Retiree Stories - Bob & Dawn Tonkin

Retiree Stories

Bob and Dawn Tonkin
Newcomers 2002, Abbotsford, British Columbia

Bob and Dawn Tonkin were living in Abbotsford when a need to escape the pollution sent them looking for a different town. They traveled through Alberta and all over Vancouver Island with retirement in mind, but nothing appealed until their first visit to Campbell River in 1999. It was mainly the water and marine traffic that charmed them. Both Bob and Dawn grew up on Lake Superior and are used to being around boats. The liked the fact that it was obviously an active community. On visits they always saw people on the paved sea walk and playing in the fields. After making several visits, they bought a house in 2002 and have been enjoying the nature, the people, and the fact that there's "always something going on."

Bob Tonkin really appreciated that he wasn't moving to a "retirement community." He still works part-time as an insurance broker and wanted to be in a "working community." He finds retirement communities too artificial, too many walled in complexes and not enough diversity in the people. Here Bob and Dawn have children playing on their street as well as neighbors in their eighties. One of their first impressions of Campbell River was how friendly everyone was. Dawn remembers the owner of a downtown Cafe in particular who was passing out her homemade Christmas baking and chatting cheerfully to the customers.

Having easy access to nature, whether it is backwoods or beach, mountains or marine, provides an endless variety of activities. Bob and Dawn like to pack up a cooler and see where the road takes them. One memorable such trip was when they hiked up Mt. Washington in the Fall and watched birds playing, "it was just spectacular." Another time, for their wedding anniversary, the couple took a bottle of wine to the beach, had a small fire and just watched the cruise ships floating by.

While they are "easily entertained just by nature," Bob and Dawn do enjoy the choice of entertainment within the community as well. They frequently attend jazz concerts at a local pub and participate in historical tours put on by the museum. The museum also keeps Dawn busy as a volunteer and she enjoys the various exhibits that center on local history and culture. Bob is a member of the curling club at the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Center and also of the Salmon Enhancement Society.

Bob and Dawn state that they will never be bored in their retirement. Whether they're exploring in the mountains, listening to a jazz concert, or simply observing the wildlife from the comfort of their own home, Bob and Dawn will be enjoying their decision to retire in Campbell River for a long time to come.