Kimberley | |
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City | |
City of Kimberley | |
A view of the town of Kimberley
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Motto: "Recordamur Omnium" (Latin) "We Are Mindful Of All" |
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Location of Kimberley in British Columbia | |
Coordinates: 49°40′11″N 115°58′39″W / 49.66972°N 115.97750°WCoordinates: 49°40′11″N 115°58′39″W / 49.66972°N 115.97750°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | British Columbia |
Regional District | East Kootenay |
Incorporation (city) | March 29, 1944 |
Amalgamation | November 1, 1968 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Don McCormick |
Area | |
• Total | 58.31 km2 (22.51 sq mi) |
Elevation | 1,120 m (3,670 ft) |
Population (2016) | |
• Total | 7,400 |
• Density | 105.3/km2 (273/sq mi) |
Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
Area code(s) | 250 / 778 / 236 |
Highways | BC 95A |
Website | http://www.kimberley.ca |
Kimberley is a city in southeast British Columbia, Canada along Highway 95A between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains. Kimberley was named in 1896 after the Kimberley mine in South Africa. From 1917 to 2001, it was the home to the world's largest lead-zinc mine, the Sullivan Mine. Now it is mainly a tourist destination and home to the Kimberley Alpine Resort, a ski area and Kimberley's Underground Mining Railway that features a 750-foot-long (230 m) underground mining interpretive centre complete with operational 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railway equipment. Recreational pursuits include world-class skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, fishing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, biking, hiking and golfing on championship golf courses. The city has the largest urban park in Canada. At 1977 acres (800 ha), the Kimberley Nature Park is the largest incorporated park in Canada.
SunMine, the largest solar PV plant in Western Canada, was built in 2015 on the site of the former Sullivan Mine concentrator.
Kimberley incorporated as a city on March 29, 1944. It amalgamated with the former Village of Marysville on November 1, 1968. Following the routing of Highway 95 away from the city, in 1972 Kimberley transformed into the Bavarian City of the Rockies to entice motorists passing through the region to visit. Kimberley's Mine was the Sullivan Mine, and it was the largest lead-zinc mine in the world. The mine ceased operation in 2001.