Chase, British Columbia

For the community in Nanaimo, see Chase River, Nanaimo.

Chase
Village
Village of Chase
Chase and Little Shuswap Lake
Motto(s):  Chase, a Shuswap Experience
Location of Chase in British Columbia
Coordinates: 50°49′08″N 119°41′04″W
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Region	BC Interior
Regional district	Thompson-Nicola
Incorporated	April 21, 1969
Government
• Governing body	Chase Village Council
• Mayor	Rod Crowe
Area
• Total	3.05 km2 (1.18 sq mi)
• Land	3.77 km2 (1.46 sq mi)
Elevation	380 m (1,250 ft)
Population  (2016)
• Total	2,286
• Density	607.0/km2 (1,572/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−08:00 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−07:00 (PDT)
Postal code span	V0E 1M0
Area code	250 / 778 / 236
Highways	Hwy 1 (TCH)
Waterways	South Thompson River and Chase Creek
Website	Village of Chase

Chase is a village located in the Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It has a population of roughly 2,500, and its main industries are forestry and tourism. It is located at the outlet of Little Shuswap Lake, which is the source of the South Thompson River. Chase Creek, which drops over three small waterfalls before flowing through the town, enters the South Thompson just below the lake's outlet.

Adams River Lumber mill, 1919

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1981	1,777	—
1986	1,933	+8.8%
1991	2,083	+7.8%
1996	2,460	+18.1%
2001	2,460	+0.0%
2006	2,409	−2.1%
2011	2,495	+3.6%
2016	8,967	+259.4%

Government and infrastructure

Fire department

The Village of Chase provides fire services to the community through the Village of Chase Fire Department.

Policing

A Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment is located in Chase and serves the village, surrounding highways and First Nations communities.

Health care

The Village of Chase is served by the Chase and District Health Centre, part of the Interior Health Authority.

The BC Ambulance Service maintains a station in the community.

Transportation

Roads

The Trans-Canada Highway runs adjacent to the south side of the community and provides access to the nearby regional centres of Kamloops (57 km [35 mi] west) and Salmon Arm (52 km [32 mi] east).

Other, minor routes connect Chase to Falkland and Barriere.

There has been a perennial proposal to construct a winterized road between Chase and nearby Sun Peaks to aid in the development of Chase's economy. The road would offer a shorter route for visitors arriving at the resort community from the east.

Railway

The Canadian Pacific Railway mainline travels through the community with through freight and passenger traffic.

Airports

The closest commercial airport is the Kamloops Airport. The Shuswap (Skwlax Field) Aerodrome is located on the northeast side of Little Shuswap Lake.

Culture and recreation

The primary attraction for the Village of Chase is Little Shuswap Lake. Beaches, boat launches and a large pier provide access to the lake and South Thompson River.

The Sunshore Golf Club provides a nine-hole golf course.

Some Chase residents say "There are two seasons in Chase; Corn season, and waiting for corn season." The town is known for it's fertile farm land, and celebrates the production and sharing of local food.

Sport

Chase is home to the Chase Heat of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. It was the home of the Chase Chiefs of the same league, who existed from 2007 to 2010, before relocating to Kelowna.

History

The town was named after one of the first settlers in the district, Whitfield Chase who established a ranch where the South Thompson River runs out of Little Shuswap Lake in 1865. When the Adams River Lumber Company laid out the town in 1902, James A. Magee, secretary of the company named the town for Chase.

See also

• Little Shuswap Indian Band (Squilax)

External links

• Village of Chase