Katherine Bickford

I’ve been fortunate to have been able to get a look at the wood stave low-pressure sections of the penstock pipelines for the Puntledge and John Hart power stations, the old Victoria water supply pipeline, and this little wood stave gem just north of Campbell River.

You may have noticed the twin wood stave water pipelines that cross under Highway 19 near Duncan Bay – if you’re curious you might have stopped to take a look at a piece of an industry that is vanishing on Vancouver Island.

Looking uphill from Highway 19 toward the Duncan Bay Main logging road

Looking downhill from Highway 19 toward the Elk Falls Mill

The Elk Falls mill was established by Crown Zellerbach in 1952 as the first newsprint mill on Vancouver Island.

Crown Zellerbach was bought by Fletcher Challenge in 1981, becoming Crown Forest Industries. In 1987 Fletcher Challenge and Crown Forest Industries merged to form Fletcher Challenge Canada. 

In 2000 Fletcher Challenge Canada was purchased by Norske Skog in 2000, which became Catalyst Paper in 2005. Catalyst Paper shut down the mill in 2010.

Taking a look at the disused northern pipe, you can see what time and nature, and a lack of maintenance have done to the wood staves and the metal bands that secure them.

I find it sad that another part of history is fading away, yet I realize that it’s result of economics and the changing nature of the way that wood products are processed – and the market for them…

Although the mill was named as the Elk Falls Mill, it is actually located on Duncan Bay. The name came about as the mill was made possible by electricity generated at the John Hart Generating Station below Elk Falls, and water pumped from the Campbell River near Elk Falls and carried to the mill in the twin pipelines.

And now you know…