The City of Port Alberni is unveiling its new Wolf Tower, formerly known as the Harbour Quay Clock Tower.
The Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifCan) invested $379,353 through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund to the City of Port Alberni, allowing the city to partner with the Tseshaht First Nation and Island Coastal Economic Trust, to transform the aging Harbour Quay Clock Tower into the Wolf Tower.
The project included included refurbishing the tower to improve safety, replacing the clocks with Indigenous art, painting the tower in traditional Tseshaht First Nation colours, and installing Indigenous storyboards.
“The funding from PacifCan has been instrumental in transforming the Clock Tower at Harbour Quay into a safe, accessible and iconic landmark in our community,” Sharie Minions, Mayor of Port Alberni, said in a release.
The newly named Wolf Tower showcases Tseshaht sculptures celebrating Tlookwaana, Wolf ritual, and acknowledges a wrongdoing of 160 years ago when Tseshaht were forced off their winter village of Tlukwatku-is.
“On behalf of the City of Port Alberni, I thank PacifiCan, Tseshaht First Nation and the Island Coastal Economic Trust for their respective contributions to this project which is a step towards reconciliation as well as a celebration of Tseshaht art and culture,” Minions said.
PacifCan made the investment to upgrade the existing infrastructure and build public assets to help local governments and First Nations provide better access to recreational programs and facilities, strengthen community engagement, and boost economic vitality.
“The Wolf Tower partnership between the City of Port Alberni, Tseshaht First Nation and Island Coastal Economic Trust is especially important because it shares with locals and tourists alike the Indigenous history of the region,” Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, said.
The wolf tower will be unveiled Tuesday as a part of the City of Port Alberni’s commitment to reconciliation and will enhance local Indigenous tourism in the Alberni Valley.
CHEK News
