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Cherie Thiessen - Travel Writer |
| The Hope Bay Phoenix - Aqua Magazine |
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| text by Cherie Thiessen, photography by Kevin Oke | ||
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In the early hours of February 23, 1998, many North Pender Island residents awoke to sirens. Those who lived near Hope Bay and looked out at the rosy glow tinting the night had further cause for alarm. The historic Hope Bay store was ablaze and while the volunteer firefighters were able to contain it, they couldn’t save the venerable structure. Rising from the ashes, however, was in its future. The first store at Hope Bay, built in 1905 by Robert Corbett to serve as post office and general store, had a short life. In 1912 it was replaced by a building that stood the test of time and quickly became the social hub of North Pender, continuing to be operated by the Corbett family for forty-two more years before finally being sold in 1956. |
After this, a series of owners tried their hand at the enterprise with varying levels of success. It flourished and floundered as commerce and freight shifted away from Hope Bay with the ferries and mail service. You can’t keep a good store down, however, and it continued to survive into the sixties and seventies, frequently operating as an arts and crafts outlet until finally, in the 1990s, it was again finding its place at the heart of the island. Poets, musicians and performers entertained outdoor audiences, locals added the store to their visitor ‘to do’ list and people started taking the time to drop by for an espresso, a visit by the old pot bellied stove and a look at the latest gifts and crafts. The fire changed all that. |
History went up in flame, the edifice’s charred remains moldering for the next five years while the fire was investigated, the owner attempted to rebuild and ran out of funds, and the property was put up for sale. Rumours of pending deals came and went, but the heroes in this Phoenix story were not far away, mustering their resources and about to forge a unique partnership, the Hope Bay Rising Holdings Ltd. |
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