In Parksville, at the beginning of the Oceanside Beach Country, the focus is on the outstanding waterfront. Low tide uncovers Parksville's mile of sandy beach, just perfect for sand castle builders, beachcombers or for those who just want to lay on the sand, soak up the sun and relax. The warm water makes for wonderful swimming. The water, however, is not just for swimming; fishers come from all around for salt-water and fresh-water fishing.
Just a ½ hour drive north of Nanaimo, the City of Parksville has become the place of choice for families looking for a great place to live and play, and retirees.
It was in 1870 that settler John Hirst first visited the area, but it took another four years before he settled close to the Englishman River. Over the next decade more settlers came into the area, clearing the forests for homesteads.
Parksville, then known as The River, remained a remote outpost until nearly the turn of the century when a crude road was pushed through from Nanaimo. A post office soon followed, with the mail distributed from the cabin of Nelson Parks, whose name was eventually given to the settlement.
Just after the turn of the century large-scale logging began. But it was the extension of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo (E&N) Railway in 1901 that really spurred Parksville's growth. The railway fueled the beginning of a tourism boom, mainly Vancouver Islanders who traveled to Parksville to relax on the incredible beaches. Motels, stores, resorts and campgrounds sprang up to service the tourists, whose numbers quickly rose into the thousands.
Population: 10,000
Geographical location: 49°18'N - 124°17'W
Facts: Average annual hours of sunshine = 2047 hrs.,
average water temperature of the ocean = 21°C or 70°F,
average annual precipitation = 950mm or 37".
Average Daily Temperatures:
Jan= 5°C/41°F, Feb= 8°C/46°F, Mar=10°C/50°F,
Apr=13°C/55°F, May=17°C/63°F, Jun=20°C/68°F,
Jul=24°C/75°F, Aug=24°C/75°F, Sep=20°C/68°F,
Oct=14°C/57°F, Nov= 8°C/46°F, Dec= 6°C/43°F.
For more Information: Parksville Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 99,
Parksville, B.C. V9P 2G3 • Tel:(250) 248-3613 • Fax:(250) 248-5210
Things to do in and around Parksville
Tel: (250) 248-6242
Email: