September 12, 2007 was a monumental day in Prince Rupert’s history and may in fact be the defining moment for the community for decades to come.
It was on this day that thousands of residents and dignitaries from around the world gathered under sunny North Coast skies to celebrate the grand opening of Fairview Terminal, which has transformed the city from a humble community on B.C.’s west coast to a major player on the international stage.
I remember being on the dock that day — you could feel the excitement in the air and the anticipation of what Fairview Terminal could bring. And while Prince Rupert Port Authority president and CEO Don Krusel was subdued in hinting at a phase two expansion at some point down the road, then-mayor Herb Pond wasn’t as subtle as seen in the excerpt from a September 2007 Northern Connector:
We all need to work together as we did for Phase 1 to get Phase 2 done so the opportunities continue,’ said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond, who led hundreds of people attending the public ceremony in a “Phase 2” chant directed at the government and industry leaders assembled on the stage.
As you can see, people have been anticipating the announcement of the Fairview Terminal expansion since before the first ship even arrived. Now, less than a decade later, that dream is becoming a reality as work gets underway to increase the terminal’s capacity to more than one million TEUs.
While it has not been without its challenges, Prince Rupert has come a long way since Fairview Terminal opened in 2007. The facility has exceeded all expectations and been a catalyst for the many billions of dollars in export infrastructure being proposed for the region today. The opening of Fairview Terminal was a real game-changer for the city, and if you don’t think the expansion will have a lesser but noticable impact — just wait and see.
One can only imagine what may be coming in the years ahead.
