Nanoose Bay

Nanoose Bay
Nanoose Bay Location of Nanoose Bay' in British Columbia
Coordinates: 49°15′N 124°11′W / 49.250°N 124.183°W / 49.250; -124.183Coordinates: 49°15′N 124°11′W / 49.250°N 124.183°W / 49.250; -124.183
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Regional district	Nanaimo
Population  (2016)
• Total	5,919
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
Area codes	250, 778, 236, & 672

Nanoose Bay is a community on the east coast of southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.^[1] The location off BC Highway 19 is by road about 26 kilometres (16 mi) north of Nanaimo, and 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of Parksville.

Name origin[]

In 1862, John Enos (Joao Ignacio) became the first European settler on the Nanoose Bay Peninsula.^[2][3] The bay was spelled Noonooa on an 1864 map.^[4] The current anglicized spelling was adopted by the early 1870s.^[5]

The Nanoose First Nation called the peninsula Berry Point. In the early 1800s, a rival tribe massacred many members, who were berry picking. A child survivor was later known as "Nanoose Bob".^[3][6]

Nanoose Bay settlement[]

The Nanoose Bay community was formerly called Arlington after the Arlington Hotel, the post office name from 1906,^[7] until adopting Nanoose Bay in 1916.^[8]

In 1957, Yvonne and John Ruggles opened a store on the hill in the Qualicum National Wildlife Area.^[9] The modern retail and commercial centre on Collins Cres was called the Red Gap Centre, but nowadays only the supermarket appears to bear that descriptor. A firehall, library, and elementary school exist.

Railway[]

Around 1910, the Nanoose Bay train station opened,^[10] and was a flag stop when Via Rail on Vancouver Island ceased in 2011. Adjacent stops were about 18 kilometres (11 mi) south to Wellington, and 11 kilometres (7 mi) north to Parksville.^[11] At the railway crossing on Nanoose Beach Rd,^[12] not even a signpost marked the flag stop location in its final years.^[13]

Neighbouring settlements[]

View of Nanoose Bay from Notch Hill

Along NW Bay Rd, was the community of Brynmarl (south of Sanders Rd intersection), which had a post office (1886–1935),^[14] stage stop, and train station.^[9] The Rocking Horse Pub lies among rural holdings.

In 1911, along today's Powder Point Rd, the peninsula was called "Powder Point" when the Giant Powder Company established a plant, community, and a 4.8-kilometre (3 mi) narrow gauge railway that connected the complex. In 1918, an explosion caused extensive damage, and the plant relocated in 1925.^[3][6]

Near the point, at Brickyard Cove, a brick plant existed in 1911. Clay came from the grounds of the present golf course. Bricks intertwine the roots of giant trees in Brickyard Park.^[6] At Dolphin Beach, the Fairwinds Schooner Cove Marina has 360 berths.^[15]

The ghost town of Red Gap, which was the site of the Straits Lumber Mill 1912–1942, is southeast along the highway.

Military test range[]

The Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental Test Range (CFMETR) is in a restricted area at the wharf terminus of Powder Point Rd. The joint Canadian-American testing facility for torpedoes and other naval warfare and listening equipment has operated since 1965. During the 1970s and 1980s, a protest camp along the highway targeted the facility.

References[]

External links[]

• "Nanoose Bay tourism information". www.VisitParksvilleQualicumBeach.com.