A new waterfront welcome house located at the main entrance to Nootka Sound will broaden the range of tourism offerings and showcase the area’s rich Indigenous culture and history.
This project represents a key component of Mowachaht Muchalaht First Nation’s (MMFN) redevelopment plans for the Ahaminaquus reserve lands, located 13km from the Village of Gold River at the mouth of the Gold River, a main tributary to the Nootka Sound.
Nootka Sound is widely enjoyed by sports anglers, marine wildlife enthusiasts, and other outdoor adventurers. The existing boat ramp at Ahaminaquus currently provides the only paved-road access to the many highly valued cultural, ecological and historical tourism destinations in the region.
The Welcome House will enhance the overall tourist experience by functioning as a visitor centre, community hub and museum. The facility will host ceremonies, dancing, workshops, and educational sessions focusing on MMFN and settler history in the region, such as Captain Cook’s first landing.
Island Coastal Economic Trust approved funding for this project in 2022 through the Capital and Innovation program.
We work in reciprocal relationships with coastal communities across the ancestral territories of the Kwak̓wala, Nuučaan̓uɫ, Éy7á7juuthem, Ligwilda'xw, Pəntl'áč, She shashishalhem, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Hul’q’umi’num’, diitiidʔaatx̣, SENĆOŦEN, Lekwungen, and T’Sou-ke speaking peoples.
