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About Port Hardy, BC
Where the highway ends and the adventure begins
Port Hardy Links
Port Hardy is a small community in British Columbia, Canada located
on the north-eastern coast of Vancouver Island.[1] Port Hardy has a
population of 3822 at last census (2006). It is the gateway to Cape
Scott Provincial Park on the northern most tip of Vancouver Island.
Highway 19, which stretches from one end of Vancouver Island to the
other, ends in Port Hardy, right near Rotary Park. This explains the
town's motto, found on a sign entering town, that reads, "where the
highway ends and the adventure begins." Port Hardy's twin city is Numata,
Japan. Port Hardy is also known for its cold water scuba diving.
Filomi Days
Once a year, Port Hardy holds a celebration in Rotary Park to
acknowledge its natural resource based economy. The three syllables, fi,
lo and mi, stand for "Fishing, Logging and Mining". The celebration
includes festivities in the park such as activities for children,
fundraising concessions, entertainment, beer gardens, a dunk-tank,
balloons, bake sales, craft sales, and fireworks. A dance for each age
group and a parade are also held on Filomi Days weekend- typically the
3rd weekend in July.
Tourism
Despite the available resource based jobs on Northern Vancouver Island,
Port Hardy's economy depends greatly on tourism. Ferries to Prince
Rupert, British Columbia, another popular tourist destination in British
Columbia, depart every other day during peak season. Tourist traffic in
the summer is immense, and hotels and restaurants usually find
themselves with no room to accommodate all travellers[citation needed].
Wildlife
Deer, black bears, bald eagles, squirrels, and many other species of
birds and mammals are often spotted along the Quatse Loop Nature Trail
or at Storey's Beach which is a short drive from town. Humpback whales
can occasionally been seen surfacing in the bay in front of Rotary Park.
Port Hardy has many wildlife charters, fishing charters and places to
camp during tourist season, and guests will find that local people are
very willing to share the natural wonders of the North Island.
Downtown
Port Hardy has a shopping centre (The Thunderbird Mall), a high school
(Port Hardy Secondary), a strip mall, and a campus of North Island
College, as well as numerous banks, churches, pubs and restaurants.
Other worthy sights downtown are the clocktower, the seawall, and
Rotary Park — which overlooks Hardy Bay, and has a playground for
children as well as public washrooms.
Culture
Port Hardy is a community well accepting of different cultures. There
are three popular churches for those of different religions. There are
three First Nations bands included as part of Port Hardy. Closest to
town is the band of Gwa'sala/Nakwaxda'xw, two different bands originally
from the coast of British Columbia that were moved to the same reserve
by the government. The Quatsino band is about a 20 minute drive from
downtown, and the Fort Rupert band is about 15 minutes away, near
Storey's Beach. These three bands make up a large portion of Port
Hardy's community, and provide a great deal to its industries. Quatsino
has a mill, a dock, and is in the process of building a wind farm for
the benefit of their community. All three bands have schools to fulfill
their educational needs. |
