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Name Our Northern Neighbour contest!

Harbour Spiel August 2012 issue

Download Harbour Spiel August 2012 issue

August 2012 editorial: There can only be one 'upper' Sunshine Coast

By Brian Lee

Know what really bugs me?

Powell River.

Everytime I cast a Google search for something on the "Sunshine Coast," I have to first wade through wannabes up in Millville who insist on capitalizing on the "lower" Sunshine Coast’s fame. But ask any local where the Sunshine Coast’s boundaries sit and, likely as not, they’ll point to Earls Cove and Langdale.

Saltery Bay to Lund?

That’s Powell River.

It’s nothing personal — the Powell River regional district has some great restaurants and back country lakes, Desolation Sound, Savary Island, mermaids; they live in a special place with much we should be jealous of. They just need their own name.

Harry Roberts first painted a sign over his wharf proclaiming Roberts Creek "The Sunshine Belt" in 1914. The word "Coast" was later added to the sign by ― who else? ― a Realtor. Then, in 1951, Black Ball Ferries started advertising ferry service to an area they called the "Sunshine Coast" — from Port Mellon to Egmont. It’s only in recent times that some envious Powell River marketeer, likely aiming to put some perfume on their odoriferous pulp mill, decided to borrow our brand. And it stuck.

One thing we do share with Powell River is MLA Nicholas Simons thanks to our Powell River/Sunshine Coast electoral district. But do you know what other towns share electoral districts? Masset and Bella Coola.

Is a Bella Coolan from Haida Gwaii?

Is Masset in the Great Bear Rainforest?

Does anyone here know what a zunga is?

There’s a reason the Shishalh don’t call themselves the Sliammon and it’s because they’re not the same tribe and neither are we. The upper Sunshine Coast is Pender Harbour and Egmont. The true north. Strong and part of the SCRD.

But now, Powell River has gone and poured salt on our wound. No longer happy with "upper," they are now making a desperate attempt to rebrand themselves the "pearl" of the Sunshine Coast — ostensibly casting the rest of us in with the oyster’s gooey bits.

Absurd. We might be angry if it wasn’t so . . .  sad. But let’s put aside our egos and reach out with sympathy to the poor wretches and help guide them towards an identity of their own.

In this spirit of compassion and virtue, the Harbour Spiel pledges to help find the Powell River area a name to call its own. The Harbour Spiel’s "Name Our Northern Neighbour" contest will run until the Pender Harbour Fall Faire in October. The winning entry will be the name that best represents the people and geography of the area between Saltery Bay and Desolation Sound.

There will be fantastic prizes. There will be glory. But the winner will also take reward in the knowledge they have restored an entire community’s sense of pride. And brought peace to the one, true Sunshine Coast.