2016 Year in Review: Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce

By Heather McPhee

2016 was a year of ups and downs for the Point Roberts business community. We welcomed new owners to one of our keystone businesses and said goodbye to a longtime local and visitors’ favorite.

The Fourth of July festivities kicked off the summer with another fun-filled parade, with the Maple Beach Maple Leafs winning the crowd over with their hilariously choreographed routine, followed by a spectacular fireworks display put on by the new owners of the Point Roberts Marina. The fireworks were widely considered one of the best displays in the Lower Mainland, thanks to their inclusion of celebrations for Canada Day as well as the Fourth of July.

Along with infrastructure upgrades and renovation projects and the opening of Compass Rose Bar & Grill, the new owners are insuring the marina will continue to be one of the building blocks of our community, providing local employment and making Point Roberts a destination, not just an anomaly.

At the end of November we said goodbye to Brewster’s Fine Foods & Spirits, a longtime local business begun by former resident Joan Roberts, and more recently run by Sandra and Richard Procter. We all wish Joan and the Procters the best in their future endeavors and will miss the warmth of the stone fireplace and the camaraderie. We also said goodbye to Café Cappana and hello to The Saltwater Café.

We begin the New Year with a newly elected chamber president, Dee Gough, who has infused the board of directors with new ideas and energy. With an updated, more community-centered website and more events such as the Christmas tree lighting ceremony and kids’ movie night, we look forward to 2017 and welcome the business challenges that another year brings.

In these challenging economic times it is important that small communities like ours pull together to support our local businesses. Remember to Buy Local and give us your support.

Thank you Point Roberts!