Grand Forks, British Columbia
| Grand Forks | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
 Grand Forks
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| Coordinates: 49°02′0″N 118°26′24″W / 49.03333°N 118.44000°WCoordinates: 49°02′0″N 118°26′24″W / 49.03333°N 118.44000°W | |
| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  British Columbia |
| Region | Boundary Country |
| Regional district | Kootenay Boundary |
| Incorporated | 1897 |
| Government | |
| • Governing body | Grand Forks City Council |
| • Mayor | Brian Taylor |
| Area | |
| • City | 10.44 km2 (4.03 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 520 m (1,710 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • City | 3,985 |
| • Density | 380/km2 (990/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 4,274[1] |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| Postal code | V0H |
| Area code(s) | 250 |
| Highways | 3 |
| Waterways | Granby River Kettle River |
| Website | Official website |
Grand Forks, population 3,985, is a city in the Boundary Country of the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Granby River and Kettle River, a tributary of the Columbia. The city is just north of the US-Canada border, approximately 500 km from Vancouver, British Columbia and 200 km from Kelowna, British Columbia or Spokane, Washington and 23 km west of the resort area of Christina Lake by road.
Contents |
History [edit]
Grand Forks was established in the late 19th century when copper mining dominated Boundary and Kootenay regions of BC. The city was laid out in 1895 and Grand Forks was officially established as a city on April 15, 1897. By 1900 Grand Forks boasted 3 railways, lumber mills, a smelter, mines, a post office, a school and a hospital. In both 1908 and 1911, fires leveled the downtown core, mainly due to the number of wood frame buildings and stores. Between the years of 1909 and 1913, a group of pacifist Russian immigrants known as Doukhobors settled in the area because of the fertile farm land. Today, many residents of Grand Forks are ancestors of the Doukhobors. In 1991, the CP Railway Co. abandoned the railway through Grand Forks and the former right of way became part of the Trans-Canada Trail. Over the years, Grand Forks has continued to expand in size and now has around 4,000 residents, with another 10,000 in the area.
Government [edit]
The City of Grand Forks is represented by a 7 person elected council, with Brian Taylor as mayor. The councillors are: Bob Kendel, Neil Krog, Patrick J. O'Doherty, Gary Smith, Michael Wirischagin, and Cher Wyers. Provincially, Grand Forks is located in the riding of Boundary-Similkameen and represented by John Slater (Independent), and Federally it is located in the BC Southern Interior riding and represented by Alex Atamanenko (NDP).
Demographics [edit]
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Climate [edit]
Grand Forks experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with mild, moderately cold winters and hot summers. Grand Forks has a very similar climate to the Okanagan Valley just to the West, but usually receives slightly colder and snowier winters and slightly hotter Summer temperatures. Daytime highs during the Summer often top 30°C and sometimes surpass 40°C. During the winter, the blocking barriers of the Rockies and the Columbia Mountains tend to moderate the climate, but cold Arctic air can penetrate into the valley for fairly short periods. Precipitation is higher than many other drier Southern Interior locations, but still fairly low.
| Climate data for Grand Forks | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 16.1 (61) |
19.4 (66.9) |
24.0 (75.2) |
31.7 (89.1) |
36.1 (97) |
37.0 (98.6) |
42.2 (108) |
39.4 (102.9) |
36.7 (98.1) |
30.0 (86) |
18.9 (66) |
25.0 (77) |
42.2 (108) |
| Average high °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) |
2.9 (37.2) |
9.6 (49.3) |
15.6 (60.1) |
20.2 (68.4) |
23.9 (75) |
28.0 (82.4) |
28.1 (82.6) |
22.6 (72.7) |
13.8 (56.8) |
4.2 (39.6) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
13.8 (56.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −5 (23) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
3.8 (38.8) |
8.6 (47.5) |
13.0 (55.4) |
16.4 (61.5) |
19.5 (67.1) |
19.3 (66.7) |
14.3 (57.7) |
7.3 (45.1) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
7.7 (45.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −8.5 (16.7) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
1.5 (34.7) |
5.7 (42.3) |
9.0 (48.2) |
11.0 (51.8) |
10.5 (50.9) |
6.0 (42.8) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
1.5 (34.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −38.9 (−38) |
−34.4 (−29.9) |
−22.8 (−9) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
1.1 (34) |
0.0 (32) |
−6.1 (21) |
−14.0 (6.8) |
−29.0 (−20.2) |
−37.8 (−36) |
−38.9 (−38) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 48.1 (1.894) |
34.2 (1.346) |
32.8 (1.291) |
40.7 (1.602) |
56.4 (2.22) |
57.5 (2.264) |
41.0 (1.614) |
36.2 (1.425) |
28.3 (1.114) |
30.4 (1.197) |
51.6 (2.031) |
52.7 (2.075) |
509.8 (20.071) |
| Source: Environment Canada[4] | |||||||||||||
Schools [edit]
Schools in the region are operated by School District 51 Boundary which has its main office in Grand Forks but also serves Midway, Greenwood, Beaverdell, and Rock Creek.
There are two elementary (Dr. D. A. Perley Elementary School, and John A. Hutton Elementary School) and one secondary school (Grand Forks Secondary School). The District also operates an alternate learning centre in Grand Forks; Fred Walker Development Center.
Industry [edit]
Major industries in Grand Forks are logging, agriculture, rock wool manufacturing, fabrication (metal) and tourism. The town is close to the site of the former Phoenix copper mine, which closed in 1935. The slag piles on the Granby River just outside of town are remnants of a large copper smelting operation. The sawmill in Grand Forks is operated by Interfor (formerly Pope and Talbot) and ships forest products into the United States via rail. Tourism is a growing industry in Grand Forks due to its pleasant climate and close proximity to the Okanagan. Christina Lake, which is 20 minutes east of Grand Forks, is home to many resorts and summer homes and its year round population of 1000 swells to 6000 during the Summer. The slag from the piles at the north end of town is owned by Pacific Abrasives, who sells it to the US Navy and ships it by rail to San Diego, California to use for sandblasting ships.
The short-line Grand Forks Railway is based out of Grand Forks. The company owns just 3.5 miles of track, which connects Roxul and Interfor with the Grand Forks Junction at the south end of town. It is the shortest railway in Canada and possibly North America. Train cars then get set to the United States via the Kettle Falls International Railway.
Sports [edit]
| Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks Border Bruins | KIJHL | Ice Hockey | Grand Forks Arena | 1969 | 0 |
Notable residents [edit]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and population centres, 2011 and 2006 censuses: British Columbia. Statistics Canada. Retrieved March 17, 2013
- ^ "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
- ^ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
- ^ Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 23 July 2012
External links [edit]
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