Courtenay

Courtenay was amalgamated as a town in 1915. It was named after the Courtenay River, that was named after the captain of the British ship HMS Constance: George William Courtenay. Courtenay became a city during the year 1953.

There are lots of tourist attractions within the city. Some of them consist of the Courtenay and District Museum and Paleontology Centre, Mount Washington Alpine Resort, The Comox Valley Art Gallery, and the Island Music Fest. The Courtenay and District Museum and Paleontology Centre offers fossil tours of historical exhibits and fossil tours. Mount Washington Alpine Resort is the largest commercial ski place within the island of Vancouver. Wintertime brings numerous visitors for seasonal sports, like sledding, snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, snow tubing, snowboarding, and skiing. Summertime finds individuals bike riding and hiking. The COMOX Valley Art Gallery was established by a group of artists as the Central Island Arts Alliance, under the umbrella of the Comox Valley Community Arts Council. The Island Music Festival is the biggest music fest within Vancouver. The event takes place at the Comox Valley, and many performers and audiences gather for three days of camping and music. It features local crafts, visual art exhibitions, and organized and promoted festivals and performance arts.

The group accountable for coordinating the use of all the parks and school playing fields situated within the city is Courtenay Recreation. Some of the parks that they operate comprise: Lewis Park, Martin Park, Bill Moore Park, Woodcote Park, Puntledge Park, Valley View Park, Simms Park, Lagoon Park/Riverway and Standard Park. Dog lovers must likewise be warned that dogs within parks must be leashed and only utilize the perimeter areas of Valley View, Mission, Lewis, Woodcote, Martin and Bill Moore Parks. People with special needs can also encounter recreational activities offered by the Special Needs Recreation Program.

The Comox Valley is considered a fast-growing rural community. It has various economic drivers across some communities, and is considered to be the most diversified on Vancouver Island. Some of its most active business sectors comprise: Beverage and Agrifood Processing, that is the few remaining areas within British Columbia available for agrifood ventures. Air transportation is likewise a fast-growing industry, with a 229 percent increase since 2000, compared to other BC's entire airports to only 9%. Its expanded facilities make it an ideal player in the air cargo trade. Environmental and knowledge-based} technology is also strong within the city, as well as resort development and value-added wood processing (value-added niche wood products like for example cabinetry manufacturing, hardwood flooring and custom furniture). In addition, the film industry is going through incredible growth, because the Valley provides diverse and numerous scenery which could be utilized for film locations.