Powell River Areas

South of Town

‘South of Town’ is an expansive area that includes Paradise Valley, Black Point, Kelly Creek, Stillwater, Saltery Bay and all points in between! A number of communities are built around beautiful bays along the coastline with waterfront and view homes, while others are inland, typically offering acreage, farmland and quiet wooded properties. Outdoor enthusiasts can find a wide range of activities at their doorstep: trails for hiking, cycling, horse riding, and quads; mountains to scale; ocean, lakes and rivers to paddle, fish and swim; camping; diving; rock climbing and more! This is where you’ll find the start of the popular Powell Forest Canoe Route, and the southern sections of the Sunshine Coast Trail.

Westview

The Westview area of Powell River stretches north-west from Grief Point to Willingdon Beach along the coast and east to Powell River’s airport. It includes the main shopping and services district, five elementary schools, beaches, parks, recreation centre, marina, hospital and ferry terminal. Many homes feature ocean views and there are some waterfront properties. Westview has a variety of housing types to choose from – condos, patio homes, duplexes, ranchers and multi-storey dwellings. There are a number of new subdivisions along with older, established neighbourhoods.

Cranberry

Cranberry is an older area of Powell River with quiet neighbourhoods and typically larger property sizes. Centered round tranquil Cranberry Lake, this area radiates outwards to wonderful recreation points including popular campgrounds Haywire Bay and Inland Lake; and many trails for hiking, biking and quadding. The small neighbourhood of Mowat Bay on Powell Lake becomes very popular in summer with its sandy beach, playground, boat launch, and one of many access points to the Sunshine Coast Trail. A quick climb up Valentine Mountain is rewarded with fantastic views up the coast. Catch some live music at Cranberry Hall or the Cranberry Motor Inn. Cranberry is also home to the Senior’s Centre, curling club and popular Magpie’s Diner.

Townsite

The Historic Townsite is where the city of Powell River all began over 100 years ago, sprouting up around the paper mill which ceased operations in 2021. In 1995, the community was designated a National Historic District of Canada. Many homes have retained their character while being modernized for today’s lifestyle and a number of them have been carefully restored to reflect their original craftsman heritage. From ‘luxury upper management’ homes with beautiful ocean views to smaller, one-storey company homes on small, tidy lots, as well as modern era condos and the new Timberlane Estates subdivision, Townsite offers a variety of accommodation. This is a vibrant community that includes the popular Townsite Market, award winning Townsite Brewery, the classic Patricia Theatre and elegant Dwight Hall; tennis & pickleball courts, and the lawn bowling club. Also in the neighbourhood is Powell River’s outstanding Brooks Secondary School with its Max Cameron Theatre and Future Chef’s Café.

Wildwood

Wildwood is the gardener’s paradise! While there are many typical family homes in this community, there are also a lot of larger properties with successful market gardens, hobby and larger scale farms providing an abundance of fresh products from meats to produce and nursery goods. This important aspect of Wildwood is reflected in the neighbourhood’s elementary school that includes Early French Immersion and Farm to School programs. Wildwood is bordered by Powell Lake, Scout Mountain and undeveloped district lots, providing an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities. Warren grew up in Wildwood and has many fond memories of hours of play outside, and although the area has seen some changes, this is still a family-oriented, get-outside-and-play community!

Tla’amin Nation

Tla’amin Nation is a self-governing nation whose main village site is Sliammon, located just north of Wildwood on the coast, directly across from Harwood Island. They graciously share their rich culture and beautiful stretches of shoreline and wilderness areas with the residents and visitors of Powell River. A popular residential area known as ‘Klahanie’ includes waterfront and ocean view homes and lots. ‘Southview’, just north of Scuttle Bay features larger, rural waterfront properties with lovely walk-on beachfront. These are made available through pre-paid 99 year leases with Tla’amin, providing many years of enjoyment of these wonderful lands.

North of Town

Beyond the City boundary at Wildwood, heading north to Lund and beyond to Sarah Point, are various outposts both oceanside and inland on Malaspina Peninsula to explore. Sarah Point marks the start of the amazing 180km Sunshine Coast Trail that traverses the backcountry all the way to Saltery Bay. This area offers quiet woodlands, arbutus studded bluffs and miles of shoreline along Malaspina Strait and Okeover Inlet. Mariners of all sorts are drawn to live here for easy access to some of the most beautiful places to paddle, sail, or cruise. You’ll find amazing food amid the beautiful setting of Okeover Inlet at the Laughing Oyster Restaurant, loved by locals and boaters in the know. A variety of properties can be found in this area from cabins and homesteads to luxury waterfront estates and gated communities.

Lund

The Village of Lund is a special little spot. It’s often named as the beginning or end of Highway 101 (which ends, or begins in Chile), or the launching point to Savary Island, but Lund is also a thriving community of hearty souls centered round the harbour. Summer brings many visitors, while fall and winter months sees locals cosy in their Pollen sweaters enjoying Nancy’s cinnamon buns; and spring is busy with prawn fishermen readying their boats. There are a number of cul-de-sacs and no-through roads winding around this picturesque village to explore.

Texada Island

Texada Island offers a quiet, relaxed lifestyle with most residents living in the villages of Van Anda or Gillies Bay, and some on rural homesteads scattered about other areas of the island. Summertime is busy with festivals, campers and seasonal residents. Limestone quarries remain in operation and are the main employer. The west shore of the island has some great fishing spots and some beautiful sandy beaches. Inland can be explored by numerous logging roads and hiking trails. Gardening is a popular hobby due to the mild microclimate, but can be challenging with the abundant deer population. Ferry service to Texada Island is out of the Westview Terminal and is approximately 35 minutes each way.

Savary Island

Savary Island is just a 15 minute ride by water taxi from Lund but it feels like another world; step onto the sandy shore and you’ll understand! There are some lucky folks that live here year round but the majority of properties are summer homes that range from no-expenses-spared living to rustic cabins, as well as undeveloped lots for future consideration. Savary is off the grid so alternate power sources are the norm. Bikes are a popular mode of transport, although there are few vehicles for getting supplies around. The influx of summer visitors brings a warm, happy vibe to this otherwise quiet, pretty island.

Powell Lake

‘Up the Lake’ is a popular Powell River saying and pastime that refers to spending time at float cabins that dot the shorelines of Powell Lake. There are a handful of land-based cabins as well, but even those are typically boat access only. The lake is easily accessible from the Shinglemill Marina between Townsite and Wildwood as well as the boat launch at Mowat Bay in Cranberry. Summertime brings a steady flow of boat traffic up and down the lake but a fair-weather weekend any time of year will see people head up the lake to check their floats and enjoy some tranquil down-time. As part of the Powell Forest Canoe Route, paddlers can be seen hugging the south-east shoreline coming out of Goat Lake and travelling to Mowat Bay. Fishing for trout is great if you can find the right spot – the lake is large and deep!