The Comox Valley

Nestled between the Beaufort Mountains and the Strait of Georgia on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island, the Comox Valley is a collection of rolling mountains, delicate alpine meadows, rushing rivers, pristine lakes, lush forests, fertile farms, incredible beaches and more than 40 green parks. This unique geography plus a year round temperate climate, creates an exceptional location for an incredible range of year-round outdoor recreation activities

In the Comox Valley it really is possible to enjoy the best of all seasons - you can be knee-deep in a winter wonderland, then within half an hour be dusting the snow off your boots on a lush green golf course, or paddling a kayak through sparkling blue waters.

The Comox Valley is also a thriving centre for arts and culture. Four major museums, live theatre, a dynamic music scene, an active artist community and year round cultural festivals and events are just a few of the many attractions the Comox Valley has to offer.

Gourmet cuisine, unique shopping experiences, galleries and eclectic coffee and tea shops line the streets of the Comox Valley's urban centres. Or head into the quiet farmland, hills and coastlines of the Comox Valley and experience the relaxed atmosphere of rural life.

Awarded the prestigious national distinction of Cultural Capital of Canada for 2007, the Comox Valley is recognized for their ongoing commitment to arts and culture. The Comox Valley is made up of the distinctive and colourful communities of Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland and the surrounding Regional District rural areas. These communities are all quickly traveled between and each have a special charm that lends itself to the overall magic that is the Comox Valley. With many shared public amenities including sports and recreation centres, theatres, galleries, playing fields, parks and schools, the Comox Valley is a welcoming and friendly place to live and visit.

History

The first European colonists arrived in the spring of 1861 intending to start farms. At that time, Governor James Douglas was encouraging settlers arriving in the Colony of Vancouver Island to establish themselves in the Cowichan Valley and the Comox Valley rather than the gold fields of the mainland as these were the two areas that had agricultural potential on the island. The first settlers were Nanaimo coal miners and Hudsons Bay Company employees, John and William Biggs, Thomas Dignan, Edwin Gough, Adam Grant Horne, Thomas Jones, Alexander McFarlane, George Mitchell, Thomas Williams and Charles York all of whom had arrived on Vancouver Island before the 1858 gold rush. Of these, only Mitchell remained by 1862 when the Grappler arrived with the Comox Expedition. Dignan went to Gabriola Island. Horne and most of the others went to Nanaimo. A small pox epidemic in 1862 decimated the native population.

There were three groups of indigenous people, the Comox, the Pentlach (who were then nearly extinct), and the Lekwiltok, in the valley when the European settlers arrived. In 1862, Surveyor General Pemberton secured funding from the colonial government in Victoria to construct the first road into the Comox area from Nanaimo. When it became clear that a 15-foot (4.6 m) wide wagon road would be too expensive, a bridle path with some bridges was built instead. Flooding and tree falls made maintenance of this road impossible. Until the mid 1890s, access to the area was by sea. In 1874 the 1,015-foot (309 m) government wharf and the first bridge over the Courtenay River were constructed.