A beautiful new welcome sign has been erected at the entrance to the City of Port Alberni near the Walmart parking lot. City of Port Alberni councillors were joined by Hupacasath and Tseshaht leadership for the unveiling and placement of the metal sign on March 5, 2025.
According to Port Alberni city council, the sign was a collaborative project between the city, Hupacasath and Tseshaht First Nations. They describe it as another reminder of what can be accomplished when working as a team.
Plans for the new signage have been in the works for years. The large wooden sign that once stood at the junction coming into Port Alberni in the east was removed several years ago. It has been restored and is in storage with plans to install it somewhere inside city limits in the future.
In 2020, the City of Port Alberni put out a call for ideas for a new welcome sign. Resident Susan Roth’s design, featuring evergreen trees and a bear, was selected as a basis for the signage.
“The inspiration for the design came from the tall evergreen trees, wildlife, and mountains that surround our beautiful town,” said Susan Roth.
Local First Nations were invited to expand on the concept by incorporating Indigenous elements. Tseshaht artist Connie Watts, in consultation with Hupacasath and Tseshaht, was also inspired by nature, historical connections and contemporary experiences of her people to their land.
“Starting with the wind to water elements connecting the feeling of the valley where the ocean inlet meets with the Tsuma-as (Somass) River,” Watts explained. “Connecting the wind and water design is the thunderbird, whale and salmon - all powerful animals for Nuu-chah-nulth. And at the base of the sign you will see a bear with her cubs which represent the families in our valley and our most important gift, the children.”
Port Alberni Mayor Sharie Minions was not at the installation but posted on social media that she could not be more proud to see the sign completed.
“The Welcome to Port Alberni sign project has been on the books for almost as long as I’ve been on council,” she wrote.
The reason for the hold-up was the significant price tag – in the range of $150,000-300,000, which, according to Minions, is in line with what other communities have spent on their welcome signs. In an effort to keep costs down, the city turned to its citizens to help make the project a success.
Several local businesses and community members contributed to the project. According to the City of Port Alberni, the project came in well under the average cost other island cities paid for their signs.
“As a result of the community kindness shown throughout the development and production of this sign, the city is happy to report that the project came in at the estimated $40,000 with allocated funds coming from Reserves ($25,000) and Reconciliation ($15,000),” stated the municipality.
As part of the city’s path to reconciliation, and to acknowledge the traditional lands of local First Nations, the foundation of the sign is adorned with a formal land acknowledgement of the unceded traditional territories of Tseshaht [c̓išaaʔatḥ] and Hupačasath First Nations.
The beautiful new sign stands at the corner of Highway 4 and John Street, at the turn-off to Walmart. The site was selected because that is where Port Alberni city limits start.
There will be no lighting directed at the sign, because, according to the city councillors, the provincial ministry of highways determined that lighting would be too distracting for motorists.
But, with the construction of the Microtel set to begin on the property behind the new sign, it is hoped the new sign will be more visible at night thanks to lighting from the new hotel. Tseshaht, Hupacasath and Huu-ay-aht First Nations partnered to construct the new hotel on the edge of Highway 4, in front of Walmart.
The city thanked their past two councils who helped move this project forward.
“We want to thank contributing artists, Connie Watts and Susan Roth, for their keen eye for design, and the many contractors and trades that donated their time, materials, equipment and skills,” stated the city.
