Not many people alive today can say that they were around when their community was founded. Because Port Alice was B.C.’s first “instant municipality” that emerged abruptly in the late 60s, early 70s to house pulp mill workers, there are many who can make that claim. Two of those Port Alice residents, Arlyn Lind and Audrey Clark-Surtees, shared with the Gazette their reflections on how their community has changed over the years. Arlyn Lind, 86, was born at the hospital in Old Port Alice located at the mill site. She grew up on a floating house that was docked wherever her father’s latest logging claim was. When she seven years old, the family pulled their floating home to a piece of land in Quatsino so that she could attend elementary school. Lind then moved to Port Alice for high school, staying with friends during the week. After graduating, she went to work at a logging camp.