West Kelowna, formerly known as Westside and colloquially known as Westbank, is a city in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley on the west shore of Okanagan Lake. The city encompasses several neighbourhoods, including Casa Loma, Gellatly, Glenrosa, Lakeview Heights, Shannon Lake, Smith Creek, Rose Valley, Westbank, and West Kelowna Estates. As of 2021, West Kelowna had an estimated population of 36,078.
West Kelowna incorporated in 2007 as Westside District Municipality, reflecting the name of the former Central Okanagan Regional District rural electoral area. On January 30, 2009, the municipality was officially re-named West Kelowna. The municipality was re-classified as the City of West Kelowna on June 26, 2015.
History
Westside District Municipality was established December 6, 2007. Prior to that date, the Westside had been governed as a rural area under the Central Okanagan Regional District since the 1970s.[5] A June 2007 referendum offered residents the choice to change the governance structure, and a subsequent choice between incorporating as a municipality or amalgamating with the neighbouring City of Kelowna.[6] On June 16, residents voted overwhelmingly to change the Westside's governance structure, and also to incorporate by a margin of 5,924 to 5,582; voter turnout was approximately 48%.[5][6] The vote was strongly split along geographical lines, with voters from Westbank, Glenrosa, and other areas farther from the City of Kelowna voting to incorporate in larger numbers and voters living closer to Kelowna typically choosing amalgamation.[citation needed] The 2007 referendum followed two previous referenda—one in 1980 and another in 1994—in which residents voted against incorporation.[5]
In the fall of 2007, Rosalind Neis was elected as the first mayor of the newly incorporated area for a special one year term after running a campaign based on reversing the referendum result in order to pursue amalgamation with Kelowna. Despite winning the election, Neis did not ultimately pursue amalgamation.[7] Neis opted against running for mayor in the 2008 municipal election, which saw Doug Findlater elected mayor—Findlater would go on to serve three terms in the role.[7] As part of the 2008 election, Westside residents also voted on changing the municipality's name. Options included Okanagan Hills, Westbank, Westlake, and West Kelowna.[8] West Kelowna won over Westbank by a margin of 3,841 to 3,675. The West Kelowna name was confirmed by the municipal council on December 9, 2008 and became official January 30, 2009, after the Government of British Columbia approved the change to the Letters Patent.[9]
In 2015, West Kelowna officially became classified as a city.[2]
In 2018, Gord Milsom became the third person to serve as municipality's mayor; Milsom was re-elected in 2022.[10][11]
In August 2023, high winds caused a wildfire in McDougall Creek to rapidly expand and threaten the city. Many properties were burnt down, including a historic resort on Okanagan Lake, leading to extensive evacuations.[12] Over fifty homes were destroyed by the fire and several thousand people were ordered to evacuate until the fire was classified as held in late September.[13][14]
Winter sunset over Rose Valley
Geography
The City of West Kelowna is located on the central western shores and hillsides of Okanagan Lake. It is the primary gateway to the Central Okanagan from the west via Highway 97C, the Okanagan Connector.
Neighbourhoods within the city's jurisdiction include Goats Peak/Gellatly, Glenrosa, Shannon Lake, Smith Creek, Westbank Centre, and Westbank in the south, which comprise approximately half of the total population, and Westside Road/Bear Creek Road, West Kelowna Estates/Rose Valley, Bartley North, West Kelowna Business Park, Boucherie Centre, South Boucherie, Lakeview Heights, and Casa Loma in the north. Many of these neighbourhoods, including Glenrosa, Gellatly, Lakeview Heights, Sunnyside, and Westbank, have rich histories, some dating to the early to mid-19th century.
Bordering the City of West Kelowna are the District of Peachland, Central Okanagan West Electoral Area, and two self-governing reserves of the Westbank First Nation (WFN), Tsinstikeptum 9 and Tsinstikeptum 10.[15] As of 2008, 6,215 people lived on the reserves, including 510 people registered under the Indian Act.[16]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, West Kelowna had a population of 36,078 living in 13,974 of its 14,746 total private dwellings, a change of 10.5% from its 2016 population of 32,655. With a land area of 122.09km2 (47.14sqmi), it had a population density of 295.5/km2 (765.4/sqmi) in 2021.[18]
Ethnicity
Panethnic groups in the City of West Kelowna (2001−2021)
West Kelowna has a diverse economy, which includes agriculture, construction, finance, food and retail services, light industry, lumber manufacturing, technology, tourism, and wineries. More than 2,200 business licences are issued annually.
The Greater Westside economic region has a population of more than 52,000 people, with 34,883 living in the City of West Kelowna, an estimated 10,000 residing in Westbank First Nation (based on projections since the 2016 national census), over 5,671 in Peachland (BC Stats, 2018) and approximately 2,000 in the surrounding rural areas.
The Greater Westside is part of the larger Central Okanagan Regional District and economic region with a population of 208,852 (BC Stats, 2018) residents.
Traditional shopping areas in West Kelowna are Boucherie Centre, Lakeview Heights Shopping Centre, Westbank Centre and the West Kelowna Business Park, which offer a variety of retail outlets, cafes and restaurants, and tourist accommodations and attractions. The City of West Kelowna has a scenic wine trail with a dozen wineries lining the route. A farm loop features varied local agricultural products, seasonal farmers' markets, and the Gellatly Bay multi-use corridor, which includes the CNR Wharf Aquatic Park.[24]
Major private employers include Gorman Bros. Lumber and Mission Hill Family Estate Winery. Major public employers include Interior Health and Central Okanagan Public Schools (School District 23).
West Kelowna's business areas are also complemented by those in the Westbank First Nation, which include various big box stores, cafes and restaurants, retail outlets, services, theatres, and tourist accommodations and attractions.
Education
West Kelowna is located within School District 23 Central Okanagan. Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary School serves grades 9 through 12, and is the only high school in the municipality.[25] West Kelowna has two middle schools, serving grades 6 through 8: Constable Neil Bruce Middle School[26] and Glenrosa Middle School.[27] Nine public elementary schools are located in the municipality: Chief Tomat,[28] George Pringle (includes French immersion programming),[29] Glenrosa Elementary School,[30] Helen Gorman,[31] Hudson Road,[32] Mar Jok,[33] Rose Valley,[34] and Shannon Lake.[35] Private elementary schools are Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School and Sensisyusten House of Learning, which is located in the neighbouring Westbank First Nation Tsinstikeptum 9[36] community. Post-secondary educational opportunities are available in the nearby City of Kelowna, including two major public institutions: UBC Okanagan[37] and Okanagan College.[38]
Recreation and culture
Several community and regional parks are scattered throughout the municipality, offering soccer pitches, ball fields, children's play areas, and hiking trails. Recreational destinations include the Constable Neil Bruce Soccer Fields, the Mount Boucherie Ball Diamonds and Pickleball Courts, Lakeview Heights Tennis Courts, and Rosewood Sports Field. A community garden, pergola, two off-leash dog parks, and a popular children's water park are located in the Westbank Town Centre Park. West Kelowna has a lakefront walking trail alongside Gellatly Road and several swimming areas along Okanagan Lake, including Willow Beach.
The Mount Boucherie Community Centre includes Royal LePage Place arena—home to the West Kelowna Warriors of the BCHL—and Jim Lind Arena for ice sports such as hockey, figure skating, and ringette. Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre, in downtown Westbank, offers indoor public swimming and recreational programs. Memorial Park features a skateboard park. The municipality funds youth and seniors' centres in downtown Westbank.
Free Friday night concerts are held in July and August at Annette Beaudreau Amphitheatre in Memorial Park in Westbank Centre at the south end of Old Okanagan Highway. The amphitheatre and park are also home to a large number of events and concerts during the annual Westside Daze celebration, which includes a parade and midway.[39]
Popular trails are located in Eain Lamont and Mount Boucherie Parks and in Glen Canyon, Goats Peak, Kalamoir, and Rose Valley Regional Parks. Telemark is a popular winter recreational area offering snowshoeing and cross country skiing opportunities.[40]
Shannon Lake Golf Course is the only 18-hole golf course in the City of West Kelowna.[41] Two Eagles Golf Course in the neighbouring Westbank First Nation also offers 18-holes, a putting course, and a driving range.[42]
The Westbank Museum offers pioneer exhibits, artifacts, and archives. Smaller galleries sell works by local artists and potters. Westbank First Nation operates an Indigenous museum.
Notes
↑ Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
↑ Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
↑ Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
↑ Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
↑ Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.
Related Research Articles
Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. The name Kelowna derives from the Okanagan word kiʔláwnaʔ, referring to a grizzly bear.
Vernon is a city in the Okanagan region of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It is 440 km (270 mi) northeast of Vancouver. Named after Forbes George Vernon, a former MLA of British Columbia who helped establish the Coldstream Ranch in nearby Coldstream, the City of Vernon was incorporated on 30 December 1892. The City of Vernon has a population of 40,000 (2013), while its metropolitan region, Greater Vernon, had a population of 58,584 as of the 2011 Canadian census. With this population, Vernon is the largest city in the North Okanagan Regional District. A resident of Vernon is called a "Vernonite".
Penticton is a city in the Okanagan Valley of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, situated between Okanagan and Skaha lakes. In the 2016 Canadian Census, its population was 33,761, while its census agglomeration population was 43,432.
Cranbrook is a city in southeast British Columbia, Canada, located approximately 10 km southwest of the confluence of the Kootenay River and the St. Mary's River. It is the largest urban centre in the region known as the East Kootenay. As of 2016, Cranbrook's population is 20,499 with a census agglomeration population of 27,040. It is the location of the headquarters of the Regional District of East Kootenay and also the location of the regional headquarters of various provincial ministries and agencies, notably the Rocky Mountain Forest District.
The Okanagan, also called the Okanagan Valley and sometimes the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part of the Okanagan Country, extending into the United States as Okanogan County in north-central Washington. According to the 2016 Canadian census, the region's population is 362,258. The largest populated cities are Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon, and West Kelowna.
Salmon Arm is a city in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District of the Southern Interior of the Canadian province of British Columbia that has a population of 17,706 (2016). Salmon Arm was incorporated as a municipal district on May 15, 1905. The city of Salmon Arm separated from the district in 1912, but was downgraded to a village in 1958. In 1970, the city of Salmon Arm once again reunited with the District Municipality. Salmon Arm once again became a city in 2005, and is now the location of the head offices of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District. It is a tourist town in the summer, with many beaches, camping facilities and house boat rentals. Salmon Arm is home to the longest wooden freshwater wharf in North America.
Armstrong, officially the City of Armstrong is a city in the North Okanagan of the Canadian province of British Columbia, between Vernon and Enderby. It overlooks the Spallumcheen Valley, which forms a broad pass between the Okanagan Valley to the south and the Shuswap Country to the north, and is about 480 km (300 mi) from each of Vancouver, B.C. and Spokane, Washington. The town of Armstrong celebrated its centennial in 2013.
Oliver is a town near the south end of the Okanagan Valley in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, with a population of nearly 5,000 people. It is located along the Okanagan River by Tuc-el-nuit Lake between Osoyoos and Okanagan Falls, and is labelled as the Wine Capital of Canada by Tourism British Columbia. It was once "The Home of the Cantaloupe" as well as the "Home of the International Horseshow."
Summerland is a district municipality on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. The district is between Peachland to the north and Penticton to the south. The largest centre in the region is Kelowna, approximately 50 km (31 mi) to the north, and Vancouver is approximately 425 km (264 mi) away to the west. The district is famous for "Bottleneck drive", a system of roads connecting various wineries.
Peachland is a district municipality in the Okanagan Valley on the west side of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1899 by John Moore Robinson, although the region had long been home to the Okanagan people. Peachland is approximately half-an-hour's drive south of the city of Kelowna and about a 20-minute drive north of Summerland. The Okanagan Valley is very narrow in the area and there are few terraces that mark former lake levels and the former lake bottom. As a result, the city is largely located on a steep sidehill. Like many other areas in the Okanagan, Peachland is rapidly growing, with new residents coming from all across Canada. Across the lake from Peachland is Rattlesnake Island, home of the legendary Ogopogo. Peachland is approximately 370 km from Vancouver, British Columbia, on the British Columbia south coast.
The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia, representing two unincorporated Electoral Areas of Central Okanagan East and Central Okanagan West, along with the member municipalities of the City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, the District of Lake Country, the District of Peachland, and Westbank First Nation. The RDCO office is located in Kelowna.
Westbank is one of the communities within the City of West Kelowna in the province of British Columbia. It is 12 km to the west of Kelowna. Other communities in West Kelowna include Casa Loma, West Kelowna Estates, Shannon Lake, Smith Creek, Glenrosa, Rose Valley and Lakeview Heights. Westbank sits to the south of West Kelowna.
Kelowna—Lake Country is a federal electoral district in the province of British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1997.
The City of Enderby is in the North Okanagan region of the Canadian province of British Columbia, between Armstrong and Salmon Arm. It is approximately 80 km north of Kelowna and 130 km east of Kamloops. Highway 97A passes through Enderby and the Shuswap River marks the eastern and northeastern limits of the City. There are two major schools in Enderby: M.V. Beattie Elementary School and A.L. Fortune Secondary School. M.V. Beattie Elementary School was rebuilt in 2012.
Lake Country is a district municipality with a population of approximately 15,000 in the Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia, Canada. It is a part of the Central Okanagan Regional District, and of the Kelowna metropolitan area. The city of Kelowna lies to the south, while the city of Vernon lies to the north. As its name suggests, there are a number of lakes in the vicinity of Lake Country, and outside the municipal boundaries in the hills to the east. Okanagan Lake defines the western boundary of the municipality, while the entirety of Wood Lake and the southernmost portion of Kalamalka Lake are encompassed by it.
Grand Forks 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 and Kettle Rivers, a tributary of the Columbia River. The city is just north of the Canada–United States border, approximately 500 km (310 mi) from Vancouver and 200 km (120 mi) from Kelowna and 23 km (14 mi) west of the resort area of Christina Lake by road.
Mount Boucherie is a mountain located in West Kelowna on the west shore of Okanagan Lake, British Columbia, Canada, opposite the city of Kelowna. It is the remnants of a former stratovolcano created nearly 60 million years ago. Between four and six different glacial periods over the past 50 million years have eroded the volcano to produce Mount Boucherie. Though it now only rises 417 metres above the nearby lake level, it is estimated to once have had an elevation of 2,000 m (6,562 ft) or more.
Coldstream is a district municipality in British Columbia, Canada, located at the northern end of Kalamalka Lake in the Okanagan Valley. Incorporated on December 21, 1906, Coldstream celebrated its centennial in 2006. The municipality is directly southeast of Vernon and is considered part of Greater Vernon. It is a member municipality of, and also the location of the head offices, of the Regional District of North Okanagan.
Spallumcheen is a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Located in the Okanagan region between Vernon and Enderby, the township had a population of 5,055 and land area of 255.77 square kilometres (98.75 sq mi) in the Canada 2011 Census. The district, whose official name is the Township of Spallumcheen and which is the oldest rural municipality in the British Columbia Interior, consists primarily of agricultural land surrounding the separately incorporated City of Armstrong. Both Spallumcheen and Armstrong are member municipalities of the Regional District of North Okanagan.
97 Express Kelowna RapidBus or 97 Okanagan is a bus rapid transit line operated by Kelowna Regional Transit System since September 2010 in Central Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada. The service connects UBC Okanagan Exchange, Downtown Kelowna and Westbank Centre. 97X RapidBus offers high speed bus service by utilizing traffic signal priority and HOV lanes on Highway 97.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
