08435

NEW PRICE $997,500

$4,173.42 (2008)

Rural Low Density

PERMIT the subdivision of lands designated “Rural Low Density” into parcels with an average parcel size of approximately 4 hectares (10 acres).

See: http://www.powellriverrd.bc.ca/areas/area_d/bylaw395_2005.pdf

Small cabin and bunkhouse

The owner will sell a 50% stake in the island for less than half of the asking price. The new owner can fully buy out the island at a later date. The present owner requests a few weeks use of the island in the off-season if the island is sold outright.

One of a kind pristine 22 acre island with app. 4600’ of waterfront centrally located on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. A “National Geographic” get-away, with first growth forest (the island has never been logged) of huge cedar and fir along with unique stands of juniper and arbutus (madrone) including what may be a world record specimen (over 22’ in diameter). There is a cozy little cabin and bunkhouse with quad driving access (from Texada at anything below 10’ tide), both on a bluff above rocky shore with surf and tide pools. You can catch salmon right from the bluff. This island has an incredible westerly view across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island. The island also boasts a sandy beach, lovely forest, active eagle nest and a tenured marine dock lease on the north end. There are also two good boat launches nearby (see the pictures) and it’s only 3 miles from a town with full service, grocery store, quality restaurant, lodging, police station, liquor store and medical center. The island is very low maintenance, mother nature takes care of it for you.

Dick Island (after Archibald Dick, who purchased Lot 18, Texada Island District, on December 18, 1888) is located in the Strait of Georgia just south of Gillies Bay on the west side of Texada Island between Comox (Vancouver Island) and Powell River (the Mainland) app. 60 miles from Vancouver, 20 miles from Comox harbour and 75 miles north of the US border.

By boat, airplane (good paved strip about 4 miles away) or float plane from the departure destination of your choice……by car from Vancouver Island (Comox to Powell River ferry) or from the lower mainland from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale then from Earls Cove to Saltery Bay and then from Powell River to Blubber Bay on Texada island (Dick Island is only 25 minutes from here). There is also a nice motel on Texada Island only minutes away.

Licensed water, underground power, 300 gallon water collection system, outhouse (there is an approved septic area for 5 bedrooms located near island center).

Texada Island (adjacent to Dick Island), the largest of the Gulf Islands, is located about 50 miles north of Vancouver at its southernmost tip and about 5 miles southwest of Powell River. It is 32 miles long and six miles wide at its widest and is separated from the mainland by Malaspina Strait.

Boaters will find numerous moorings around Dick Island and Texada Island, making this a natural stopping point when cruising the Gulf Islands or heading out towards Desolation Sound. Hikers can climb Mt. Pocahontas, the third largest mountain on the Texada Island, and be rewarded with spectacular views of Vancouver Island, and the Coast Mountains. The salt waters of Malaspina Strait and Georgia Strait surrounding Texada abound with salmon especially during the annual spawning runs in September. Excellent fly-fishing for trout can be found on Texada, particularly at Bob's Lake and Angel Lake. Dick Island has diving, crab, clams and a beach covered with oysters.

Surviving middens and fish weirs show that First Nation People spent time on Texada long before Europeans discovered North America. These People didn't have permanent settlements on the island, because an ancient legend says the island rose from the sea and will sink again one day. The Sliammon name for Texada Island is Si'yi yen. Don Jose Navarez, a Spanish seaman sighted and charted the island in 1791. Spanish explorers also named the small island just west from Texada (Lasqueti). While Spain did not have much interest in this area, Britain became a dominant force in the Pacific Northwest. At this time there was little activity along the coast, apart from fur trading, whaling, and cutting a few spars for sailing ships. Blubber Bay, which is now the site of the BC Ferry terminal was so named because it was used by whalers for the processing of their catches. Texada's modern history began in 1871, when iron ore was discovered on the northwest coast at Welcome Bay. That precipitated the boom of exploration on Texada.

Some time after 1877 marble was found, then in1880 gold was discovered, where Van Anda is now and The Little Billie Mine began producing gold and copper. Logging has also been prevalent in this area during the late 1800s and 1900s. By 1898 Van Anda had become a boom town! People came from everywhere to live, work and spend their leisure time here. It boasted the only opera house north of San Francisco, had three hotels with saloons, a hospital, several stores and businesses, and an illegal distillery flourished in Pocahontas Bay supplying liquor to the United States during prohibition. In 1900, the names of some of the Texada landmarks aptly described island activities at that time; Blubber Bay, Rumbottle Creek, Midas Street and the Bucket of Blood Saloon!

In 1910 the first of three serious fires completely destroyed the major buildings of Van Anda in only forty minutes. The optimism of the boom town led to rebuilding larger, more imposing structures - only to be destroyed by fire again in 1912. The third fire struck in 1917 leaving only Al Deighton's store which was saved by a bucket brigade. The building remains a fixture on the Van Anda waterfront today. Mining continued through the 20th century and today there are still a number of working limestone quarries on the island. The largest, located near the airport, ships out three million tonnes of limestone a year.