I MADE THE MOVE: A place to play

Sarah and Matthew Dodgson have two daughters, Sydney, age 13 and Avery, age 10 as well as a son, Sawyer, age 8. The family loves to play board games, watch Marvel movies and adventure outside – hiking, biking, swimming and going to the beach.

PARADISE FOUND: Meet the Dodgsons. You’ll probably run into them on the local trails they’ve come to love and that were part of the reason they moved here.

Why did you choose to move to qathet?

Sarah • We’ve visited several times, both of my sisters live here, and we fell in love with Powell River. We were really drawn to the more laid back lifestyle as well as all the opportunities to get outside and adventure in nature.

When? Where from?

Sarah • We moved at the end of October from Oakville, Ontario, which is 30 minutes outside of Toronto.

What surprised you about qathet once you moved here?

Sarah • We were surprised by how laid back and relaxed everything is here. No one seems to be in a rush, nothing is hurried and there is no traffic. Where we moved from it seemed like everyone was in a hurry and you were always stuck in traffic. It’s such a nice way of life.

What made you decide to move to qathet?

Sarah • We had family in area, which definitely influenced our decision, but also lower cost of living as well as the ability to get out in nature and have our kids experience living minutes from the ocean and mountains.

Where is your favourite place in qathet?

Sarah • We love the Penticton Trails, which are near our house, a great place for a weekend, or weekday, hike. Our dog loves them too! We are looking forward to biking them in the spring.

How did you first hear about qathet?

Sarah • My youngest sister has lived here for 10 years with her husband and now kids and my other sister and her family moved here last year.

What would make qathet a nicer community?

Sarah • I think the continued downtown revitalization to see the area at it’s full potential would be great. It’s a great place to grab a bite to eat and shop locally.

What aspect of your previous community do you think would benefit qathet?

Sarah • In Halton [southern Ontario] we had a green bin compost program for food scraps and waste. I think it would be an excellent addition to the area as a way to improve waste management.

What challenges did you face in trying to make a life for yourself here?

Sarah • I think our biggest challenge was making sure our kids were happy and had a smooth transition. It was definitely a concern that things would be different for them. They have had a few challenges but for the most part they have loved the move and are settling in nicely.

If you were mayor, what would you do?

Sarah • If I were mayor of Powell River I would start a resident ferry program to help with costs for people in ferry dependent communities.

What are qathet’s best assets?

Sarah • I think qathet’s best asset is definitely the people. Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly. Our kids had friends and were included on day one at their new schools. Everyone we’ve met or talked to has been so nice and helpful.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Sarah • We had a fence installed around our backyard because we have a dog and young kids, we wanted them to have a place to play.

Which talent or superpower would you most like to have?

Sarah • My son said he would want telekinesis and he would use it to save the world!