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Tofino, British Columbia
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Tofino, British Columbia
Country Canada
Province British Columbia
Regional District Alberni-Clayoquot
Incorporated 1932
Government
- Mayor John Fraser
Area
- Village 10.64 kmē (4.1 sq mi)
Elevation 10 m (33 ft)
Population (2006)
- Village 1,655
- Density 157.1/kmē (406.9/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC-8)
Postal code span V0R 2Z0
Area code(s) 250
Website: Tofino.ca
Coordinates: 49°9′9″N, 125°54′12″W
Tofino is a village of about 1,650 residents on the west coast of
Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada, located at the western
terminus of Highway 4.
Tofino was named after a Spanish mathematician and scientist, Jefe de
Escuadra Tofino, who died in 1795. It is located at the tip of the
Esowista Peninsula, and is thus a part of Clayoquot Sound. Islands in
the vicinity include Meares, Vargas and Flores. Lone Cone mountain on
Meares Island is an extinct volcano. Tofino and the nearby town of
Ucluelet are the closest towns to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
A popular tourist destination in the summer, Tofino's population swells
to many times its winter size. It attracts surfers, nature lovers,
campers, whale watchers, or anyone just looking to be close to nature.
In the winter it is not as bustling, however, many people visit Tofino
and the west coast to watch storms on the water. The Wickaninnish Inn is
credited with marketing the unique activity of storm watching from the
months of November through February. Close to Tofino is Long Beach, a
scenic and popular year-round destination, at the Pacific Rim National
Park Reserve. Nearby Maquinna Marine Provincial Park [1], with its
natural hot springs, is located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) north of
Tofino and is also a popular day-trip destination for tourists although
it is only reachable by boat or float plane.
Accommodation in Tofino includes bed and breakfast lodging, independent
locally-run inns, and upscale luxury resorts which are locally owned and
operated.
Transportation
Tofino has a small airport about ten minutes drive from town. Tofino
Airport is accessible to very small passenger planes, with floatplanes
landing on the inlet in town. Coastal fog is a common morning phenomenon
in the summer, complicating access by air until the weather clears.
Accessing Tofino by car from the North American mainland involves taking
a ferry to Vancouver Island from Vancouver or Seattle or Port Angeles,
then driving several hours northwest across the island. Ferry access
from Vancouver is provided by BC Ferries.
Tofino Bus also services Tofino from Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo and
Port Alberni.
2006 water shortage
On August 29, 2006, the town's mayor declared that all local food
service and lodging businesses were to shut down September 1, 2006 due
to a severe water shortage. Other commercial water users were ordered to
cease water consumption. Additionally, parts of the town south of
industrial way were subject to a boil water advisory, and businesses in
the region ran short of bottled water when the restrictions caused a
bottled-water buying spree. [2] The town usually relies on a reservoir
filled by rainwater, but a recent drought and an increase in the
population due to tourism had depleted its supply. Water was transported
to the town to prevent total evacuation, and residents were warned to
boil all drinking water.[3] The Labour Day weekend shut-down was later
averted, with a limitation that consumption could not rise above 250,000
imperial gallons (1,136,500 L) a day (half the daily average), after a
local businessman offered to pay for 50,000 gallons (227,300 L) of water
to be trucked in daily and put into the local water system.
Cultural references
Music
* Montreal third wave ska band The Planet Smashers recorded a song on
their album Life of the Party entitled "Surfin' in Tofino".
* The punk band Gob filmed their music video "No Regrets", directed by
William Morrison, on Long Beach.
Film & Television
* The opening scenes in National Lampoon's Going the Distance take place
in Tofino. It is the home of the main trio of characters and it is the
starting point for their trans-Canada road trip that takes place in the
movie.
Telecommunications
Tofino has modern cell phone and land line access (including Internet,
ADSL) -- as well as television relays of CBC-SRC. The surplus of
telecommunictions is somewhat ironic for a place that is famous as a
place to get away from it all.
Broadcasting
It is possible that in the near future that the town may become a center
for high power international broadcasting -- due to its remoteness and
easy access to a reasonably reliable power grid.
A proposal for an Radio Canada International relay station to be
constructed in Tofino-Ucluelet found at http://cbc.am/rci-bc.htm
References
1. ^ Ministry of Environment Maquinna Marine Provincial Park
2. ^ District of Tofino homepage
3. ^ CBC.ca: "Visitors scramble as water shortage shuts Tofino
businesses"
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