General Overview

Located on the sheltered eastern shores of Vancouver Island, just 37 Km. (23 miles), north of Nanaimo on Highway #19, known locally as the Island Highway. Victoria, the Capital City of British Columbia, is a scenic 150 Km (92 miles) drive to the south.

Parksville is the 8th largest centre on Vancouver Island and ranks 57th when compared to BC's 145 recorded municipal centres.

PARKSVILLE/QUALICUM
Parksville and Qualicum Beach municipalities have grown at an average annual rate of 5 and 6% respectively. If the rural area around Parksville is included (Madrona Point and Schooner Cove areas), the rate was closer to 8% per annum. This represents the highest growth rate on the Island from 1986 to 1991. The 65 plus age group has increased at an annual rate of roughly 6% while the 0-19 age group has actually declined. Growth in the older age group has been hastened as the majority of in-migrants in the past few years has been from the 65+ age group.

Household sizes are indeed shrinking in all regions, but Parksville and Qualicum in particular show smaller household sizes than the Comox Valley. (builders beware!). More people retire there. Clearly, smaller household size and aging populations require different types of housing to be built. In fact, higher density well-designed condo developments have become more popular with both retirees and one-parent families. Still, according to Turner, "successful projects must be well-located and offer good aspects, numerous amenities, low maintenance, convenience, and the contradictory yet critical characteristics of privacy and security."

Lighthouse Country - Qualicum North
Qualicum North or Lighthouse Country as it is known to locals, is made up of three waterfront areas - Horne Lake, Qualicum Bay and Bowser/Deep Bay. The OCP or Official Community Plan for the area, which is presently under review by the Regional District of Nanaimo, proposes the development of three Village Centres in these communities. The plan calls for enlarged commercial areas that will cover some properties which are presently zoned residential. It also suggests that the residential areas within the Village include some multi-family zoning for higher density housing. At the moment there are no properties zoned for this type of development in the area.. As well as these Village Centres and the development that already exists along the present Island Highway, the area is made up of rural properties that lie between the highway and the mountains to the west. These properties consist of 240 acre parcels. There is also a considerable population living south of Horne Lake, an area that is still considered Qualicum North - in the Baylis Road area, where the 4-lane stretch of highway is. This is a rural area but there is quite a bit of development west of the highway in the Baylis and Corcan Road area. Wealthy, senior-citizen-oriented Qualicurn Beach is now one of the most expensive residential areas on Vancouver Island. Just outside of Qualicum Beach however, Highway #4 on the road to Port Alberni, are the "sleeper" hamlets of Coombs and ErrinQton. A Gas station or two, cafe/truck stops and localized commercial services but that's about it. However, the places also boast rural acreage that simply have not had a lot of notoriety.

Bowser
The local service area includes a population of about 5,000 people if one includes the Fanny Bay area located 10 minutes north. There is a liquor outlet, post office, hardware store, convenience store, small supermarket, gas station and Legion.

According to Ben Mellin, top realtor with Lifestyle Realty Better Homes and Gardens in Bowser, there's lots happening in Qualicum North and "we feel that we are poised right on the edge of a few exciting years for Real Estate in this area.

Crofton is another area worth a look. Currently it is a small waterfront town north of Maple Bay and north east of Duncan. Victoria is 50 miles away. It is mainly a retirement town with a Government dock and a ferry which runs to Salt Spring Island. It is just few miles south of Chemainus, which has become a very successful tourist town.

Just north of Crofton there is a large pulp mill which used to be rather smelly. A couple of years ago pollution controls were built into the mill removing the smoke and odours and since then there has been new home construction.

Related Links:
Jurock Real Estate Insider: Recent articles about Parksville
http://www.jurock.com/insider/

Qualicum chamber of commerce
http://www.qualicum.bc.ca

Parksville chamber of commerce
http://www.chamber.parksville.bc.ca

City of Parksville
http://city.parksville.bc.ca

Parksville Information
http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/explore/island/cities/parksvill.htm

Real Estate Agents working in Parksville

Real Estate Agents working in Qualicum

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