Welcome to Jordan River - 2016

Production notes

A ghost town on Vancouver Island

Not long ago, the hamlet of Jordan River, on the western coast of Vancouver Island, was a bustling hub for surfers, sunbathers and backpackers. But in 2014, the government of British Columbia conducted a seismographic study with alarming results: a dam that was built by BC Hydro some 20 miles upstream could break, if a major earthquake occured – resulting in a massive flood that would destroy the village.

The utilities company negotiated with the inhabitants and business owners and eventually reached an agreement. All home owners received a compensation for leaving their premises and moving elsewhere. BC government helped them find suitable places, where they could settle. Since June 2016, Jordan River is a ghost town.

I visited the place together with my friend and assistant Scott Fraser, of Victoria, BC, in July 2016. It was just a few weeks after the last inhabitants of the village had left.

All pictures of the series were produced with Nikon F5 and
expired Agfa Scala slide film.

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