Gabriola Island ~ "Isle of the Arts"

On the east coast of Vancouver Island, at sea in the Georgia Straight is a safely guarded secret, a perfect natural sanctuary for those who truly appreciate a finer quality of life. Gabriola Island residents would be less than happy to read the following description; they would rather keep their Pacific escape a secret from the world, but Coast Realty Group (Gabriola Island) cannot contain this treasured Isle, the northernmost in the Southern Gulf Islands.

Spanish explorers first spied the 14km length of Gabriola Island in 1791, a name that evolved from the Spanish "gavriota" or "seagull". Yet they were not the first, a poignant history of the Snun'ymuxw First Nations was painstakingly carved in sandstone bedrock and on lone boulders across the Island. Thousands of years old, these chiseled petroglyphs are protected by Gabriola Islanders to this day. Nanaimo miners discovered the productive farmland available on Gabriola and by 1874 seventeen families lived and worked the soil, by the 1970s only 400 residents had retreated to the Island, presently 4,500 neighbours call Gabriola home.

Today, Gabriola Island is a microcosm of culture, creativity, and community. An Island of distinct natural beauty, it is a proud example of common goals achieved through individual pursuits of happiness. As the "Isle of the Arts" Gabriola supports its artists, musicians, and naturalists during celebrated events such as the immensely popular Studio and Gallery Tour, the Dancing Man Festival, and the Home and Garden Tour. In addition, the commitment to quality of life has been establish at Camp Miriam, the Gulf Island Film & Television School, and the Silva Bay Shipyard School (a highly acclaimed full time wooden boat building school, the only one in Canada). The Agricultural Hall (fondly known as Agi Hall) hosts the monthly musical Coffee House, the Gabriola Island Photography Club welcomes everyone, on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, at the Rollo Centre and the Gabriola Astronomy Club has a date with the stars every Friday night. The Farmers' Market, the Fall Fair, and Halloween Fireworks bring Islanders together for seasonal celebrations and socializing

Arrive by open-air ferryboat, by kayak, or by seaplane - but come and enjoy an Island brand of hospitality; an Island of cultured greenery, ornate arbutus, and pleasant climes. Three provincially protected parks allow public access for picnicking, shore-scuba diving, and hiking. The renowned Gabriola Sands Provincial Park is home to the Malaspina Galleries, a "frozen" four meter high sandstone tidal wave, carved by a relentless sea. Sheltered moorage, bobbing seals, and barking sea lions at Silva Bay and Degnen Bay welcome seafaring travellers on "Island time". The community's needs are served by Island-based dental, medical, and legal professionals. There is a post office, firefighting and ambulance services, and while there is little crime an RCMP detachment. Convenient shopping, fresh produce, and recreational adventure are amply available across the Island. Gabriola is part of the Regional District of Nanaimo and children attend Gabriola Island schools from pre-school to grade seven, then Secondary School and Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo. Islanders are a decade older than the average BC resident; proving the appeal to retiring Baby Boomers. At play along the 45 km of shoreline, on the last green of the Golf Course, or socializing at the Rod & Gun Club Gabriola has everything to offer. The array of Island properties is also distinct to lifestyle; from the simplicity of cabin living, to woodland building lots, or the elegance of an oceanfront estate. For respite, recreation, or retirement Coast Realty Group professionals offer you a warm Island welcome because we put People.Above all.