Houston, British Columbia

Infobox Settlement
official_name = District of Houston
other_name =
native_name =
nickname =
settlement_type = District
motto = Where the welcome is warm and the wilderness beckons


imagesize =
image_caption =


flag_size =
image_

seal_size =
image_shield =
shield_size =


mapsize =
map_caption =


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
image_dot_

dot_mapsize =
dot_map_caption =
dot_x = |dot_y =
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position =
pushpin_map_caption =Location of Houston in British Columbia
pushpin_mapsize =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = CAN
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = BC
subdivision_type2 = Region
subdivision_name2 = Bulkley Valley
subdivision_type3 = Regional district
subdivision_name3 = Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako
subdivision_type4 =
subdivision_name4 =
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name = Houston District Council
leader_title1 = Mayor
leader_name1 = Sharon Smith
leader_title2 =
leader_name2 =
leader_title3 =
leader_name3 =
leader_title4 =
leader_name4 =
established_title =
established_date =
established_title1 = Incorporated
established_date1 = 1957
established_title2 =
established_date2 =
area_magnitude =
unit_pref =
area_footnotes =
area_total_km2 = 72.83
area_land_km2 =
area_water_km2 =
area_total_sq_mi =
area_land_sq_mi =
area_water_sq_mi =
area_water_percent =
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
area_blank1_title =
area_blank1_km2 =
area_blank1_sq_mi =
population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_note =
population_total = 3,163
population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi =
population_metro =
population_density_metro_km2 =
population_density_metro_sq_mi =
population_urban =
population_density_urban_km2 =
population_density_urban_sq_mi =
population_blank1_title =
population_blank1 =
population_density_blank1_km2 =
population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
timezone = PST
utc_offset = -8
timezone_DST =
utc_offset_DST =
latd= 54|latm= 23|lats= 51|latNS=N
longd= 126|longm= 38|longs= 31|longEW=W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 610
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code =
blank_name = Highways
blank_info = 16
blank1_name =
blank1_info =
website = [http://www.houston.ca/ District of Houston]
footnotes = Houston is a forestry, mining and tourism town in the Bulkley Valley of the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Its urban population is approximately 3600 people, with approximately 2000 in the surrounding rural area. It is known as the "Steelhead Capital" and it has the world's largest fly fishing rod. Houston's tourism industry is largely based on eco-tourism and Steelhead Provincial Park, situated along Highway 16.

History

The Morice area was first charted by amateur cartographer and geologist, father Adrien-Gabriel Morice. In 1880 father Morice came to British Columbia as a missionary to the native people and was the first 'white man' to see most of the area.

Geography

* Location: latitude-54.39635,longitude-126.665497 [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=houston+bc&btnG=Search&ll=54.39635,-126.665497&spn=0.139112,0.43396]
* Time Zone: Pacific Standard TimeHouston is located near the confluence of the Bulkley and Morice Rivers approximately convert|60|km|mi|0|abbr=on south of Smithers along Highway 16.

The area is in a rainshadow of the Coast Mountains, however due to being dominated by a low pressure region, Houston receives a mid-range volume of precipitation annually.

Beautiful Morice Lake is located just convert|80|km|mi|0|abbr=on south along the Morive River FSR. Nestled into the Coast Mountains, many Houstonites use this area for recreational camping and fishing.

Nearby Communities:
*Perow
*Topley
*Buck Flats
*Barrett
*Quick
*Walcott
*Smithers
*Burns Lake

Politics

*Houston is located in the federal electoral district of Skeena-Bulkley Valley, which is held by incumbent Nathan Cullen of the New Democratic Party of Canada.

*Provincially Houston is located in the Bulkley Valley-Stikine electoral district which is held by incumbent Dennis MacKay of the British Columbia Liberal Party.

Recreation

*The Morice Mountain Nordic Ski Club is a volunteer Non-Profit Society. The MMNSC is responsible for all developments and trail grooming as well as maintenance of the facilities, and for trail users fee collections. The ski trails are situated convert|8|km|mi|0|abbr=on south of Houston on Buck Flats Rd. Skiing enthusiasts are able to explore over convert|45|km|mi of challenging and beginner trails covering a rolling topography around Silverthorne Lake

*Many locals frequent the Nanika-Kidprice Lakes Basin canoe route. This basin lies on the eastern slope of the Coastal Mountain Range and forms the upper watershed of the Morice-Bulkley Rivers. The basin area is convert|920|m|ft|0|spell=us above sea level and is surrounded by glaciated and snow-capped peaks that rise as high as convert|2400|m|ft|-1|spell=us. The convert|30|km|mi|0|abbr=on route takes about 3-4 days to complete. There is approximately convert|4|km|mi|0|abbr=on of portages between three lakes.

*The recently constructed Houston Leisure facility holds a pool, hot-tub, sauna and fitness gym.
*Houston has two 9-hole golf courses
*Forestry Tours are a guided tour and see for yourself how the forests are being reforested, harvested and utilized.

News

On October 9 2005 Ian Bush, 22 was shot dead by an RCMP officer named Constable Paul Koester, in the back of the head at close range. Ian had been taken into custody during a [http://www.houstonluckies.ca Houston Luckies] hockey game. Standing outside with an open beer, he had been asked for his name by a new officer in town. When Ian gave a false name, the other attending officer said that it was not his name and Ian was arrested for obstructing a police officer. That was about 9:30 pm on Saturday, October 29, 2005.

The family also learned that Ian had gone peacefully with the officers for his ride to the local detachment. But by about 10 pm, Ian was dead. [http://www.bcnorth.ca/magazine/pages/Debi/ian/ian1.htm] . There have been investigations on the conduct of the officer involved in the death of Ian Bush under speculation that Ian's death was not justified. Koester was not charged despite inconsistencies in his report and defense at the trial. [http://thetyee.ca/Bigstory/2007/05/23/Houston/] [http://mostlywater.org/node/5303]

Schools

Houston is located in School District 54 Bulkley Valley and has three public schools and one privately run Christian denominational school.

Elementary Schools:
*Silverthorne Elementary School
*Twain Sullivan Elementary SchoolSecondary Schools:
*Houston Secondary School

The Houston Christian School teaches from K-12.

Trivia

*The Bulkley, a smaller stream running through Houston and the Morice River join just west of Houston. At the point of their joining they become the Bulkley River, not the Morice despite the fact the Morice is larger. This was done by Poudrier, a government cartographer whom, it is rumoured, never saw the region.

*The Bulkley, is named for Col. S. Bulkley, one of the surveyors on the Telegraph line through the Pleasant Valley.

*Houston is named in honor of the pioneer newspaperman John Houston. [http://www.houston.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=19&bhcp=1]

Principal o Twain Sullivan Elementry is Cody Blomquist

External links

* [http://hssweb.sd54.bc.ca/ Houston Secondary]
* [http://www.houston.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?bhcp=1 District of Houston]
* [http://www.hiway16.com/ho Houston On-Line]
* [http://www.hbccufo.org HBCC UFO Research]
* [http://www.bcoutdoors.back40canoe.com Houston area Outdoors Recreation]
* [http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/houston-today/ Houston Today Newspaper]