Search for B.C.'s best roadside attraction: Northern finals

Search for B.C.'s best roadside attraction: Northern finals

The gold rush town of Barkerville takes on Prince George mascot Mr. PG in the northern finals

Prince George city councillor Tim Bennett is in full booster mode for Mr. PG.

He wants his city’s mascot to win, and to spread the word, he’s posted a photo of himself standing in front of the roadside monument, a fried drumstick in hand, and giant smile on his face.

It’s a re-enactment of a hand-drawn card given to him by a child a few years ago when Bennett left his job at Big Brothers Big Sisters. “Chicken is awesome, Mr. PG is awesome, and you’re awesome,” the child told him at the time.

Bennett knows where he stands in that hierarchy — “Mr. PG reigns supreme when it comes to most awesome.”

Mr. PG towers over the junction of highways 16 and 97. But Bennett has been amazed at how far beyond the north his — that is, Mr. PG’s — awesomeness has travelled.

“Mr. PG socks are a very hot commodity,” he said. “When we travel, whether it’s to Vancouver, Victoria or Ottawa, we’re giving away a lot of pairs.”

That brand and name recognition has been parlayed into its own form of boosterism — for the north, and B.C. in general.

“He’s really become a champion of Prince George and, unfortunately, as we’re seeing ongoing challenges within the forestry sector, Mr. PG stands strong and is a good reminder of the foundation Prince George was built on,” said Bennett.

Are roadside attractions in danger of extinction?

“I think of the big old smile that he has on his face, and that truly represents the people of B.C.”

But there’s another story to be told in the north. Another resource sector embedded in B.C.’s mythology. Another booster.

“Barkerville has been around before British Columbia was considered a province and helped create this place as we know it today,” said Stewart Cawood, who has worked at Barkerville Historic Town and Park for 20 years.

Barkerville, he said, reminds British Columbians of “who we are, and where we’re going.”

For example, the attraction’s immersive experience about the gold rush has also evolved to bring the stories of Indigenous communities “front and centre,” said Cawood.

“It’s a reminder that people from all walks of life, of all cultures, were a part of what was going on here, and all of those stories are important.”

And then there’s also the fact that the drive north on Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon, and the many mile houses of Highway 97, exist because of Barkerville.

Search for B.C.'s best roadside attraction: Northern semifinals

“We’re not just a roadside attraction, we’re the point of that whole trek when that road was built back in the 1860s,” Cawood said. “Our stories aren’t just isolated to this little historic site here. It is connected to all the other stories of the history of British Columbia.”

Not only that but Barkerville is, after all, an actual town, said Cawood. It’s “more than something you just look at and take a selfie in front of.” Hold on to your drumsticks.

The boosters have said their piece. May the best northern attraction win.

After determining the best small town, lake and symbol, the Search for B.C.’s Best Roadside Attraction continues our summer tradition of asking CBC British Columbia readers to vote in a bracket and weigh in on an aspect of the province's identity.

In today's matchup, Mr. PG faces Barkerville in the northern finals.

Search for B.C.'s best roadside attraction: Round 1, the north

Voting takes place every week in August from Monday to Thursday, with one region represented on each voting day.

A champion will be crowned from the final four before Labour Day.

Voting is open until 8 p.m. PT on Thursday.

Sophie Woodrooffe is a journalist and radio producer at CBC Vancouver. Reach her at sophie.woodrooffe@cbc.ca.

With files from The Early Edition and Justin McElroy