $36,960.

In 2006 it was the 61st largest metropolitan area (which includes Comox and Comox Valley B) and the 69th largest urban area.

Economy

In its early inception, Courtenay's economy relied heavily on the extraction of the natural resources, like coal, logging, fishing, and agriculture. Over the years as this natural resource extraction decreased, Courtenay has focused its economic growth on supplying services to the large retiree community and the military families at CFB Comox, who is the largest employer in the Valley supplying approximately 1,400 jobs. Tourism has also been steadily increasing and has now become a vital part of the Comox Valley economy. St. Joseph's General Hospital, Mount Washington

Mount Washington (British Columbia)

Mount Washington is a mountain on the eastern edge of the Vancouver Island Ranges of British Columbia and the site of the popular Mount Washington Alpine Resort...

home of the Critically Endangered

Critically Endangered

Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations....

Vancouver Island marmot

Vancouver Island Marmot

The Vancouver Island marmot naturally occurs only in the high mountains of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. This particular marmot species is large compared to some other marmots, and most other rodents...

, Crown Isle Golf Course, Kingfisher Resort and Spa and the Coast Westerly Hotel, and the Airforce base at Comox are in the top 15 employers in the Comox Valley providing 1,200 jobs.

Approximately $573.8 milion are spent in the retail industry in the Comox Valley, with half of the sales coming from supermarkets, gas stations, and car sales. The average household income is $59,136 which is 16% less than the BC average and 18% lower than the Canadian average. In Courtenay, 60% of the income sources is employment, 19% from pensions, and 6% coming from investments.

Arts and culture

Every summer, usually in July, the largest music festival, the Island Music Fest on Vancouver Island takes place in the Comox Valley. Performers and audience members from near and far gather for three days of camping and an eclectic mix of music. There are several other festivals in the area and they include the North Island Festival of Performing Arts, Fiddlefest, Comox Valley Highland Games and the Comox Valley Piano Society puts on performances at the Stan Hagen Theatre.

The city is home to the Comox Valley Youth Music Centre, originally the Courtenay Youth Music Camp, a two week long annual summer school, which has increased to a six week program. Notable people involved with the centre include Harry Freedman

Harry Freedman

Harry Freedman , was a Canadian composer, english hornist, and music educator of Polish birth. He wrote a significant amount of symphonic works, including several film scores, and also composed a substantial amount of chamber music...

who taught at there 1971-1982, Gilles Bellemare

Gilles Bellemare

Gilles Bellemare was a Canadian politician from Quebec. He ran as a Liberal candidate in 1973 for the district of Rosemont and won with 51% of the vote. He was defeated in 1976 with 33% of the vote. He was succeeded by Parti Québécois candidate Gilbert Paquette.-Footnotes:...

(composition), Diana Krall

Diana Krall

Diana Jean Krall, OC, OBC is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 6 million albums in the US and over 15 million worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 1990s and 2000s...

(piano), Nancy Argenta

Nancy Argenta

Nancy Maureen Argenta is a Canadian soprano singer, best known for performing music from the pre-classical era. She has won international acclaim, and is considered by many as the leading Handel soprano of her time.She was born in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada...

(voice), Ingrid Jensen

Ingrid Jensen

Ingrid Jensen is a Canadian jazz trumpet player.Jensen is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and Malaspina University in Nanaimo, British Columbia. She has been nominated for several Juno awards, winning one with her first release, Vernal Fields...

(trumpet) and Renee Rosnes

Renee Rosnes

Irene Louise Rosnes , professionally known as Renee Rosnes , is a pianist, composer and arranger in the hard bop and post-bop mediums.-Biography:...

(piano).

The Sid Williams Theatre

Sid Williams Theatre

The Sid Williams Theatre is the major performance theatre in the Comox Valley, Canada. It is located in downtown Courtenay, British Columbia. The theatre was first called 'The Gaiety Theatre' in the 1920s. It was then called 'The Bickle Theatre' in the 1930s. It was originally opened as a movie...

, located in downtown Courtenay, is the major performance theatre in the Comox Valley. Other theatres include the Rainbow Youth Theatre, the Courtenay Little Theatre and the Stan Hagen Theatre.

The Vancouver Island Regional Library

Vancouver Island Regional Library

The ' is the Fourth largest library system in British Columbia It serves more than 400,000 people on Vancouver Island, the Queen Charlottes and the Central Coast through 38 branch libraries and a books by mail service...

has a branch located in downtown Courtenay. The Courtenay branch offers many services such as free WIFI for library members, computer access, and printing and photocopying stations.

Attractions

Paleontology

In recent years, Courtenay has established itself as a hot spot for paleontology discoveries. Professional and amateur paleontologists have been discovering fossils of pre-historic sea life in Courtenay, and the Comox Valley is considered to be the first stop on the Great Canadian Fossil Trail. Millions of years ago Vancouver Island was submerged under a warm salt-water sea, this habitat provided an excellent home to pre-historic marine life. After the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event, that caused the extinction of dinosaurs, Vancouver Island began to be shaped by volcanic activity, tectonic plate

Plate tectonics

Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...

movement, and glacial ice movements. This activity and glacial erosion along the Puntledge and Trent rivers have revealed some of that 80-million year old sea floor. This access to the ancient sea bed has provided the opportunity for many great marine dinosaur discoveries, like the Elasmosaur

Elasmosauridae

Elasmosauridae was the family of plesiosaurs. They had the longest necks of the plesiosaurs and survived from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous. They had a diet of fish and shelless cephalopods.-Size:...

and the Mosasaur

Mosasaur

Mosasaurs are large extinct marine lizards. The first fossil remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the Meuse in 1764...

.

The first major paleontological discovery in Courtenay occurred in 1988 when resident Mike Trask and his daughter discovered the first fossil of an 80 million year old Elasmosaur on the banks of the Puntledge River. Over the next few months, the excavation, led by Dr. Roif Ludvigson, revealed a near complete skeleton. The skull and other key bones for identifying the species were in poor condition, and it is still unknown as to what species or genus this Elasmosaur belonged. The original bones and a replica model are on display at the Courtenay & District Museum and Paleontology Center.

In 1991, during a field trip, Dr. Joe Zanbilowicz discovered a fossilized bone along the Puntledge River and a few more vertebrae were excavated that day. During the summers of 1997 and 1998, excavation led by Dr. Dirk Meckert revealed a near complete Mosasaur skeleton. After analysis of the skeleton began, paleontologists Dr. Meckter and Dr. Besty Nicholls, realized this 80-million year old skeleton was a new kind of Mosasaur that had not yet been discovered. They named this new species of Mosasaur, Kourisodon Puntledgensis

Kourisodon

Kourisodon is an extinct genus of mosasaur. Fossils have been found from Vancouver Island in British Columbia that date back to the late Santonian stage of the Late Cretaceous.-References:*-External links:* in the Paleobiology Database...

, for its unique two extra rows of razor-like teeth and its discovery location.

After these two large discoveries, there are still many species of animals being discovered, such as desmatochelys

Desmatochelys

Desmatochelys is an extinct genus of sea turtle.- External links :*...

(sea turtle

Sea turtle

Sea turtles are marine reptiles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic.-Distribution:...

s), Nanaimoteuthis jeletzkyi (vampire squid

Vampire Squid

The vampire squid is a small, deep-sea cephalopod found throughout the temperate and tropical oceans of the world. Unique retractile sensory filaments justify the Vampire Squid's placement in its own order: Vampyromorphida , which shares similarities with both squid and octopuses...

s), and multiple species of octopods

Octopus

The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...

Museums and art galleries

The Courtenay and District Museum and Palaeontology Centre offers fossil tours of local rivers and historical exhibits. It is open year-round.

The Comox Air Force Museum and Heritage Airpark

Comox Air Force Museum

The Comox Air Force Museum collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits artifacts relating to CFB Comox, its squadrons and its units. The museum is located at the main gate of CFB Comox, located in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The museum opened its doors in the current...

is located in nearby Comox and has exhibitions from the First World War

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

onwards and is open year round. The Heritage Airpark is home to several aircraft and is open from May to September. Also in Comox is the Comox Archives & Museum which depicts the history of the town.

Located in Cumberland is the Cumberland Museum & Archives. The museum which is open year round depicts the history of coal mining in the area.

Just north of the city is the Nim-Nim Interpretive Centre. Situated on the Puntledge RV Campground, the site was the original home of the now extinct Pentlatch People, it is named for Chief Joe Nim-Nim. The centre highlights the achievements of the First Nations people of the area.

There are several art galleries in the city. The I-Hos Gallery is run by the K'ómoks First Nation and displays modern and traditional BC coastal First Nations art. The Comox Valley Community Arts Council helps to support the Comox Valley Art Gallery and the Muir Gallery.

Provincial parks

There are several Provincial Parks in the area and they include;

Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park
Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park
Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on Mitlenatch Island, a small islet in the northern Strait of Georgia.-History:...

, about 29.8 km (18.5 mi) away, is located on Mitlenatch Island, a small islet in the northern Strait of Georgia
Kitty Coleman Provincial Park
Kitty Coleman Provincial Park
Kitty Coleman Provincial Park , also known as Kitty Coleman Beach Provincial Park, is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is located on Vancouver Island, in the Courtney/Comox area, south of the mouth of the Oyster River just northeast of Courtenay...

, about 10.7 km (6.6 mi) away, is located south of the mouth of the Oyster River
Oyster River (British Columbia)
The Oyster River is located on the east side of Vancouver Island between Courtenay and Campbell River, British Columbia, in Canada. The Oyster River runs from Pearl Lake to Saratoga Beach. Spawning channels located on the river are visited yearly by many salmon...

just northeast of Courtenay
Mount Geoffrey Regional Nature Park
Mount Geoffrey Regional Nature Park
Mount Geoffrey Regional Nature Park is regional park in British Columbia, Canada, located on Hornby Island. It covers an area of , including the summit of Mount Geoffrey, the highest point on the island....

, about 29 km (18 mi) away, is located on Hornby Island
Hornby Island
Hornby Island of British Columbia, Canada, is a Northern Gulf Island parallel with Vancouver Island's Comox Valley.A small community of 1,074 residents is distributed across the island. The island is culturally distinctive as it was the site of a large immigration of American draft dodgers during...
Tribune Bay Provincial Park
Tribune Bay Provincial Park
Tribune Bay Provincial Park is a provincial park located on Hornby Island in British Columbia, Canada. It features a broad, crescent-shaped beach of white sand, Tribune Bay , and spring wildflowers. There are opportunities for canoeing, fishing, hiking, tennis, picnicking, and open water swimming...

, about 30.7 km (19.1 mi) away, is located on Hornby Island
Fillongley Provincial Park
Fillongley Provincial Park
Fillongley Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on the east side of Denman Island, southeast of Courtenay, British Columbia, and facing Georgia Strait.-References:...

, about 23 km (14.3 mi) away, is located on the east side of Denman Island, southeast of Courtenay
Helliwell Provincial Park
Helliwell Provincial Park
Helliwell Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada located on a headland at the southeast end of Hornby Island.The land, formerly a farm belonging to the Acton family, was donated by Mr. J. L. Helliwell. The park was established by Order in Council 2681 on September 16,...

, about 33.5 km (20.8 mi) away, is located on the southeast end of Hornby Island

Other attractions

Woodhus Slough is a noted nature area especially for bird watching. Walking trails include Nymph Falls Regional Park, Seal Bay Regional Nature Park and the Courtenay Riverway Heritage Walk.

The Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens is a woodland garden that was developed by hand. Bryan Zimmerman spent more than two year clearing the brush on his 24 acres (9.7 ha) lot and using a wheelbarrow to make the paths.

Community parks include the Simms Millennium Park and Lewis Park. Owned by the city the Simms Millennium Park is a 9 acres (3.6 ha) park that was used during the Second World War

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

as a training area for the D-Day landings.

Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is an alpine skiing ski resort located on Mount Washington on the eastern edge of the Vancouver Island Ranges in British Columbia, Canada...

is the largest commercial ski area on Vancouver Island. Each winter season many flock there to enjoy the seasonal sports such as skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snow tubing, snow shoeing, sledding and more, as well summer attractions such as mountain bike riding

Mountain biking in British Columbia

Mountain biking in British Columbia is a popular sport as well as a thriving manufacturing, service/retail and tourism industry.-The North Shore:...

and hiking. The resort has a lot of on-mountain accommodation in the Alpine Village.

Sports

The Comox Valley Glacier Kings

Comox Valley Glacier Kings

The Comox Valley Glacier Kings are a junior "B" ice hockey team based in Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League . The Glacier Kings play their home games at Comox Valley Sports Centre, which has a capacity of 1,400...

play junior hockey

Ice hockey

Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League

Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League

The Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a junior "B" ice hockey league of 7 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada. The Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion...

in the Comox Valley Sports Centre. They won the 1993-94 VIJHL League Season Championship and the 1994-95 VIJHL Playoffs. In the 2009-10 they were the North Division Playoff Champions.

In 2009 the World U-17 Hockey Challenge

2009 World U-17 Hockey Challenge

The 2009 World U-17 Hockey Challenge was an international ice hockey tournament held in Campbell River, Courtenay, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, and Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada between December 29, 2008 and January 4, 2009...

played several games at the Comox Valley Sports Centre.

Government

The City of Courtenay is governed by a mayor and six member council. As of 2011 the mayor is Greg Phelps.

Provincially, Don McRae

Don McRae (politician)

Don McRae is a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and a member of the BC Liberal Party. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly from the riding of Comox Valley in the 2009 provincial election. After serving nearly 2 years on the backbenches he was appointed Minister of...

of the British Columbia Liberal Party

British Columbia Liberal Party

The British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...

is the Member of the Legislative Assembly

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....

for the Comox Valley

Comox Valley (provincial electoral district)

Comox Valley is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.- Demographics :- Member of Legislative Assembly :Don McRae, of the Liberal Party was elected MLA in the provincial 2009 general election....

electoral district

Electoral district (Canada)

An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...

. Prior MLAs include Stan Hagen

Stan Hagen

Stan Hagen was a Canadian politician. He served as Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Comox Valley riding in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as a member of the BC Liberal Party....

and Evelyn Gillespie

Evelyn Gillespie

Evelyn Marie Gillespie is a former Canadian politician. She served as MLA for the Comox Valley riding in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1996 to 2001, as a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party.-References:...

.

The city is part of the Vancouver Island North

Vancouver Island North

Vancouver Island North is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.-Geography:...

federal electoral district and is currently represented by John Duncan

John Duncan (Canadian politician)

John Morris Duncan, PC, MP, is a Canadian politician sitting as a member of the Canadian Parliament from 1993 to January 2006 and again from October 2008...

of the Conservative Party

Conservative Party of Canada

The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...

. Prior to that the city was in the Comox–Alberni district.

Transportation

Courtenay is served by the Comox Valley Transit System

Comox Valley Transit System

Comox Valley Transit System provides public transportation in the Comox Valley area on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Service is provided to the City of Courtenay and the towns of Comox, Royston, Oyster River, Black Creek, and Cumberland...

, which is managed and run by the BC Transit Authority

BC Transit

BC Transit is a provincial crown agency responsible for coordinating the delivery of public transportation within British Columbia, Canada, outside of Greater Vancouver...

, and the cost is shared between the Comox Valley Regional District and BC Transit. Although it is quite small with only 13 bus routes, it provides quick and inexpensive transportation throughout the Comox Valley. From the main bus stop, located on Cliffe Avenue in downtown Courtenay, there are buses that go to Cumberland, Royston, and as far as Oyster River

Oyster River, British Columbia

Oyster River is a small community located between Campbell River, BC and Black Creek, BC mainly along or shortly off of Highway 19A...

. BC Transit also operates a handyDART

HandyDART

HandyDART is an accessible transit service in British Columbia that uses vans or small buses to transport disabled or elderly passengers who cannot use the normal transit system...

transportation service, for people who have a disability or require extra assistance. In November 2007 as part of a pilot program, the Comox Valley buses were equipped with free wireless Internet access for its passengers.

Within the Comox Valley BC Ferries

BC Ferries

British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. or BC Ferries is a de facto Crown Corporation that provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island communities in the Canadian province of British Columbia...

has two terminals, one located in Little River

Little River, British Columbia

Little River is a community in the Comox Valley region of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.Its namesake, Little River, is a short stream of the same name which enters Little River Bay, just to the west of which there is an officially named Little River Beach just east of the BC Ferries...

, Comox, and the other south of Courtenay in Buckley Bay

Buckley Bay, British Columbia

Buckley Bay is a geographical location on the east coast of Vancouver Island, located between Union Bay to the north and Fanny Bay to the south. It is the departure point for the BC Ferries crossing of Baynes Sound to Denman Island. It is accessible from both the Old Island Highway and from Exit...

. The port in Little River provides service for ferry travel between Powell River

Powell River, British Columbia

Powell River is a city on the northern Sunshine Coast of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Most of its population lives near the eastern shores of Malaspina Strait, that part of the larger Georgia Strait between Texada Island and the Mainland...

and Vancouver Island, while the Buckley Bay ferry terminal provides a route between Vancouver Island and Denman Island.

Courtenay has four airports in the area, Comox Valley Airport

CFB Comox

Canadian Forces Base Comox , commonly referred to as CFB Comox, is a Canadian Forces Base located north northeast of Comox, British Columbia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora...

(CFB Comox), Courtenay Airpark

Courtenay Airpark

Courtenay Airpark, , is located adjacent to Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada.-External links:* on COPA's Places to Fly airport directory...

, Courtenay Airpark Water Aerodrome

Courtenay Airpark Water Aerodrome

Courtenay Airpark Water Aerodrome, , is located adjacent to Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada....

and Courtenay (Smit Field) Airport

Courtenay (Smit Field) Airport

Courtenay Airport, , is located west of Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada.-External links:* on COPA's Places to Fly airport directory...

. From the Comox Valley International Airport, WestJet

WestJet

WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service to 71 destinations in Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Founded in 1996, WestJet is currently the second largest Canadian air carrier, behind Air Canada, operating an average of...

, Air Canada

Air Canada

Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...

, Central Mountain Air

Central Mountain Air

Central Mountain Air Ltd. is a Canadian regional airline based in Smithers, British Columbia. It operates scheduled and charter services and transborder services...

, Pacific Coastal Airlines

Pacific Coastal Airlines

Pacific Coastal Airlines is an airline based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. It operates scheduled, charter and cargo services to destinations in British Columbia. Its main base is Vancouver International Airport, with a hub at Port Hardy Airport....

and Island Express Air

Island Express Air

Island Express Air is a small Canadian airline based in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Its first flight was on August 7, 2009 as part of the Abbotsford International Airshow...

provide flights to Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

, Calgary

Calgary

Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...

, Edmonton

Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...

, Abbotsford

Abbotsford, British Columbia

Abbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...

and Campbell River

Campbell River, British Columbia

Campbell River is a coastal city in British Columbia on the east coast of Vancouver Island at the south end of Discovery Passage, which lies along the important coastal Inside Passage shipping route...

. In recent years during the winter months, CanJet

CanJet

CanJet Airlines is a low-cost chartered airline based in Enfield and in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada at the Halifax International Airport. It operates contract and ad hoc charters throughout Canada and the United States...

and WestJet have been offering seasonal flights to Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican balneario resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas.The 2010 census reported Puerto Vallarta's population as 255,725 making it the sixth-largest city in the state of Jalisco...

and Cancún

Cancún

Cancún is a city of international tourism development certified by the UNWTO . Located on the northeast coast of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico, more than 1,700 km from Mexico City, the Project began operations in 1974 as Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of FONATUR Cancún is a city of...

, Mexico. Courtenay Airpark and Courtenay Airpark Water Aerodrome are located in downtown Courtenay and are small airports owned by the City of Courtenay, but operated by The Courtenay Airpark Association. Courtenay Airpark provides hangar

Hangar

A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...

space for recreational fliers and aerial tours of the Comox Valley. In addition Comox Water Aerodrome that has daily flights to and from Vancouver provided by West Coast Air

West Coast Air

West Coast Air is a scheduled airline operating de Havilland Canada float planes, with scheduled flights from downtown Vancouver and the Richmond Floatplane base at Vancouver International Airport to Victoria, Nanaimo, Comox, the Sunshine Coast, and Whistler. The company also flies tours and...

. Courtenay (Smit Field) Airport is a small privately owned airport.

Via Rail

VIA Rail

Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....

operate the Victoria – Courtenay train on track owned by the Island Corridor Foundation

Island Corridor Foundation

The Island Corridor Foundation is a Canadian non-profit that owns all former Canadian Pacific and Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway track on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The foundation was created in 2003 and gained the first of track in 2006 when Canadian Pacific donated its portion of the...

and operated by the Southern Railway of Vancouver Island (Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway). The terminus, Courtenay railway station

Courtenay railway station

The Courtenay railway station is located in downtown Courtenay, British Columbia. The station is the northern terminus for Via Rail's Victoria – Courtenay train dayliner service....

is at the former Canadian Pacific Railway

Canadian Pacific Railway

The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...

station that was designated a Heritage Railway Station in 1993.

The major highway that runs through the city is Highway 19A, the Island Highway

Island Highway

The Island Highway is actually a series of highways that follows much of the eastern coastline of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada....

Health care

St. Joseph's General Hospital (SJGH) is located in Comox, but serves as the primary hospital for the Comox Valley and surrounding communities from Bowser to Oyster River. SJGH provides 235 beds, with 110 for acute care and 125 for complex care.

SJGH was founded by four nuns from the Sisters of St. Joseph

Sisters of St. Joseph

The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...

of Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

in 1913, to provide the needed health care to the settlers of the Comox Valley and its active logging industry. Initially it had room for only 10 patients, but it has continually increased its bed count throughout the years to 235 beds, in addition to expanding its services. Currently SJGH falls under the Vancouver Island Health Authority

Vancouver Island Health Authority

Vancouver Island Health Authority is the publicly-funded health care provider in an area in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The region includes the communities of:* Vancouver Island* Gulf Islands* Johnstone Strait* Central Coast...

, but still maintains its Christian and Catholic principles through its current board of directors, of "commitment, compassion, competence, excellence, human dignity, integrity, spirituality, subsidiarity and social responsibility while caring for the whole person".

Today SJGH provides many specialist services including Dermatology, General Surgery, Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Palliative Care, Pathology, Psychiatry, Radiology, and Urology.

Emergency services

Courtenay contracts out its police services to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...

. Their main detachment is located in East Courtenay along Ryan Road. This detachment provides policing services to the entire Comox Valley. Courtenay also has an active branch of Crime Stoppers to help provide the Comox Valley information about recent crimes and a way to provide anonymous tips.

Fire services are provided by the Courtenay Fire Department, and it is one of the five volunteer fire departments that operate in the Comox Valley. The Courtenay Fire Department has 42 career and paid-on-call firefighters that provide fire suppression, auto extrication, fire safety education, and the issue of fire permits.

Courtenay ambulance services are provided by British Columbia Ambulance Service

British Columbia Ambulance Service

The British Columbia Ambulance Service is the sole ambulance service and provider of pre-hospital emergency care in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It operates under the Emergency and Health Services Commission and the Provincial Health Services Authority, and is tasked with the...

Education

Courtenay has numerous public schools operated by School District 71 Comox Valley

School District 71 Comox Valley

School District 71 Comox Valley is a school district on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This includes the communities of Courtenay and Comox as well as the surrounding rural areas and the adjacent islands of Denman and Hornby.-History:...

. In the 2007 school year, School District 71 had 9,197 students enrolled.

Elementary schools

Arden Elementary K-7
Courtenay Elementary K-7
École Puntledge Park Elementary K-7
Huband Park Elementary K-7
Queneesh Elementary K-7
Valley View Elementary K-7

Secondary

Georges P. Vanier Secondary
Georges P. Vanier Secondary School
Georges P. Vanier Secondary School is a high school in Courtenay, British Columbia, CanadaIts doors opened in January 1968 completing a move of students from the old Courtenay Sr. high school. The school was named after one of Canada's most popular Governors-General. Vanier was built to house a...

8-12
Lake Trail Secondary 8-10
Mark R Isfeld Secondary
Mark R. Isfeld Senior Secondary School
Mark R. Isfeld Senior Secondary is a public high school in Courtenay, British Columbia part of School District 71 Comox Valley.The school was named for Canadian Forces Master Corporal Mark Robert Isfeld . Master Corporal Isfeld gained recognition for distributing small knitted dolls to children...

8-12
Sandwick Alternate School

Post-secondary

Courtenay is home to the largest North Island College Campus with approximately 1, 669 students enrolled in credit classes and an additional 1,393 enrolled in short term or vocational courses. The campus is complete with cafeteria, bookstore, library, and the notable Stan Hagen Theatre that holds many community events. The Comox Valley Campus offers many certificate, associate degrees, and bachelor degree programs, and is known for its Bachelor's of Nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an American four year academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by a tertiary education university or similarly accredited school...

program and its Professional Photography Certificate.

Media

There are two newspapers in the city, the Comox Valley Echo and the Comox Valley Record. There are two radio stations, CKLR-FM

CKLR-FM

CKLR-FM is a Canadian radio station that operates at 97.3 FM in Courtenay, British Columbia with the on-air branding "97.3 The Eagle". The Eagle also broadcasts on cable at 89.7 and streams live from their website....

and CFCP-FM

CFCP-FM

CFCP-FM is a Canadian radio station that broadcasts an active rock format at 98.9 FM in Courtenay, British Columbia. The station is branded as Classic Rock and More - 98.9 Jet FM and is owned by Vista Broadcast Group....

Notable persons

David Barbarash
David Barbarash
David Barbarash was the North American press officer for the Animal Liberation Front from mid-1999 until late-2002. The ALF press office in the UK is run by Robin Webb...

, North American press officer for the Animal Liberation Front
Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...

from mid-1999 until late-2002
Lance Blomgren
Lance Blomgren
Lance Blomgren is a Canadian writer who is known for his published fiction and essays.He grew up in Courtenay, British Columbia and spent various years living and writing in Victoria, British Columbia, Montreal, Quebec, Las Cruces, New Mexico and Vancouver, British Columbia.He completed degrees...

, Canadian writer who is known for his published fiction and essays
Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...

, actress, lived in the city until she was 11
Byron Dafoe
Byron Dafoe
Byron Dafoe is a British-Canadian former National Hockey League goaltender. He was born in Worthing, Sussex, England and moved to Duncan, British Columbia with his mother at the age of two months old. Between 1992 and 2004, he played for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings...

, NHL goalie
Brendan Fletcher
Brendan Fletcher
Brendan Fletcher is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:Fletcher was born in Comox Valley, British Columbia and went to junior high school at Lake Trail in Courtenay, British Columbia....

, actor, attended Lake Trail Secondary School
Taylor Green
Taylor Green
Taylor Green is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers.-College:...

, baseball player, attended Mark R. Isfeld High School in and played high school baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

for the Parksville Royals of the British Columbia Premier Baseball League
B.C. Premier Baseball League
The British Columbia Premier Baseball League, commonly referred to as the BCPBL or the PBL, is a competitive youth baseball league consisting of 13 teams located throughout British Columbia, Canada...
Carol Isfield, recipient of the Memorial Cross
Memorial Cross
The Memorial Cross , often known as the Silver Cross, is a Canadian medal awarded to the mother, widow, widower, or next of kin of any member of the Canadian Forces who loses his or her life in active service, including peacekeeping, and other such international operations.-Design:The Memorial...

and Silver Cross Mother
Silver Cross Mother
A Silver Cross Mother is chosen each year by the Royal Canadian Legion to lay a wreath during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on behalf of all mothers who have lost children in the service of their country. The title is named for the Silver Cross, a medal awarded...

in 2000
Olaf Kölzig
Olaf Kölzig
Olaf Kölzig is a retired German professional ice hockey goaltender and associate goalie coach for the Washington Capitals. With the exception of 8 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he played his entire 14 year career with the Capitals...

, National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

goalie
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Michael Linton
Michael Linton
Michael Linton is the designer of a Local Exchange Trading System known as LETSystem, an open form of money, or personal and practical arrangement of community currency...

, designer and operator of the first Local Exchange Trading Systems
Local Exchange Trading Systems
Local exchange trading systems , also known as LETSystems, are locally initiated, democratically organised, not-for-profit community enterprises that provide a community information service and record transactions of members exchanging goods and services by using the currency of locally created...
Brett McLean
Brett McLean
Brett McLean is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing within the Chicago Blackhawks organization of the National Hockey League...

, NHL forward
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
Henry McQuillan
Henry McQuillan
Henry Carwithen McQuillan was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons. Born in Courtenay, British Columbia, he was a contractor and logger by career....

, Progressive Conservative party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....

member of the Canadian House of Commons
Sue Medley
Sue Medley
Sue Medley is a Canadian rock musician. She released her self-titled debut CD in 1990. She won a Juno Award in 1991 for Most Promising Female Vocalist.-The Early Years:...

, Canadian rock musician
Simon Nessman
Simon Nessman
Simon Nessman is a Canadian male model from Courtenay, British Columbia.-Career:Nessman is best known as the current face of Versace and D&G...

, Canadian male model
Sarah Neufeld
Sarah Neufeld
Sarah Neufeld is a Canadian violinist and a member of the popular indie rock band Arcade Fire. She is also a member of the post rock band Bell Orchestre, alongside Arcade Fire multi-instrumentalist Richard Reed Parry and former Arcade Fire member Pietro Amato...

, musician, member of Arcade Fire and The Luyas
The Luyas
The Luyas are a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2006 from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-History:The Luyas did their first live performance in December 2006...
Onewaystreet, the predecessor to Schizophonic
Schizophonic (band)
Schizophonic, based in Nanaimo, British Columbia, is a nine piece band playing a mix of genres from rock, to jazz. Formed in late 2010 by students of Vancouver Island University, the group play mostly original songs, many written by band leader Troy Lucas....

was composed of high school students from the area
Lily Hoy Price
Lily Hoy Price
Lily Hoy Price grew up in Quesnel, British Columbia and is the ninth daughter of twelve children in the Hoy family. She has lived in England, Nigeria, Uganda and Nova Scotia....

, started writing after taking a creative-writing workshop at North Island College at the age of 70

External links

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