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Psst. Wanna buy a town?
Yeah, that’s right. A whole town. You know:
houses, stores, library, restaurant, rec centres,
school. A whole town.
Sure, it’s not every day
that an entire town goes up for sale, but that’s
exactly what’s happening in Kitsault, British
Columbia- and at an asking price of only $7
million, it’s a deal. Located just 500 air miles
north of Vancouver, Kitsault was once a thriving
community until, in response to plummeting
prices, the American mining company which owned
Kitsault closed its nearby molybdenum mine.
Residents in search of employment soon fled the
community, and now only a single caretaker and
his family remain on site to share the
spectacular scenery of this coastal wonderland
with the local bears and a family of foxes.
“This is absolutely a
one-of-a-kind setting,” says Rudy Nielsen,
president of NIHO Land & Cattle Company which
acted as a consultant on the town. “Kitsault is
surrounded by snow-capped mountains and sits on
the edge of a fjord with a wide expanse of
waterfront. The fjord is sheltered, crystal
clear, and of the rich aquamarine colour found
nowhere except in glacier fed waters.”
As an outdoor destination,
Kitsault is tough to beat. Hiking, camping,
mountain climbing, skiing- it’s all there to be
enjoyed amid miles and mile of virgin,
old-growth forest. “The mine was restored to its
natural state when the mining company left,”
Rudy explains. “So the area is once again
completely unblemished.” He adds that there are
nine creeks and rivers plus hundreds of streams
within a mile of the town making this one of the
province’s great fishing destinations.
A TOWN IN SEARCH OF
PEOPLE
In the town itself,
buildings and amenities are in good condition
overall, many apparently just waiting for people
to once again step inside. Kitsault comes with
93 single-family and duplex homes plus seven
apartment buildings with a total of 210
bachelor, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites.
There is a 22,000 square
foot shopping centre which requires minimal
upgrading to once again house a grocery store,
restaurant, liquor store, post office, and
speciality shops. Not one, but two recreation
centres provide a wide range of sports and
social activities including swimming, curling, a
performance stage, a pub, and three playgrounds.
The Kitsault General Hospital is fully equipped
with X-ray diagnostic equipment, ambulance bay,
stretcher access ramp, and evaluation room.
Ever aware of maintaining
Kitsault’s natural beauty, both builder and
architect designed the town with underground
utilities, extensive landscaping, and careful
attention to details such as curbs and pavement.
“The potential uses of
Kitsault are virtually limitless,” Rudy says.
“It could be revitalized as a destination resort
or vacation retreat. A buyer could subdivide the
property and sell stratified luxury recreation
homes. The town is in a deep sea port, so if you
brought in local artisan, performers, and
restauranteurs and then developed a selection of
boutiques and art galleries, you’ve got the
makings of a thriving cruise ship facility. With
a little TLC, anything is possible here.”
WINGS OVER CANADA
Kitsault’s beauty has
already been documented once in the popular
Wings Over Canada series seen on Broadcast TV
via PBS, the Canadian Learning Channel, and
direct cable through Shaw and Rogers. Produced
in the year 2000, it remains the most watched
and requested show in the entire series, so it’s
not surprising that Kitsault is about to take
centre stage again. This time, host John
Lovelace and his film crew will focus on Rudy
and his extensive history in BC’s real estate
industry, however what more perfect place for
the final scenes than Kitsault. |
