Vancouver Island resort accommodation, Tofino, BC

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Submitted by Dave Pettinger

Within this section of the website you will see various photos of Pacific Sands Resort as it stood when our family purchased it on April 1st, 1973. My parents Bill & Joan Pettinger along with my dad's brother Barry and his wife June all came from Edmonton, Alberta.

My parents were dairy farmers and Barry worked for the Alberta Government Telephone Co. (AGT for those old Edmontonians). By the early eighties Barry & June had left the Tofino area to pursue other interests, leaving the ownership and operations of the resort to my parents. I took over as manager soon thereafter and continue to act as Director of Operations. My mother Joan passed away peacefully in her sleep in December of 1999. Her loving husband of more than 50 years ,Bill Pettinger senior passed away in Tofino in August of 2007. My two brothers Bill and Rick, who both reside in Victoria fulltime with their families, are active shareholders and advisors of Pacific Sands Beach Resort.

Below is a brief chronological breakdown of some of the major expansions and changes to Pacific Sands Resort:

April 1st 1973	The Pettinger family purchased an existing motel called Pacific Paradise Resort but shortly thereafter change the name to Pacific Sands Resort. Total land included in sale was 45 Acres including just over 900 ft of waterfront including all of Sunset Point.( north end of Cox Bay) Resort consisted of 4 single Cottages, Office/laundry Room, Duplex Cottage and a 12 unit 3 Storey Lodge Building. [ click here for photo ]
1975	Pacific Sands adds 10 new beachfront Lindal Cedar Cottages. [ click here for photo ]
1981	Removed original office/laundry building and constructed 18 one-bedroom Beachfront Suites (Suites 160-268) Office relocated to current location as well as 2 of the 4 original cottages were relocated for staff use. [ click here for photo ]
1984	Eighteen one bedroom Lighthouse Suites constructed (Suites 150-258). Total unit inventory had now increased to 58 from the original 21 in 1973.
Fall of 1991	Original lodge torn down and replaced with new lodge by June 1992. [ click here for photo ]
1993	The original Duplex Cottage units 5 & 6 torn down to create. [ click here for photo ]
1997	Major upgrade & addition done on Lobby/Reception building. [ click here for photo ]
1998	Two bedroom suite located in the Beach Front Building where my parents lived was converted to the “Sand Dollar” suite. Parents relocated to a single level rancher on another part of the property.
October 2003	All 10 Lindal Cottages relocated off the beach to new Staff Village. Construction of 22 new Villa’s begins. [ click here for photo ]
July-Sept '04	Villas completed.Total room inventory now stands at 77.
Fall 2007	In October of 2007 work got underway, on a major upgrade to our 3 Story Lodge Building. Originally constructed in 1990, using wood windows and wood siding the extreme west coast winter environment started to cause some issues with some of the exposed sections of the building. With the help of Cornerstone Architecture, Vic Van Isle Construction and our own maintenance team a newly restored Lodge was officially unveiled March 31st. Improvements to the Lodge included all new exterior windows, new Hardi Plank siding, new decks & railings, gas fireplaces, new carpet & paint and miscellaneous furniture upgrades. Through out 2008 we will gradually complete upgrades to most of the interiors as well.