Campbell River’s Discovery Fishing Pier is celebrating its 25th anniversary! For 25 years the Pier has been used as a recreation facility, a meeting place and a destination for tourists.
“The Pier is a source of pride for this community,” Says Ben Luck, concession operator for the Pier. “Many locals bring their visitors down to the Pier to show it off and to have ice cream. I often hear people saying, ‘Don’t you wish you had a place like this in your community?’”
Sustainability is a word we hear often in today’s society.
The Discovery Fishing Pier and the more recent Pier Street Farmers Market are major contributors to Campbell River’s social sustainability. The Pier and market provide a destination for many folks – a place where people can plan to meet or simply bump into old friends.
Luck says he sees three groups of people down at the Pier; tourists, locals and “local locals.” The local locals are the folks who gather at the pier almost every day.
The Pier is their social anchor. They provide Luck with a mug for their coffee and Luck keeps the mugs clean and safe.
Regular locals visit the pier to enjoy the ice cream and a pleasant walk.
Tourists are directed or taken to the pier by proud locals who want to show off this gem – especially on a Sunday when the Pier Street Farmer’s Market is running.
Enjoying the views, the good salt air, the great coffee and the best ice cream in town brings people back time and time again.
The Discovery Pier was built to provide fishing opportunities for people and it has evolved into a hub of social activity, representing much more than fishing to Campbell River.
People agree it is marvelous that 25 years ago, the City of Campbell River had the foresight to build a truly accessible facility which has become a center of activity for tourists, locals, and local locals.
The city is celebrating 25 years of the Discovery Fishing Pier and 10 years of the Pier Street Farmer’s Market on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Discovery Pier entrance.
Some of the highlights will be a kids fishing derby from 9 a.m. until noon, cake cutting at noon, free prizes drawn at 2 p.m. and free commemorative shopping bags for the first 100 people to enter the draw.