The District of Port Hardy has unveiled a newly carved rendition of its cherished “Carrot” — a representation of the North Islands very successful community-led “Carrot Campaign” that helped pave the final stretch of Highway 19, connecting visitors and residents to the rest of the island.
Unveiled during this year’s FILOMI (fishing, logging and mining) days celebration, this new “Carrot” will retire a much older carving in Carrot Park, Port Hardy.
“[This] event is not about revealing a new roadside attraction,” said Mayor Corbett-Labatt. “It’s about remembering how the people of Port Hardy came together with determination, creativity — and yes, vegetables — to drive real change.”
According to the district, during the early years of North Island settlement, residents in the area were limited in ways of going to and from Port Hardy — the only connections were by ferry, plane, or an active logging road that could reach Nanaimo in eight hours.
Maria Laurie, an active member of the community at the time, described the provinces vague promise of a paved highway as “a carrot being dangled just out of reach.”
This comment would spark a full-fledged campaign, complete with a rally cry: “Do You Carrot All?”
“This carrot stands as a tribute to the past, a reminder of what’s possible in the present, and a promise for the future.” added the mayor. “Because yes — we carrot all. And we always will.”
