

Commonwealth
prepared a Management Plan for the development and interpretation of the
McLean Mill National Historic Site on Vancouver Island. Located on 32
acres near Port Alberni, the site contains more than 35 structures, including
a steam-powered sawmill that operated between 1926 and 1965. The site
has been donated to the City of Port Alberni by MacMillan Bloedel Limited
while the mill and artifacts were donated by the McLean family. The site
is being developed by the City of Port Alberni, the British Columbia Heritage
Trust, and Parks Canada.

The
development concept was selected by the partner

agencies,
after consideration of three alternatives prepared by Commonwealth. The
options had been assessed for their impact on the conservation of historic
resources, the opportunities they would provide for interpretation and
operation, and projected capital costs, visitor forecasts, and operating
budgets. The development is seen as providing an important tourism generator
in a region with rapidly declining employment in resource industries.