Raft Cove Recreation Site
Since project completion, Raft Cove has become a popular destination for surfers, anglers and kayakers.
Overview
Raft Cove Provincial Park covers 670 hectares on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island. Established in 1990, Raft Cove has more than two kilometres of scenic sandy beach, and a rugged coastline and is a popular surfing location. Visitors enjoy picnics, beach activities, hiking and tidal pool exploration. The trail into Raft Cove needed improvements and visitor amenities to attract more visitors to the area.
From the parking area, the trail was rerouted and a small footbridge was built to take visitors over a very wet area. Other work included removing trees across the trail, trail crowning, installing water bars, rerouting steep sections, and trail maintenance. Some of the existing trail required extensive clearing, repair, and resurfacing including adding approximately 300 meters of boardwalk. To create beach camping infrastructure, three aluminum food caches were installed on the beach area along with 4 pit toilets and 4 wooden tent pads.
Completed in 2010, the beautification of the Raft Cove trails and the creation of safe beach campsites have enhanced the enjoyment of the area. In part because of these upgrades, Raft Cove has attracted an increased number of surfers. This has led to surf-related and outdoor adventure-related business developments as well as the opening of two hostels in Port Hardy.
Project Details
Project Impact
The Trust invests in projects using a Wellbeing Impact Framework that looks beyond traditional economic metrics. This approach evaluates how each investment strengthens economic prosperity, cultural vitality, climate resilience, and social empowerment. By focusing on outcomes that matter to people and place, the Trust works to spur new investments that create meaningful, lasting benefits across Vancouver Island and the coast.
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