The Kitasoo Xais’ Xais Nation is celebrating 25 years of the Spirit Bear Lodge tomorrow Wednesday October 28th.
The lodge started in 1999 as a float house operation and became a permanent lodge building as it opened in 2007.
Roxanne Robinson Lodge Manager Spirit Bear Lodge, said before the lodge opened the ferry brought tourists into the community for a short visit.
“The humble beginnings of spirit Bear Lodge actually started out with, Klemtu tourism back in the early nineties there, with short walking tours off of the, the ferry that would come in to the community, bringing tourists on short walking tours throughout the community, learning about the history and the people of. Klemtu and then having a taste of our traditional foods and then being brought back to the ferry by six o’clock, and with cultural performances as well, and then brought back to the ferry to depart the community at six. So it was a really short turnaround to then eventually leading into a kayak tours up that were run out of a small little float house and had local community members.” – Roxanne Robinson Lodge Manager Spirit Bear Lodge
Robison said that it was a short turn around as the tourisit would only be able to stay for a short time.
As they took in short walks learning about the community and the tourisits seeing culture performance before being brought back to the ferry.
Robison says that the lodge can hold 24 gusts at full capacity.
She also explains what it means to celberate the 25 years.
“I think, celebrating the twenty five years of the beginning of Spirit Bear Lodge brings a lot of pride to the nation and just a lot of, feel good feelings.” – Robinson
The celbearation will take place at the community hall tomrrow Wednesday 28th at 9:30pm.
Robison also said that she wants not to just celebrate the staff but also the community.
“I think it’s really important to, celebrate the community too, because, if we didn’t have the support of our community, we wouldn’t be able to do the work that we’re doing.” – Robinson
Click below to listen to the entire interview.
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