As a recent visitor from the UK to the town of Qualicum Beach, I can see that there has been many years of extremely good management for the development of the town. Maintaining the beauty and charm of what people love about the town, whilst obviously keeping in mind the required development in order for the town to grow.
The fact that there are none of your usual fast food chain stores or huge department stores, which usually destroy local business, made a very refreshing change for me and a valued addition to its existing charm.
It’s extremely evident that whoever is managing this process isn’t only very good at their job, they also clearly have a love and passion for the town itself!
New buildings that have an appearance that they’ve been there from years ago, flowers beautifully located in every area that they can be appreciated by all, clean and tidy streets / sidewalks with not even the tiniest piece of litter spotted anywhere all added to what I’ve described to friends as possibly the nicest town I have ever visited.
The people of Qualicum Beach are also clearly very proud of their town and it was refreshing to experience the good old fashioned sense of “community” which seems to be a distant past in every other town.
The small local shop keepers are welcoming, friendly and helpful. The local bakery provides an aroma in the evening that will have your mouth watering and wishing it was breakfast time already!
But the emphasis on preservation doesn’t stop with the buildings, people / community and businesses of Qualicum Beach, they also obviously have a great deal of care for the environment and wildlife.
I noticed that extensive work had been done to beautify a local creek (Grandon Creek). A well documented project had been undertaken to provide spawning grounds for salmon using methods that have the best impact on the environment.
I could go on and on (and have done to my friends at home) how Qualicum Beach is the nicest seaside town I’ve ever visited.
I salute the local council and their management team who have maintained one of the worlds hidden treasures.
Please never change your strategy, it’s perfection for the world to see.
Michael RoddamWickham, U.K.
