Castlegar, British Columbia
| Castlegar | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| City of Castlegar | |
| Motto: "Haec Lumina Numquam Errantiae" (Latin) "These Lights Never Wander" |
|
 Location of Castlegar in British Columbia |
|
| Coordinates: 49°19′32″N 117°39′58″W / 49.32556°N 117.66611°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
|
| Province |
 British Columbia
|
| Region | West Kootenay |
| Regional district | Central Kootenay |
| Incorporated | 1946 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Elected city council |
| • Mayor | Lawrence Chernoff |
| • Governing body | Castlegar City Council |
| • MP | Richard Cannings (NDP) |
| • MLA | Katrine Conroy (BC NDP) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 19.58 km2 (7.56 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 450 m (1,480 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 7,816 |
| • Density | 399.3/km2 (1,034/sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| Postal code | V1N |
| Area code(s) | 250 / 778 / 236 |
| Highways |
 BC 3 BC 3A BC 22
|
| Waterways |
Columbia River Kootenay River |
| Website | City of Castlegar |
Castlegar is the second largest community in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada.
It is located within the Selkirk Mountains at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers. It is a regional trade and transportation centre, with a local economy fueled by forestry, mining and tourism. It was recently cited as one of the Top 8 Places in British Columbia for most promising growth. It is home to Selkirk College, a regional airport, a pulp mill, and several sawmills. The population of 7,259 people includes a large number of Doukhobors, who were largely responsible for much of Castlegar's early development and growth. A sizeable Portuguese community grew as workers, mainly from the Azores islands, moved in to take up employment in the area. The area which was to become Castlegar was an important centre for the Sinixt (Lakes) Peoples. Outside the city limits are the small surrounding communities of Ootischenia, Brilliant, Robson, Robson West, Raspberry, Tarrys, Thrums, Glade, Shoreacres, Fairview, Genelle, Pass Creek and Krestova. There are also the much smaller communities of Deer Park, Renata, and Syringa on Lower Arrow Lake. Taken together, these outlying areas comprise an approximate population of a further 8,000 people.
On September 5, 1811, David Thompson arrived at the location where Castlegar now sits, where he camped near the mouth of the Kootenay River. A plaque dedicated to David Thompson can be found on the east bank of the Columbia River overlooking the present day site of Castlegar.
The first settlement in the area was West Waterloo, now known as South Castlegar. There was widespread provincial interest in gold prospecting in the late 19th century, and by 1895 there were forty houses in Waterloo. The town boomed until the end of the century when interest in the local mines declined.
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Wikipedia