Kelowna, British Columbia
Encyclopedia : K : KE : KEL : Kelowna, British Columbia
Kelowna (2005 Population 105,621, Metropolitan Area 165,221) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. It is the seat of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, and the third-largest metropolitan area in British Columbia (outside the Lower Mainland and Victoria). Kelowna is one of the fastest growing cities in North America and is considered by some to be one of the most desirable cities in the world in which to reside. The appropriate management of such rapid development (and its attendant consequences) is a source of significant debate within the community. It is the fifth most expensive housing market in Canada behind Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria. The city name derives from an Okanagan term for "female grizzly bear."
History
First settled by missionaries in 1859, Kelowna was officially incorporated in 1905. Neighbouring towns include Westbank to the west across the lake, Lake Country and then Vernon to the north, Peachland to the southwest and further to the south, Summerland and Penticton.
The service industry employs the most people in Kelowna, the largest city in the tourist-oriented Okanagan Valley. In summer, boating is popular and in winter, Alpine skiing at the nearby Big White Ski Resort.
Kelowna produces wines that have a worldwide reputation. Vineyards are common around and south of the city where the climate is ideal for the many wineries. Notable ones include the Mission Hill Estate Winery, specifically for its unique architectual design. However, at least two major wineries were damaged or destroyed in 2003 due to the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire. Kelowna is also the home to Sun-Rype, a popular manufacturer of fruit juice and snacks.
With its roots dating back to 1965 Okanagan College is the predominant centre for vocational and undergraduate post-secondary education in Kelowna. With over 5000 full-time students it constitutes the largest college in British Columbia outside the Lower Mainland and Victoria. The University of British Columbia established its Okanagan campus on July 1, 2005, replacing the Okanagan University College.
Kelowna was home to the late Premier of British Columbia, W.A.C. Bennett and the birthplace of his son, William R. Bennett, who would also become Premier of the province.
Former Major League Baseball players, Jeff Zimmerman of the Texas Rangers, his brother Jordan Zimmerman, and Paul Spoljaric were born here. The city is also home to The Grapes of Wrath, one of Canada's most popular rock bands in the 1980s and early 1990s. Evangeline Lilly of the hit TV show Lost was discovered on the streets of Kelowna. (Enduring legend has it that various celebrities, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, own houses in the area; as Kelowna grows, celebrity-sightings are giving Ogopogo-sightings a run for their money.)
Demographics
According to the Statistics Canada 2001 census[Kelowna Community Profile] - Statistics Canada. 2002. 2001 Community Profiles. Released June 27, 2002. Last modified: 2005-11-30. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 93F0053XIE., the population estimates there were 96,288 people residing in Kelowna and 147,739 people residing in the Greater Kelowna Area. 48.4 % of residents were male and 51.6 % were female. Children under five accounted for approximately 4.8 % of the resident population of Kelowna. This compares with 5.2 % in British Columbia, and 5.6 % for Canada overall.In mid-2001, 18.4 % of the resident population in Kelowna were of retirement age (65 and over for males and females) compared with 13.2 % in Canada, therefore, the average age is 41.1 years of age comparing to 37.6 years of age for all of Canada.
In the five years between 1996 and 2001, the population of Kelowna grew by 8.2 %, compared with an increase of 4.9 % for British Columbia as a whole. Population density of Kelowna averaged 50.9 people per square kilometre, compared with an average of 4.2, for British Columbia altogether.
Ethnic Origin
Religious Groups
- 40.7% Protestant
- 17.9% Roman Catholic
- 6.8% other Christian
- 3.0 other religions
- 31.6% no religion
How To Get There
For years, only one road major highway passed through the city of Kelowna: Highway 97. The road itself is good, but its connections to all points east and west in the province were only managed by using the slow, curving Trans Canada Highway and the Crowsnest Highway. As the Okanagan Valley is a popular getaway for residents in Vancouver, a new freeway was built into the BC interior in 1986, eliminates over two hours of travel time between the two major destinations. This freeway, starting in Hope, is known as the Coquihalla Highway (Hwy 5), and terminates in Kamloops. A spur route (The Okanagan Connector, or Hwy 97C) was later added in 1989; it connects in Merritt, and heads eastward to Peachland, about twenty minutes south of Kelowna.
This new freeway system makes the drive from Vancouver to Kelowna just under four hours, at 425 km in distance.
Kelowna is connected to Westbank by the three-lane Okanagan Lake Bridge which links Highway 97 south. The floating bridge is slated for replacement as it has outlived its usefulness and is incapable of supporting the current traffic levels. The construction of a new bridge -- William R. Bennett Bridge -- has begun, although there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the project. Delays and connectivity are some of the major issues, since the highway leading up to the bridge is only four-laned and is not a freeway.
Highway 33, which connects with Highway 97 in Rutland, provides an alternate way to enter and exit the city, towards the southeast.
Kelowna has an International Airport north of the downtown core, with regular flights to and from Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Las Vegas and Seattle.
Venues and Attractions
- Prospera Place, a 6,800-seat arena
- The Apple Bowl, a 1,000 seat outdoor stadium
- Rotary Centre for the Arts[Rotary Centre for the Arts]
- Kelowna Art Gallery[Kelowna Art Gallery]
- Kelowna Community Theatre[Kelowna Community Theatre]
- Kelowna Museum[Kelowna Museum]
- Kelowna Marina on Okanagan Lake
- Capital News Centre
- The Bluff an outdoor arena
Gallery
Sports Teams
- Kelowna Rockets - Western Hockey League (Winners of the 2004 Memorial Cup)
- Okanagan Sun - Canadian Junior Football League
- Kelowna Falcons - West Coast Collegiate Baseball League
- Kelowna Wilderness - Outdoor Basketball Association
Media
Radio
- AM 630 - CKOV, news/talk
- AM 1150 - CKFR, oldies
- FM 88.9 - CBTK, CBC Radio One
- FM 89.7 - CBU-3, CBC Radio Two
- FM 90.5 - CBUF, La Première Chaîne
- FM 99.9 - CHSU, CHR
- FM 101.5 - CILK, adult contemporary
- FM 104.7 - CKLZ, classic rock
Television
- Channel 2: CHBC, CH
- Channel 5: CHKL, Global
- Channel 21: CBUFT-1, SRC
- Channel 45: CBUT-2, CBC Television
Local Services
- [The Okanagan Regional Library] has 3 branches in Kelowna
- Emergency services are provided by the Kelowna General Hospital, [the BC Ambulance Service], the [Kelowna Fire Department], and the RCMP
Education
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| Veendam, Netherlands |
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| Kasugai, Japan (other sister cities in Japan ) |
Trivia
- In the Sci-Fi series Stargate SG-1, Jonas Quinn comes from another planet, from a nation named Kelowna. Later in the series, the country amalgamates with two others to form the Langara Federation. Stargate SG-1 is produced in Canada (specifically, in Vancouver).
- Some believe a lake monster named Ogopogo lives in Lake Okanagan. In the past, naysayers have pointed out the similarities between the so-called monster and a beaver, a log, and other less monstrous lake denizens.
References
External links
- [Municipal Government]
- [Local news, classifieds, photos, & forums]
- [Local TV news]
- [Local News Radio Station]
- [Regional District of the Central Okanagan]
- [School Board]
- [University of BC - Okanagan]
- [Local Portal]
| North: Vernon | |||||
| West: Westbank | Kelowna | East: | |||
| South: Penticton |
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| British Columbia |
|---|---|
| Regional Districts | Alberni-Clayoquot - Bulkley-Nechako - Capital - Cariboo - Central Coast - Central Kootenay - Central Okanagan - Columbia-Shuswap - Comox-Strathcona - Cowichan Valley - East Kootenay - Fraser Valley - Fraser-Fort George - Greater Vancouver - Kitimat-Stikine - Kootenay Boundary - Mount Waddington - Nanaimo - North Okanagan - Northern Rockies - Okanagan-Similkameen - Peace River - Powell River - Skeena-Queen Charlotte - Squamish-Lillooet - Stikine - Sunshine Coast - Thompson-Nicola |
| Communities over 100,000 | Abbotsford - Burnaby - Coquitlam - Delta - Kelowna - Richmond - Saanich - Surrey - Vancouver |
| 70,000-100,000 | Chilliwack - Kamloops - Langley Township - Maple Ridge - Nanaimo - District of North Vancouver - Prince George - Victoria |
| Other major communities | Campbell River - Cranbrook - Fort St. John - Mission - New Westminster - City of North Vancouver - Penticton - Port Coquitlam - Port Moody - Vernon |
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