– Pat Deakin is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Port Alberni. He can be reached at 250.720.2527 or Patrick_deakin@portalberni.ca.
PORT ALBERNI – Mark and Danielle Marley are real go-getters. After they saw 100 acres of property for sale at the east end of Great Central Lake 14 years ago, they formed Great Central Holdings Ltd. and bought the land. Then they set about transforming it and have provided considerable economic benefit and exposure to Port Alberni in the process.
One of their many initiatives has been the Trestle RV Park. Using an original train trestle over Boot Lagoon as a centerpiece for a small marina and common pier, they created 40 residential-size recreation lots on a six-acre portion of the property. Most are waterfront and the buyers of those have often gone on to install a private dock. Only two lots remain to be sold and both are waterfront.
Prices for the lots have ranged between $69,900 and $139,000. The development includes a full sewage-treatment system and an amenities building with washrooms, showers, and laundry facilities.
Out of town buyers have been from Victoria, Calgary and Parksville. Some of these have gone on to support the local economy by buying a vehicle here as well as household amenities and supplies.
The interest from potential buyers and the ensuing discussions about trailers, 5th wheels and mobile homes showed the Marleys another business opportunity, so VI Rolling Homes was born last year. This business, employing three full-time employees, has now built six CSA Z241 Certified Park Model homes all of which feature R20 ceilings, R14 walls and Milgard windows. Construction begins on a 7th home for a site elsewhere on Vancouver Island in September.
In the course of their work, Mark and Danielle have contracted services or bought materials in the seven-figure dollar range from almost two dozen local businesses.
In addition to the RV Park, the Marleys operate a large campground and marina on Great Central Lake. A number of privately-owned float homes are also on the lake so Danielle thought about ways of building a community from among the diverse population and settled on establishing Marley’s Joint which sells Jamaican-style food on Friday nights throughout the summer.
Trestle RV Park might be the jewel in the crown at the moment but there is a second phase coming which will raise the bar for excitement again. For more information, please visit the following link.
