Originally built in early 1990s, the gate was supposed to be the developer enticement for a new live/work artist commune in Chemainus. The plans got stuck in multiple hiccups, from permitting, local concern, and lack of funding.
There is a still a sign with someone trying to get buy-in for a new plan for the 50-acre plot. Today, the Pacific Rim Artisan Village gate is a ruin to a time of renaissance thinking in a small coastal town.