Summer walking tours of Historic Townsite are in full swing. Organized by Townsite Heritage Society of Powell River, the regularly scheduled strolls take visitors and guests down memory lanes of the old town where Powell River started.
Due to Townsite’s designation as a National Historic District of Canada in 1995, the tours are a natural fit for anyone looking to celebrate or participate in Canada 150 nostalgia.
Tours wind their way along streets and past many buildings, gardens and original homes built by the Powell River Company for the town’s first residents around 1910.
Guided excursions start from Henderson House, the restored home of Powell River’s first physician, and last about 90 minutes. The heritage society uses the house as its resource and interpretive centre.
Townsite Heritage Society coordinator Linda Nailer, former city councillor Bob Astrope and former mayor Stewart Alsgard serve as volunteer guides. Visitors are taken to Arbutus Apartments, Patricia Theatre, church’s corner at Ash Street and Sycamore Avenue and then out along Manager’s Row (Marine Avenue).
“There are some beautiful old manager’s homes there to see the Arts and Crafts design of the town,” said Nailer, “and they are the best homes from the time.”
Everyone seems to have their favourite Townsite home, including Astrope, who said he is partial to the guest house and manager’s residence.
“They were two of the nicest homes ever built,” said Astrope.
After leading tours for the first time last year, Astrope said each group he takes out adds to his knowledge. Townsite’s history is deep and rich, he added.
“I’m more or less brushing up as I go because you keep running into different things when you’re involved in this,” he said.
Among tourists who visit the old sites, Astrope said he has found most are usually in town to visit family.
“I always encourage local residents if they’re looking for something to do when family or friends come to visit, come on down and we’ll do the guided walking tour for a couple of hours,” said Nailer. “I tailor it according to time factors and people’s physical needs.”
Once the tour group is finished sightseeing and taking photographs on Manager’s Row, the tour continues past Townsite Brewing and into Dwight Hall.
“We circle around to the Rodmay Hotel,” said Nailer, “and we go into the foyer, look at the wonderful Inglenook fireplace, double staircase and interesting historical photos.”
After that, the tour continues past the façade of the old Bank of Montreal building, the Old Courthouse Inn and the old Northwest Telephone Company, where Telus is currently completing restoration in keeping with Townsite heritage.
Tours end back at Henderson House, but guests do not have to stop there, according to Nailer. Townsite offers much more to see since guided tours do not travel down other streets with fine examples of smaller Arts and Crafts-style homes, she said.
“We tell people to take a hike,” said Nailer. “I always say Maple Avenue is a lovely street to go down, and Oak and Cedar streets, too; these are all historic streets where you can see what the old Townsite was because each one has its own characteristic.”
Scheduled tours take place at 2 pm on Wednesdays and 10 am on Saturdays. For more information about Townsite Heritage Society, go to powellrivertownsite.com.
