The village of Tahsis recently announced the construction of a new public marina as part of the Tahsis Marine Gateway project in partnership with the Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET).
“There’s so many reasons to have this dock," said Mayor Martin Davis, “it’s going to be really good for the community, the people, and for tourism, too.”
The marina project is the second phase of the Gateway project. It follows a replacement of the public boat launch in phase one. Phase three closes the project with the development of a seaplane and large vessel dock, according to a report by the ICET.
Phase one involves replacing older slabs from the public boat launch to improve boating efficiency. The new dock will be steel and concrete, providing an environmentally sustainable and resilient alternative to the current wooden and damaged dock. An onshore drive-in will be installed beside the dock, making cargo movement more accessible to those who need it.
Beside the two docks will be the marina with boat slips, increasing boating accessibility, according to Denis.
“The dock is going to help a lot with safety, too, because having good docking facilities and fairly extensive ones is good for people being about to stage their boats,” said Davis. “[T]here are small communities only accessible by water [that will benefit].”
A total of $1.3 million has been invested into the project, with ICET putting in $200,000 through their Capital and Innovation Program. The brand-new multipurpose marina is expected to have 10 to 12 different boat slips dedicated for services such as the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation (MMFN), RCMP and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
The ICET is a regional public trust fund that provides funding for small communities to stimulate economic development. They expect local businesses situated around the marina, such as Shorebird Expeditions and Coal Creek Roasters and Cafe, to financially benefit from the marina project. New business opportunities could include kayak rentals, retail stores, and ice or cold storage.
The marina is also projected to boost ecotourism within the region.
“We’re hoping this marina will perhaps encourage some [people] to relocate to Tahsis - to have some businesses revolving around the area,” said MMFN Tourism and Marketing Officer John Gauthier, “and perhaps encouraging more visitors and tourists to visit.”
Water taxis, sports fishing, and boat charters are some business opportunities that could become more accessible and, in turn, more popular with the establishment of a new marina, said Gauthier. The infrastructure of the marina also allows for adventurous tourists with a knack for kayaking, boating and canoeing to experience the full breadth of Tahsis.
Both Gauthier and Davis emphasized the rich history of Tahsis as another attraction to the village on the Norwest coast of Vancouver Island.
Loosely translated as “the gateway” or “pathway”, Tahsis is historically known for its proximity to numerous routes connecting to different coastal communities. The village also served as the traditional winter home for the Mowachaht after relocating from Yuquot after summer, linking the two traditional sites together.
The development of the marina could become an opportunity to restore those various connections, according to Gauthier.
“Opening up opportunities … is important if we want to unearth some of those ancient traditional villages, sites and significant historical locations that are located between Gold River and Tahsis,” explained Gauthier, “to introduce visitors [to the history] because it’s an important part of history.”