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Williams Lake, British Columbia

Coordinates: 52°8′30″N 122°8′30″W / 52.14167°N 122.14167°W / 52.14167; -122.14167
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City of Williams Lake
City
Nickname: 
BC's Stampede Capital
Country Canada
Province British Columbia
RegionCariboo
Regional districtCariboo Regional District
Incorporated1929
Government
 • Governing bodyWilliams Lake City Council
 • MayorKerry Cook
 • City ManagerBrian Carruthers
Area
 • Total33.03 km2 (12.75 sq mi)
Elevation
600 m (2,000 ft)
Population
 (2006)
 • Total10,744
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
Highways20
97

Williams Lake, is a city in the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the central part of a region known as the Cariboo, it is the largest urban centre between Kamloops and Prince George. The population is 10,744.[1]

Williams Lake hosts the annual "Williams Lake Stampede", which takes place on the Canada Day long weekend. The Williams lake stampede is famous for its riders and especially "the great mountain race". Williams lake hosts a "stampede parade" on the Saturday of "Stampede Weekend". The town is also known for "Wrestling Day", which follows New Years Day on January 2 the way Boxing Day follows Christmas.

Williams Lake is the home town of Rick Hansen, the Canadian paraplegic athlete and activist for people with spinal cord injuries, who became famous during his fundraising Man in Motion world tour. It is also the hometown of current Montreal Canadiens' starting goaltender Carey Price. Williams Lake is also home to Silvana Burtini who played for the Canadian Women's team in Soccer.

Since 2007, Williams Lake has held the #1 position of crimes per capita in British Columbia. The local RCMP have far more case files per constable than the BC average.[2]

History

Williams Lake is named in honor of Secwepemc chief William, whose counsel prevented the Shuswap from joining the Chilcotin in their uprising against the settlers.[3]

Main article: Chilcotin War

The story of Williams Lake began in 1860 during the Cariboo Gold Rush when Gold Commissioner Philip Henry Nind and Constable William Pinchbeck arrived from Victoria to organize a local government and maintain law and order.

At the time, two pack trails led to the goldfields, one from the Douglas Road and another trail through the Fraser Canyon. Both met at William's Lake, which made it a good choice for settlers and merchants. By 1861, Commissioner Nind had built a government house and had requested the funds to build a jail. With the center of local government being at Williams Lake, the miners and businessmen all had to travel there to conduct their business and soon the town had a post office, a courthouse, a roadhouse and the jail that Nind had requested. Meanwhile, William Pinchbeck had not been idle and had built his own roadhouse, saloon and store. Eventually he would own most of the valley.[4]

In 1863, the town was excited by the news of the construction of Cariboo Road, believing it would pass through their already established and important trading center. However, the roadbuilder Gustavus Blin Wright rerouted the original trail so that it bypassed Williams Lake and went through 150 Mile House instead.[5]

The Williams Lake by-pass was the coming of doom for Williams Lake and accusations flew that Gustavus Blin Wright had changed the route for his own personal benefit as he owned a roadhouse at Deep Creek along the new route. Regardless of Wright's motives, Williams Lake was forgotten and wouldn't be reborn until nearly half a century later with the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, later BC Rail and now CN Rail.[6]

Demographics

Ethnic Origin[7] Population Percent of 18,760* Comments
English 5,865 31.26%
Irish 3,380 18.00%
Manx 10 0.001%
Scottish 4,520 24.10%
Welsh 475 2.53%
misc. British Isles, n.i.e.** 255 1.36%
French 2,330 12.42%
Métis 640 3.41%
North American Indian 2,735 14.58% incl. First Nations, Native Americans and Alaska Natives
American 485 2.59%
Canadian 4,850 25.85%
Jamaican 20 0.11%
Brazilian 10 0.005%
Maya 10 0.05%
Mexican 85 0.45%
Austrian 210 1.12%
Belgian 65 0.35%
Dutch (Netherlands) 1,120 5.97% % not incl. Frisians or Flemish
Flemish 15 0.08%
German 3,725 19.86%
Swiss 215 1.15%
Finnish 150 0.80%
Danish 230 1.23%
Iceland 90 0.48%
Norwegian 830 4.42%
Swedish 695 3.70%
misc. Scandinavian, n.i.e.** 85 0.45% may include Sami and Kven
Lithuanian 15 0.08%
Czech 125 0.67%
Czechoslovakian 40 0.21%
Slovak 25 0.13%
Hungarian (Magyar) 255 1.36%
Polish 590 3.14%
Romanian 110 0.59%
Russian 480 2.56%
Ukrainian 980 5.22%
Croatian 20 0.11%
Greek 45 0.24%
Italian 465 2.48%
Portuguese 35 0.19%
Spanish 115 0.61%
Yugoslav, n.i.e.** 70 0.37%
Basque 20 0.11%
Gypsy (Roma) 10 0.05%
Jewish 65 0.35%
misc. European, n.i.e.** 35 0.19%
Black 30 0.16%
Ghanaian 10 0.05%
South African 50 0.27%
misc. African, n.i.e.** 10 0.05%
Maghrebi origins 15 0.08%
misc. Arab, n.i.e. 10 0.05%
East Indian 625 3.33%
Gujarati 20 0.11%
Punjabi 105 0.56%
Sri Lankan 10 0.05%
misc. South Asian, n.i.e.** 25 0.13%
Chinese 150 0.80%
Filipino 25 0.13%
Indonesian 10 0.05%
Japanese 75 0.08%
Korean 10 0.05%
Malaysian 50 0.26%
Australian 35 0.19%
New Zealander 15 0.08%
*Percentages total more than 100% due to multiple responses e.g. German-East Indian, Norwegian-Irish-Polish.
**Not included elsewhere.
***Not otherwise specified.

Economy

The primary industries in Williams Lake are forestry, logging, milling, mining and ranching.

Climate

Climate data for Williams Lake
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Source: Environment Canada[8]

Education

Williams Lake is served by the Cariboo-Chilcotin School District 27

Elementary schools

Secondary schools

Colleges and universities

Thompson Rivers University has a campus in Williams Lake and offers a wide variety of programs and courses including university transfers, certificate and diploma programs, trades and technology, and university and career preparation. The Elder College is another local division of Thompson Rivers University, and offers programs and opportunities for people who are 50+ and are interested in participating in the programs, courses and special events.

Sports and recreation

Arts and culture

  • The Station House Studio and Gallery Society, a non-profit organization, was formed in 1981 to preserve and restore the BC Rail Station at #1 Mackenzie Avenue North, and to provide studio and gallery space. Each month, the Gallery exhibits a variety of contemporary works in many mediums by local, regional, and touring artists. The Society also operates a gift shop that features the work of local artisans and crafts people.* The Museum of the Cariboo-Chicotin offers a glimpse into the Central Cariboo's fascinating history and is home to the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame.
  • Williams Lake Studio Theater Society has now operated for more than fifty years.
  • The Williams Lake Community Band meets on Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm in the band room at WLSS under the directorship of Michael Butterfield. This band performs at local community events such as the Remembrance Day Ceremony, the Stampede Parade, and at anniversary or opening ceremonies such as the Tourism Centre.
  • The Williams Lake Pipe Band was founded in 2006 and practices at the Royal Canadian Legion in Williams Lake on Tuesdays.

Transportation

Williams Lake is located on the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 20.

Greyhound Bus Lines provides bus service south to Vancouver and Kamloops, north to Prince George.

CN Rail offers freight service north and south of Williams Lake.

The Williams Lake Airport is located 14 kilometers north of the city and was opened in 1956 by Transport Canada and on January 1, 1997 the ownership of the airport was transferred to the City of Williams Lake. The airport is served by both Pacific Coastal Airlines, and Central Mountain Air with daily flights to Vancouver

Local public transportation consists of the BC Transit and Handy Dart bus service.

Local attractions

The Williams Lake Stampede

Held annually, on the Canada Day long weekend, the Williams Lake Stampede features Canadian Professional Rodeo Association action including bull riding, barrel racing, bareback riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping and chuckwagon races. The Williams Lake Stampede plays host to many top cowboys and international rodeo competitors from Canada and the United States most of which continue on the circuit to the Calgary Stampede, the following weekend.
The Stampede festivities also include a parade of floats from local orginaizations, such as 4H groups, native bands, community service groups, the stampede royalty and local merchants. There is also a carnival with rides and games located near the stampede grounds.

Scout Island

Scout Island, located on the west end of Williams Lake off South Mackenzie Avenue, is a nature sanctuary and park area comprising two islands connected to the mainland by a vehicle causeway. In addition to a beach area, picnic ground and boat launch, Scout Island contains a series of nature trails that take visitors through a relatively undisturbed natural environment, rich in bird and small wildlife habitat.

A key feature of Scout Island is the Nature House which strategically overlooks the extensive marsh adjacent to the island. The Nature Centre is operated by the Williams Lake Field Naturalists and offers displays, programs and information interpreting the diverse and sensitive environment of Scout Island.

The Nature Trust of British Columbia is the owner of this 9.69 hectares which was purchased in 1973 - 1988 and is leased to the City of Williams Lake.[9]

Media

Radio

Publications

  • Williams Lake Tribune
  • Cariboo Advisor

Bibliography

  • Cariboo-Chilcotin Pioneer People and Places Irene Stangoe ISBN 1-895811-12-0

References

  1. ^ Stats Canada
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ Stangoe, Irene (1994). Cariboo Chilcotin Pioneer People and Places. Heritage House. p. 32. ISBN 1-895811-12-0.
  4. ^ Stangoe, Irene (1994). Cariboo Chilcotin Pioneer People and Places. Heritage House. pp. 10–14. ISBN 1-895811-12-0.
  5. ^ Living Landscapes
  6. ^ A Chronology of Williams Lake
  7. ^ Profile of Ethnic Origin and Visible Minorities for Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census
  8. ^ Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 3 June 2010
  9. ^ http://www.williamslake.ca/index.asp?p=40

52°8′30″N 122°8′30″W / 52.14167°N 122.14167°W / 52.14167; -122.14167

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