Smithers, British Columbia

Town of Smithers
—  Town  —
Main Street Smithers (1989)
Flag Coat of arms
Town of Smithers Location of Smithers in British Columbia
Coordinates: 54°46′55″N 127°10′05″W / 54.78194°N 127.16806°W / 54.78194; -127.16806Coordinates: 54°46′55″N 127°10′05″W / 54.78194°N 127.16806°W / 54.78194; -127.16806
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Regional District	Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako
Founded	1913
Incorporated (village)	1921
Incorporated (town)	1967
Government
– Mayor	Cress Farrow
– Governing Body	Town of Smithers Council
– MLA
– MLA
Area
– Total	15.54 km2 (6 sq mi)
Elevation	490 m (1,608 ft)
Population (2011)
– Total	5,509
– Density	348.4/km2 (902.4/sq mi)
Time zone	Pacific Time Zone (UTC−8)
– Summer (DST)	Pacific Daylight Time (UTC−7)
Postal code span	V0J
Area code(s)	250, 778
Demonym	Smithereen
Website	Smithers.ca

Smithers is a town located in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, approximately halfway between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Smithers is located in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. With a population of 5,509, Smithers is a service area for most of the Bulkley Valley.

History

Old mining cart in Smithers

The Bulkley Valley in which Smithers is situated was originally inhabited by the Wet'suwet'en, an indigenous Carrier people whose native tongue is of the Athabaskan language family. Smithers was founded in 1913 as the regional headquarters for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The new community was named after the railway's chairman of the board of directors, Sir Alfred Smithers. In 1921, Smithers became the first incorporated village in British Columbia.^[1] In 1967, Smithers was incorporated as a town. Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Smithers was created in 1967.

Civic orientation

The Town was surveyed in 1913 and a street grid pattern was established that is still very much evident today. Historically, intensive development has been oriented towards Main Street as the prime commercial focus with residential development radiating outward from the commercial core. The traditional downtown was punctuated by important civic structures — the (old) Courthouse at the intersection of Main Street with Hwy 16 or by community focal points — the Canadian National Railway station at the western end of Main Street. This pattern has been sustained by the preservation of the old courthouse, with establishment of a major civic park in Central Park, and with the on-going restoration of the CN railway station as a community resource centre.

The Smithers railway station is served by Via Rails Jasper – Prince Rupert train.

Culture

Smithers and the Bulkley Valley have often been described by non-residents as being distinct from the rest of Northern British Columbia. According to a 1990s survey, per capita, Smithers has 'the most of' in almost every category. Many factors contribute to the composition of society in Smithers, including the arts, environmental protection, and local industries such as forestry and mining.

Smithers has adopted an alpine theme, which is drawn from the geography of the area. A town bylaw requires businesses in the downtown area centred on Main Street to construct their buildings in an alpine style. A fibreglass statue of a man blowing an alpine horn, commonly referred to as The Alpenman or Alpine Al, is located at the entrance to the main street and has become the town symbol. Similarly, the Smithers chamber of commerce displays an Alpine Al costume at community events and in television advertisements for the town's businesses.

Residents of Smithers are called Smithereens which remains a more popularly accepted title than the sometimes used 'Smitherite'.^{[citation needed]}

Smithereens have a particularly strong environmental ethic. In 2006, over 600 Smithereens took to the streets to voice their opposition to a proposed coalbed methane gas field near Telkwa,^[2] which threatened local water quality, landscape integrity and wild salmon populations.

Smithers and the Bulkley Valley are home to many musicians, including Juno-Award-winning Alexis Puentes and hometown folk hero Mark Perry. The biggest assembly of musical talent happens during the annual Mid-Summer Music Festival in late June. Over the years, the Mid-Summer Music Festival has seen some famous acts like Spirit of the West and the Barenaked Ladies and has drawn audiences and participants from all across North America.

The Della Herman Theatre, named after a long time resident and former school board official, is the primary venue for shows and performances, though several pubs and even open fields serve as secondary performance venues. Numerous organizations including the Bulkley Valley Community Arts Council operate to keep music and other artistic activities vibrant.

Demographics

Canada 2001 Census[3]
	Smithers	British Columbia
Median age	33.3 years	38.4 years
Under 15 years old	24%	18%
Between 25 and 44 years old	31%	30%
Over 65 years old	10%	14%
Visible minority	4%	21%
Protestant	35%	31%
Catholic	20%	17%

The latest census, taken in 2001, recorded 5,415 residents living in 2,195 households and 1,460 families. Of those over 15 years of age in 2001, 48% were married, slightly lower than the 51% provincial average. With 87% of Smithers residents being Canadian-born, and 88% with an English-only mother tongue, the town has few visible minorities. Though not included as visible minorities, 10% identified themselves as Aboriginal, a higher proportion than the 4% provincial average.

Notable residents

Hockey players

Despite its small population, Smithers has produced several notable professional ice hockey players:

• Brothers Joe Watson and Jimmy Watson: won the Stanley Cup as defencemen with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. Jimmy Watson was a five-time NHL All-Star game selection and played for Team Canada at the Canada Cup in 1976. Joe Watson was a two-time NHL All-Star and is a member of the Flyers hall of fame.
• Brothers Ron Flockhart (NHL career 1980-1991) and Rob Flockhart
• Alan Kerr: played for the New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets in the 1980s and 1990s
• Dan Hamhuis: currently defenceman playing for the Vancouver Canucks.
• Michael Wall: goalie for the Colorado Avalanche (Traded 2007)
• Ron Homenuke: forward for the Vancouver Canucks. Career ended abruptly after a hiking accident. He later became a missionary.

Others

• Alex Cuba, musician
• Alicia Kaye, Canadian triathlete
• Dan Mangan, musician
• Robert Chaplin, artist and publisher
• Graham Roumieu, author and illustrator
• Gina Holden, actress
• Robin Mathews, poet, political activist, playwright, teacher, essayist
• Tobin Frank, musician with the Canadian band Spirit of the West
• Daniel Imhof, professional soccer player at VfL Bochum (Germany)
• Susan Juby, novelist, author
• Adrian Miles, musician. Former singer for U.K. based doom metal band Solstice
• Shawn Boonstra, host of It Is Written television, author.
• Michael Plug, only surviving Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross for covert combat operations in Mapia, Indonesia (disputed territories between West Papua/Irian Jaya province and Papua New Guinea), 2004.

Geography

West of Smithers is Moricetown, New Hazelton, Kitwanga, Terrace, Kitimat, Port Edward and Prince Rupert. East of Smithers is Telkwa, Houston, Topley, Burns Lake, Fraser Lake, Fort Fraser, Vanderhoof and Prince George.

Climate

Climate data for Smithers
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	15.6 (60.1)	11.9 (53.4)	17.3 (63.1)	24.3 (75.7)	35.8 (96.4)	33.9 (93.0)	34.6 (94.3)	35.2 (95.4)	31.1 (88.0)	24.4 (75.9)	15.6 (60.1)	11.5 (52.7)	35.8 (96.4)
Average high °C (°F)	−4.9 (23.2)	−0.4 (31.3)	5.1 (41.2)	10.8 (51.4)	15.7 (60.3)	18.9 (66.0)	21.6 (70.9)	21.2 (70.2)	15.8 (60.4)	8.8 (47.8)	0.8 (33.4)	−3.8 (25.2)	9.1
Average low °C (°F)	−12.7 (9.1)	−9.4 (15.1)	−5.1 (22.8)	−1.3 (29.7)	2.8 (37.0)	6.3 (43.3)	8.4 (47.1)	7.9 (46.2)	4 (39)	0.1 (32.2)	−5.4 (22.3)	−11.1 (12.0)	−1.3
Record low °C (°F)	−43.9 (−47.0)	−35.6 (−32.1)	−33.3 (−27.9)	−18.3 (−0.9)	−7.2 (19.0)	−4.1 (24.6)	−1.1 (30.0)	−2.2 (28.0)	−6.7 (19.9)	−22 (−8)	−32.4 (−26.3)	−39 (−38)	−43.9 (−47.0)
Precipitation mm (inches)	50.1 (1.972)	26.8 (1.055)	20.4 (0.803)	21.3 (0.839)	36 (1.42)	48.8 (1.921)	45.2 (1.78)	42.9 (1.689)	51.2 (2.016)	64.4 (2.535)	55.6 (2.189)	50.1 (1.972)	512.7 (20.185)
Source: Environment Canada[4]

Miscellaneous

• Smithers Airport underwent a runway extension completed in the summer of 2008 that allows the landing of smaller jet aircraft.^[5]
• The airline Central Mountain Air is based in Smithers.
• The film Eight Below was filmed here.
• The Comedy Network television show, Alice, I Think, is based on Smithers. (However, not actually filmed in Smithers aside from location shots.)
• The out coming film The Grey was filmed here.

Recreation

• Smithers is known for their world class skiing and fishing. Other popular activities include: soccer, hockey, baseball, down hill mountain biking, cross country skiing, hiking, quading and snowmobiling. Smithers offers lots when it comes to extreme sports, if its quading in the back country, snowmobiling in the mountains or biking down the Hudson Bay Mountain; Smithers is known for their great variety of recreation.

References

1. ^ Smithers at www.canadianencyclopedia.ca
2. ^ Concernedaboutcbm.org
3. ^ Statistics Canada, Community Highlights for Smithers, 2001 Community Profiles, October 23, 2007.
4. ^ Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1971–2000, accessed 11 July 2009
5. ^ Smithers Regional Airport

External links

• Smithers Regional Airport Information
• Basic demographic information about Smithers from Stats Canada's page
• Town of Smithers
• Tourism Smithers: contains in-depth information about the town
• Smithers Roots Live on in Nashville's Hamhuis at NHL.com
• Bulkley Valley Museum in Smithers