Posts Tagged “Prince Rupert”

I was in Prince Rupert and Port Edward, BC on Friday, May 29. I was able to pay a brief visit to the North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site. I had always wanted to see the site, but in the past my visits to Prince Rupert were either in the winter, when the site is closed, or I was too busy filing to clients to have the time.
So here are some of the photos I took, converted to black and white, appropriate since the North Pacific Cannery was the longest running cannery on the west coast, operating from 1889 to 1981. It was named a National Historic Site in 1987.
The west end of the cannery site. The two small buildings are replicas of the houses that were occupied by workers from local First Nations. The large building to the left is the machine shop and First Nations net loft (Robin Rowland)
A fishing net hangs from the rafters in the First Nations Net Loft. The building was built in Port Essington and moved to the cannery site in 1937. The loft was where First Nations fishers stored, repaired and hung their nets. (Robin Rowland)
Another view of the loft. (Robin Rowland)
The main part of the cannery at low tide. (Robin Rowland)
The cannery’s old fuel dock was separate from the rest of the facility for safety reasons. (Robin Rowland)
Another view of the old fuel dock. (Robin Rowland)
An old rowboat on the cannery grounds. (Robin Rowland)
The west end of Smith Island, Port Edward, BC, captured driving back from the cannery site just as the fog rolled in. (Robin Rowland)

The Gitga'at First Nation led the No To Tankers Rally in Prince Rupert, BC, February 4, 2012.
(Cross posted from my Northwest Coast Energy News site)
Click on this link to launch audio slideshow
A crowd estimated by the media at high of more than 2,000 to a low of about 600, marched through the streets of Prince Rupert on Saturday, February 4, to protest against Enbridge’s $5.5-billion Northern Gateway bitumen pipeline and the associated super tanker traffic.
The protest was organized by the Gitga’at First Nation, of Hartley Bay, at the mouth of Douglas Channel . Nearby Wright Sound, known for its tricky currents and winds in bad weather would be the passageway for most of the tanker.
The Tsimshian First Nation, the hosts, welcomed the Gitga’at and protestors from other First Nations and reisdents of northwestern BC, before the the march began at Pacific Marinter’s Memorial Park.
It ended at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre, where, iin the afternoon, speakers spoke about environmental concerns, followed by a dancing and concert in the evening.
Gitga’at boats from Hartley Bay rescued passengers after the sinking of the ferry Queen of the North in 2006.
The Gitga’at say oil still leaks from the Queen of the North, affecting some shellfish beds in the area.
A steam locomotive hauls boxcars as night falls along the Skeena Valley Model Railroad.
Since I’ve come back to northwestern British Columbia, I’ve joined the Skeena Valley Model Railroad Association, which you will find in an old railway carriage near the Via Station and ice cream shop at the Terrace CN yards.
Here are a few of the photos I’ve taken over the past few Mondays when the club meets.
A VIA passenger train waits as a CN freight (with higher priority) passes on the mainline coming to the model version of Prince Rupert.

Monday July 12, one of the few sunny days this summer brought us lots of visitors, with Ian Illing (red t-shirt) and Rene Jenster (seated) using the digital command controls.
The CN loco, with its bright blue ditch lights marking the way.
A house on a hill.

A freight passes the Whistlestop Rest viewpoint, a memorial to members of the association who have passed on, as another freight waits at a siding.
A closer view of the Whistlestop Rest.