Quatsino is a west-coast village on Quatsino Sound in northern Vancouver Island, BC. It is accessible by boat and float plane. Quatsino is near Coal Harbour and Port Alice. The largest town in this region of BC is Port Hardy, an hour northeast by boat and motor vehicle.
Quatsino residents are employed in the forest, fishing, and eco-tourism industries. Some professionals also live there and practice their professions via the internet.
About the library
Write to Read BC installed its 14th library here. The Rotary Club of Whistler Millennium was its sponsor.
The Tsay Keh Dene First Nation is a Sekani band in the Omineca region of northern BC’s interior. Its territories, settlements, and reserves are around Williston, about 550 kilometres north of Prince George.
The people of Tsay Keh Dene hunted, trapped, fished, gathered food and herbs, and traditionally lived on this territory in the Rocky Mountain Trench. Tsay Keh Dene means People of the Mountain.
The community is vibrant, created through hard work and commitment to its values, beliefs, and principles. This includes striving for sustainable growth and improving quality of life of its members. It does this through sound governance and responsible growth.
About the library
In partnership with the community Write to Read BC installed its 13th library here. Its sponsors included Rotary Club of Prince George Yellowhead, and Britco (now Boxx Modular).
Nooaitch First Nation is in the southern interior region of BC, with its reserve community and offices in Merritt. The main urban centre is in the Nicola Country region, between the Lower Mainland and Kamloops.
The Nooaitch First Nation reserve has a population of about 250 people.
Economically, forestry is important to this community. In response to pine beetle infestation, in 2007 the band agreed to harvest 20,000 m³ of timber annually over a 5 years, in its traditional territory.
About the library
Nooaitch First Nation’s vision for its library included video-conferencing. As a result, other partners donated computers and screens, to make that vision a reality. This library can offer remote participation in courses and conferences, in its learning centre. In partnership with the community, this was the 12th library Write to Read BC installed. Sponsors included Rotary Club of Merritt, and Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular).
Lax Kw’alaams is an Indigenous village community in BC, not far from the city of Prince Rupert. It is located on Port Simpson Indian Reserve No. 1.
In the community, the Coast Tsimshian Academy provides classrooms for 26 kindergarten students and 156 students in Grades 1 to 12. The school is a beautiful, two-storey, building of 2,000 m², tailored to the needs of the community. With a large, state-of-the art kitchen, and well-thought-out design and layout, the school is also a place for large groups of people to gather.
The school has spaces to learn home economics, industrial arts, and cultural activities. All classrooms have taken into account the needs of learners today, including electronic and spatial needs, as well as the relationship between teacher and student. There are also central gathering spaces connected to other common social areas, and quiet spaces to allow for more intimate learning opportunities.
The school is designed so it could be expanded to meet long-term projections of 175 to 200 students. As economic development projects in the area get underway, community members living elsewhere could return to Lax Kw’alaams. The school welcomes their children and youth to the community with its successful model for educating.
A view of the town from the water.
About the library
Write to Read BC installed its 11th library here by partnering with Academy of Lax Kw’alaams to expand its library offerings. The Rotary Club of Mission Sunrise was its sponsor.
Bandstra Transportation provided its trucks to help Write to Read BC move library shelves.
Metlakatla is a small, west-coast village at Metlakatla Pass near Prince Rupert, BC.
Metlakatla village is a progressive community, 5 km north of Prince Rupert on an ancient site. For thousands of years, the Metlakatla people have lived there. Metlakatla means saltwater pass in Sm’algyax, the language of the Coast Ts’msyen (Tsimshian) people.
Metlakatla honour their history on the land. Its council oversees a number of services in the community to ensure members have the best quality of life possible, including access to healthcare, education, recreation, and social development.
About the library
This is the 10th library Write to Read BC installed, in partnership with the community. Its sponsors included Camera Buildings and Coquitlam Chrysler (Now Journey Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram).
The Ditidaht First Nation is a band government on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The government has 17 reserve lands: Ahuk, Tsuquanah, Wyah, Clo-oose, Cheewat, Sarque, Carmanah, Iktuksasuk, Hobitan, Oyees, Doobah, Malachan, Opatseeah, Wokitsas, Chuchummisapo, and Saouk.
Several of these lands are part of the newly established Pacific Rim National Park and can be reached on foot by the West Coast Trail. The land, waters, resources, and environment have always been the source of life, culture, and spirituality of the Ditidaht People.
Ditidaht First Nation is governed by an elected Chief and councillors. Ditidaht Economic Development Corporation manages economic development the nation.
About the library
Write to Read BC installed its ninth library here, in partnership with the community. The Rotary Club of North Delta was a sponsor of this library.
The Kwakiutl, in Fort Rupert, are a First Nation community located next to Port Hardy.
The Kwakiutl have lived on the north-eastern shores of Vancouver Island, since time immemorial. Their ancestors hunted and fished on these lands and waters, and developed a rich culture through which they celebrated the diversity of life around them. They continue to be strong by honouring all that our ancestors have taught them.
The Kwakiutl are a part of the larger Kwakwaka’wakw cultural group, known for their distinct art, language, and ceremonies. Their ancestors were skilled fishers, hunters, and gatherers who lived in harmony with the natural world. Through potlatches, storytelling, and intricate carvings, they passed down knowledge, values, and traditions from generation to generation.
The Kwakiutl Band operates a certified band operated school providing grades preschool to grade seven.
About the library
This is the eighth library installed by Write to Read BC. Its sponsors included Rotary Club of Burnaby Metrotown, Rotary Club of Port McNeill, Rotary Club of Port Hardy, Success By 6, and Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular).
Oweekeno is located on the banks of the Wannock River at the entrance to Owikeno Lake east of Rivers Inlet, south of Bella Bella on the BC coastline. Oweekeno is home to the Wuikinuxv Nation, many who live off-reserve in other areas of the province. The Wuikinuxv have an affiliation with the Oweekeno-Kitasoo-Nuxalk Tribal Council in Bella Coola.
Currently the reserve hosts a band administration office, a health centre, a Kindergarten to grade 7 school, a fire hall, an airstrip, and a newly constructed ceremonial Big House, used for cultural purposes. The community also has a multi-purpose flex court for healthy, recreational activities such as basketball, volleyball, ball hockey, and tennis.
A group photo before the grand opening of Wuikinuxv Nation’s Oweekeno library.
About the library
This is the sixth library Write to Read BC installed, in collaboration with the Wuikinuxv Nation. Its sponsors included Rotary Club of Lions Gate and Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular).
This facility was a cooperative venture between the rural Wuikinuxv and partners from other communities, organized by Write to Read BC volunteers.
Malahat First Nation is a Coast Salish First Nations community living on traditional lands on the western shore of Saanich Inlet, Vancouver Island in BC.
The Malahat Nation’s traditional territory is rich in natural resources. And the community’s origin story ties humans to their ancestral land, and their oral history includes creation stories about mountains, deer, and blue jays, as well as what happens when humans forget their obligations to nature. Malahat environmental activism aims to restore depleted species, including from years of overfishing and from being settled in the 1700 to 1900s.
The community responded to Covid-19’s economic changes by focusing on community projects that develop their economy.
The chief and council focus on good governance and community engagement, to create opportunities, a stable economy, employment, health, education, expanding boundaries, and to build Malahat culture for future generations.
About the library
Write to Read BC installed its seventh library here. Sponsors included Rotary Club of South Cowichan (Mill Bay), and Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular).
Haida people have occupied Haida Gwaii since time immemorial. Their traditional territory includes parts of southern Alaska, the archipelago of Haida Gwaii, and its surrounding waters.
Pre-contact, the Haida population was in the tens of thousands in several dozen towns throughout the islands. During the time of contact its population fell to about 600, due to introduced diseases such as measles, typhoid, and smallpox. Today, Haida people make up half of the 5,000 people living on the islands. Haida reside throughout the islands but are concentrated in two main centres, Old Massett at the north of Graham Island and Skidegate at the south. Besides these two communities there are 2,000 more Haida scattered throughout the world, including in Vancouver and Prince Rupert.
The Haida Nation collectively holds Title to its territories and the cultural and intellectual property rights of the Haida Nation. All people of Haida ancestry are citizens of the Haida Nation. Every Haida citizen has the right of access to all Haida Gwaii resources for cultural reasons, and for food or commerce, as reflected in the laws of the Haida Nation.
About the library
Old Massett village council operate the library, which was the third library Write to Read BC installed. Its sponsors included Rotary Club of Langley Central, and Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular).
The library officially opened in a ceremony attended by many community members and representatives of Britco and Government House. The opening was followed by a dinner in the community hall. With its books and through Internet access, the library has made a difference in Old Massett.
Ceremonial paddles at the opening ceremony of the library.
